Virgin Atlantic is well known for having a rewards program with a few huge sweet spots. Not only can you transfer into Virgin from every transferable currency, they have a few absolutely gangbusters redemption opportunities. One that gets the most blog love (deservedly so) is booking ANA First Class from the East Coast USA (or Europe) to Asia for just 120,000 miles round-trip (110,000 from the West Coast). That deal gets the most attention when there is a transfer bonus to Virgin making it even cheaper.
For now, that deal remains in tact.
But another deal that gets less talk is also amazing: Air China First Class from London to Beijing (only) for just 75,000 Flying Club miles. It’s quite insane. 
If you want to take advantage of this deal, your time is running out quickly. Your best bet is probably to transfer Amex Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards points which post instantly. Virgin will hold a ticket for 24 hours, but that doesn’t leave a lot of time for long transfers.
As of May 1st, the cost will rise significantly.
Per the Virgin Atlantic website: Please be advised that effective from 01 May 2018, the number of miles needed for a Business Class and First Class reward flight between London and Bejing will be increasing to 135,000 and 200,000 miles for a round trip.
Personally, I have no need for this route, but it does make me nervous the ANA deal could change at some point. The ANA deal is probably one of the very best round trip premium redemptions around and most of these eventually come to an end.
H/T: Head for Points
Do you plan to do this before it’s gone on May 1st?
Let me know here, on Twitter, or in the private MilesTalk Facebook group.
New to all of this? My new “introduction to miles and points” book, MilesTalk: Live Your Wildest Travel Dreams Using Miles and Points is available now.
Damn.
[…] some might recall that Virgin Atlantic used to have an even better deal to Beijing from London, where 75,000 Virgin Flying Club miles would net you a round trip flight on Air China in First Class (so, 37,500 miles each way for First), although there were sizeable surcharges. That route no […]