Update 12/6: There are only have 2 hours left to lock in bargain Virgin fares! You can still lock in current rates by booking by 6:59pm ET. Date changes or cancellations cost the lessor of the taxes paid or $50.
Virgin Atlantic has an excellent award chart for travel on Delta, which is significantly cheaper than using Delta miles.
That’s often helped by frequent 30% mileage transfer bonuses, such as the current one from AMEX.
Sadly, the rates will go up significantly for bookings made as of 12/7 for travel starting 1/1/24.
You can still lock in current rates by booking by tomorrow at 6:59pm ET. Date changes or cancellations cost the lessor of the taxes paid or $50.
Here is the current award chart:
And here is the new award chart:
It’s worth noting that this chart won’t apply to flights to/from Europe, which will remain 30K in coach and 50K in business class each way.
- A zone 1 flight from Cleveland, Detroit, or Pittsburgh to NYC will remain 7.5K Virgin points in economy but will go up from 17.5K to 21K in first class.
- A zone 2 flight from Atlanta to NYC will go up from 8.5K to 11K Virgin points in economy and will go up from 27.5K to 41.5K in first class.
- A zone 3 flight from Miami to NYC will go up from 11.5K to 16.5K Virgin points in economy and will go up from 40K to 59.5K in first class.
- A zone 4 flight from Denver to NYC will go up from 12.5K to 18.5K Virgin points in economy and will go up from 45K to 66.5K in first class.
- A zone 5 flight from LA to NYC will go up from 15K to 22K Virgin points in economy and will go up from 52.5K to 70K in first class.
- A zone 6 flight from NYC to Lima will go up from 22.5K to 35K Virgin points in economy and will remain 80K in first class.
- A zone 7 flight from NYC to Buenos Aires will go up from 27.5K to 44K Virgin points in economy and will remain 105K in first class.
- A zone 8 flight from NYC to Tel Aviv will go up from 35K to 49.5K Virgin points in economy and will remain 130K in first class.
- A zone 9 flight from NYC to Tokyo will go up from 45K to 65.5K Virgin points in economy and will remain 165K in first class.
Those are some pretty brutal increases, but at least they will maintain an award chart for Delta flights, unlike what Delta does for their own flights or partner flights.
Note that Delta often blocks partner award space within 3 weeks of a flight.
Infant lap child awards on international flights are a bargain. While Delta charges 10% of the paid fare, which can be astronomical on one-way flights, Virgin charges just 1,000 points in coach or 5,000 points in business class each way.
However, in many cases, you’ll now be better off using Air France/KLM Flying Blue miles for redemptions on Delta.
What travel will you book before 7pm tomorrow?
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24 Comments On "[Less Than 2 Hours Left To Lock In Cheap Virgin Awards!] Act Fast: Virgin Massively Devalues Delta Partner Award Chart"
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It’s Business Class on the international flights, not first class 😉 (you probably copy pasted from the first few)
Not so brutal for those as they didn’t change.
Does this apply to VS metal as well or only DL?
Delta only.
Ehh never found any award space on delta through virgin anyway
On which route/class?
Miami area to NYC is one I tried searching. Even Miami area to atl never found
Sounds like a PEBKAC error:
How do you do this wizardry? I’m sure you can share a link where you explain this.
Directly from their home page, just search for points and flexible dates.
Though I did modify the URL to change from a week to month view.
How much is an infant with flying blue ?
Getting this error after transferring miles from Amex.. Try to book 3 economy tickets to Sydney …Sorry, we’re unable to process your request at the moment, please try again later. #7522A
Try calling.
If it’s a new account with virgin that is normal, but a call might help. Select upper class to avoid waiting on the line
Dan
Some days next year TLV-JFK Business jump to 90K
There are no available dates from TLV-JFK on Delta, they have blocked them all.
Not Delta. Virgin
Jump from 75K to 90K
Virgin rates always vary by season.
How do I book Delta with Virgin? Do you have a guide?
https://www.dansdeals.com/points-travel/milespoints/transfer-chase-points-virgin-atlantic-get-30-bonus-book-discounted-delta-awards-incredible-ana-bargains/
https://www.dansdeals.com/airfare-deals/mileage-deals/wide-open-ita-business-class-award-space-milan-rome-tel-aviv-bookable-via-virgin-atlantic/
https://www.dansdeals.com/points-travel/milespoints/virgins-amazing-beta-award-calendar-makes-easy-hunt-rare-delta-awards/
Can I use Delta points to book or does it have to be Virgin points
Just doing some quick checks it looks like AF and VS will generally be about the same price for DL Y flights domestically. (Which probably was the plan in the first place with the new rates) Once you factor that VS has lower surcharges per leg ($6 instead of $20) the net cash + points cost is almost equal. Some spot checks on my favorite routes still have VS being 35-55% cheaper than redeeming skypesos since VS flights book into main cabin instead of basic econ.
When it comes to J though, AF will definately be way cheaper domestically, to the tune of 20-30% less points than VS but actually in the same ballpark as using skypesos. (But with higher surcharges $40/leg as opposed to $6)
Looking into flight from ny to mco – seems like they blacked out pesach flights. Has anyone else seen the same?
I booked 3 tickets NYC-LHR thru VA for 47k points and $1,100. Now add on $300 credit from Chase Reserve Travel.. TY Dan!
I was just looking at using Virgin Atlantic points to fly on Delta and it seems they’re now charging exorbitant fees. For example, FCO-JFK on May 5 is 30K + 200 Euros, similar to Flying Blue. When I booked TLV-ATL a few months ago, the only fees were $47 in taxes.