Last week I wrote about some of the bargains when using their points on ANA and Delta.
DDF member Yaalili points out that travel on Jet Airways is also a bargain. Here is the Virgin Atlantic award chart for flying on Jet Airways.
Their most interesting route to me is their 5th Freedom flight between Toronto and Amsterdam on the Boeing 777-300ER (77W). That plane features 8 first class suites with doors and 49 business class seats in a 1-2-1 herringbone direct aisle access configuration.
Jet Airways 77W first class suite with the doors open:
Jet Airways 77W business class:
Jet also flies the 77W from Delhi to Amsterdam, London, and Hong Kong and from Mumbai to Amsterdam, Hong Kong, London, and Paris.
Between Toronto and Amsterdam, a one-way flight would cost 20.5K miles in coach, 41K miles in business, or 60K miles in first class suites. With the 30% bonus that’s like using 15,769 AMEX points in coach, 31,538 AMEX points in business class, or 46,154 AMEX points in first class suites.
There are no fuel surcharges on Jet Airways awards. Taxes from Toronto to Amsterdam are about $40.
A one-way coach ticket would cost $553, imputing a value of 3.25 cents per AMEX point after backing out the taxes. A one-way business class ticket would cost $4,084, imputing a value of 12.8 cents per AMEX point. A one-way first class suites ticket would cost $8,040, imputing a value of 17.8 cents per AMEX point.
If you want to bring a lap child, a one-way flight only costs 1K miles in coach, 5K miles in business, or 7k miles in first class suites for the infant.
Award availability in all classes is excellent. It was available on every date that I checked!
Rates between Hong Kong and India are the same as the rates between Toronto and Amsterdam.
Between Europe and India, a one-way flight would cost 27K miles in coach, 54K miles in business, or 81K miles in first class suites. With the 30% bonus that’s like using 20,769 AMEX points in coach, 41,538 AMEX points in business class, or 62,308 AMEX points in first class suites.
You must call Virgin Atlantic at 800-365-9500 to get them to price the award without the extra pricing for taking a connecting flight.
You can transfer points from AMEX to Virgin Atlantic at a 1K:1.3K ratio with the current promo, from Chase or Citi to Virgin Altantic at a 1K:1K ratio, from Starwood to Virgin Atlantic at a 20K:25K ratio, or from Starwood to Virgin Atlantic via Marriott at a 90K:120K ratio with 7 free hotel nights.
Transfers from AMEX and Chase are instant. Additionally, Virgin Atlantic phones agents can hold awards for a day or 2.
It’s worth noting that Jet Airways is planning on removing first class eventually, but they are still selling first class seats over the next year.
Will you transfer points from AMEX to Virgin Atlantic to take advantage of this bonus? Will you redeem for a Marriott travel package before they go away next week and transfer the miles to Virgin Atlantic? What other award sweet spots do you take advantage of?
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19 Comments On "Using Virgin Atlantic Miles To Fly On Jet Airways Suites Or Business Class Is An Amazing Bargain!"
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Where can we check availability?
Almost every date should have space. You can search coach and business on Delta.com by looking one-way for nonstop flights only on the desktop flex award calendar.
Or just call Virgin Atlantic.
Ok thanks will try that. Ever flew with them? Any feedback on service, comfort, etc….?
Hey Dan, it seems like I’ve gotten lost somewhere between this post and the previous one. What’s my best option in using this promo to somehow book flights from NYC to TLV?
The one time i flew with them the service was ok but the smell…
Even in business/first?
In the hotel I stayed at in Mumbai I had to call the front desk to ask them to remove the goat smell from my room. They said no problem, and which animal smell would I prefer instead?
I once flew VA from JFK to TLV with a stop in London. The second leg, they put me in business class on ELAL. I don’t know if that was their standard thing or not, but there was another person on my flight with the same story. I was totally fine with business class especially because I paid for coach.
How did you get this? I tried calling and they said neither they nor their affiliates fly to TLV.
There is absolutely fuel surcharge if you book Jet Airways using Virgin, just look at the ITA Matrix breakdown. Delta doesn’t charge for some reason.
I called Virgin Atlantic to confirm that they do not collect fuel surcharges on Jet Airways.
Feel free to call for a quote yourself.
I did try to book a flight from Mumbai to Paris. Virgin Atlantic quoted me ~$190 which includes the fuel surcharges while Delta charges only $10.30 for the same award flight. Maybe they charge fuel surcharges on flights originating from India?
both myself and my friends have recently booked 9W using Virgin Miles, YYZ to AMS 1st class was approx $540 USD in taxes and fees round trip + 120K miles. Out of which 470 was YQ. Unless the removal of YQ was a very recent change, then the agent you spoke with gave incorrect info.
Yaalili posted that he booked YYZ-AMS with no YQ and the agent I called also quoted without YQ.
Maybe something happened just recently? Call and let us know what you find out 🙂
Hey Dan, just called Virgin. The rep told me that YQ has to be manually added at the end for the Jet Airways booking and doesn’t automatically show up on their end. I think maybe your friend Yaalili got a new/inexperienced agent?
Anything from nyc?
Use miles to get to Toronto.
can you get to israel booking through virgin
What does this mean?
“You must call Virgin Atlantic at 800-365-9500 to get them to price the award without the extra pricing for taking a connecting flight.”
What’s the extra pricing and connecting flight?