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Virgin Atlantic is offering a 25% discount on economy awards to the United Kingdom booked by January 22. You can book awards even in the peak of summer for as low as 13,125 Virgin Atlantic miles each way.
You probably have Virgin Atlantic miles because Virgin Atlantic is a 1:1 transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, and SPG Starpoints. Twenty-thousand Starpoints always transfer to 25,000 Virgin Atlantic miles. Membership Rewards offers occasional transfer bonuses like the 35% bonus in October 2014.
Prices
Virgin Atlantic awards do have fuel surcharges, so a one way to the United Kingdom costs $135 out of pocket. A roundtrip costs $454 plus the miles because of the fuel surcharges and punitive aviation taxes when departing the UK.
After the 25% discount, one way awards between these cities and the United Kingdom cost:
- Boston: 13,125 miles
- New York (JFK/Newark): 13,125 miles
- Chicago: 13,125 miles
- Washington: 13,125 miles
- Atlanta: 13,125 miles
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- Miami: 15,938 miles
- Orlando: 15,938 miles
- Las Vegas: 15,938 miles
- Los Angeles: 15,938 miles
- San Francisco: 15,938 miles
Booking
The discounts are hard-coded into search results, so to book your discounted award, start on the search screen, and select “Spend Your Miles.”
Search results are color-coded. A red line underneath the date means there is Economy award space. A white line means Premium Economy award space. A purple line means Upper Class award space.
On the calendar above, the 7th has award space in all three cabins, while the 8th only has award space in Premium Economy and Upper Class.
The current 25% off sale only applies to Economy.
If you book one way awards, you will pay half the price of a roundtrip award in miles each direction, but taxes and fees are way higher westbound.
Eastbound has $134.60 in taxes and fuel surcharges.
Westbound has $318.90 in taxes and fuel surcharges because of the UK’s Air Passenger Duty.
That puts the total on a roundtrip at $453.50.
Because of the departure tax leaving the United Kingdom, I would use these awards only for one way flights to the United Kingdom, similar to how I recommend using Flying Blue Promo Awards.
[…] Virgin Atlantic economy class awards to Europe require far fewer miles than competitors’ charge. From Boston, New York, Washington, and Chicago, you only need 17,500 Virgin Atlantic miles for a one way flight to the United Kingdom. (Actually only 13,125 miles until January 22, 2015.) […]