Book ANA Business and First With Virgin Atlantic Points

By Bryce Casson, Founder · Cardocrat · Updated July 2026

The short answer: This is the redemption that made Virgin Atlantic famous among points people: you can fly ANA, with one of the best business and first-class products in the sky, between the US and Japan for a fraction of the cash price. The cheat code is that Virgin publishes a fixed, set-rate award chart for its partners while ANA’s own program, United, and most others now price dynamically, so ANA’s The Room business and The Suite first stay cheap even when cash fares spike. After the May 2024 devaluation the chart is priced one-way by zone: about 52,500 Virgin points one-way for ANA business from the West Coast and 60,000 from the East, and 72,500 to 85,000 in first. The one real hoop is that ANA space will not price online, so you book it by phone. Here is the current chart and how to do it, and for the cabin itself see how to fly ANA The Room.

Why the fixed chart is the cheat code

The magic is not only the price, it is that Virgin Atlantic still publishes a set award chart for its partners while ANA’s own program, United, and most others have drifted to dynamic pricing that tracks the cash fare. Because Virgin’s number for ANA is fixed by zone, a $12,000 first-class Suite and a $6,000 The Room business seat cost the same points in July as they do over the winter holidays, so you sidestep the peak-date spikes that wreck dynamic awards. It works at all because Virgin and ANA have a direct partnership even though they sit in different alliances, Virgin in SkyTeam and ANA in Star, one of the more useful non-alliance partnerships in the hobby.

The current chart, one-way by zone

Virgin’s May 2024 devaluation moved ANA to one-way pricing split into two US zones, which actually made it more flexible even as the numbers rose. From the West Coast and western Canada, ANA business runs about 52,500 Virgin points one-way and first about 72,500; from the central and eastern US those rise to roughly 60,000 in business and 85,000 in first. Double them for a round trip, so East Coast first is around 170,000 points return, well up from the old 110,000 but still a strong deal against a cash fare north of $12,000. Add taxes and ANA’s carrier surcharges on top, which for a Chicago-Tokyo run land somewhere near $180 to $315 depending on direction.

ANA via Virgin Atlantic Flying Club — one-way, per person (2026)
Route	Business · The Room	First · The Suite
Western US & Canada ↔ Japan	52,500 pts	72,500 pts
Central & Eastern US ↔ Japan	60,000 pts	85,000 pts

One-way in Virgin points; double for a round trip (East Coast first is about 170,000 return). Add roughly $180 to $315 in taxes and ANA surcharges. Book by phone at 1-800-365-9500 — ANA will not price online, and awards are not bookable within 14 days of departure.

How to book it, step by step

The order matters. First, find ANA award space, because you cannot book a seat that does not exist; search on a tool that shows ANA availability like seats.aero or United’s site and note the exact flights. Second, and only once you have found space, move your points to Virgin from Amex, Chase, Citi, Capital One, Bilt, or Wells Fargo, since transfers are one-way and usually instant. Third, call Virgin Atlantic Flying Club at 1-800-365-9500 to book, because ANA space will not price on virginatlantic.com; this calling-in step is what people mean by the ANA cheat code. Have the flight numbers and dates ready so the agent can pull up the same space you found.

The catches to plan around

A few things to plan for. ANA releases only a small number of saver seats per flight, often just one or two in first, so availability, not points, is the real constraint, especially for couples or peak seasons; search early and stay flexible on dates. Virgin also will not let you book ANA within 14 days of departure, so this is not a last-minute tool. And because you have to call, budget time for hold queues and, occasionally, an agent who needs a nudge to find partner space. None of it is hard, but it rewards planning ahead.

Beyond ANA, the rest of Virgin’s fixed chart

ANA is the marquee redemption, but the same set-rate chart makes Virgin useful across its partners. Delta One business class to Europe books for about 50,000 Virgin points one-way, far below Delta’s own dynamic SkyMiles pricing, covered in book Delta One with Virgin points. Air France and KLM, Virgin’s SkyTeam siblings, price short European hops from just a few thousand points, and Virgin’s own Upper Class to London starts low on points though it carries heavy surcharges. For the full picture of which currency to move where, see the transfer partners cheat sheet and our best airline sweet spots.

Frequently asked questions

How many Virgin points to fly ANA to Japan?

After the 2024 devaluation, ANA business between the US and Japan runs about 52,500 Virgin points one-way from the West Coast and 60,000 from the East, and first class about 72,500 to 85,000 one-way, plus a few hundred dollars in surcharges. That works out to roughly 105,000 to 170,000 points for a round trip depending on cabin and coast.

Can I book ANA one-way with Virgin points?

Yes, now you can. Virgin used to require round-trip ANA bookings, but the May 2024 change moved ANA to a one-way, zone-based chart, so you can book a single direction and pair it with another program on the return if you like.

Do I have to call to book ANA through Virgin?

Yes. ANA award space does not price on virginatlantic.com, so you have to call Virgin Atlantic Flying Club at 1-800-365-9500 to book it. Find the space first on a tool like seats.aero, then have the flights and dates ready for the agent. This phone step is what people mean by the ANA calling-in trick.

Which credit cards transfer to Virgin Atlantic?

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club takes 1:1 transfers from American Express, Chase, Citi, Capital One, Bilt, and Wells Fargo, plus Marriott and Rove. That makes it one of the most reachable sweet-spot programs from almost any card, and Amex runs frequent transfer bonuses to Virgin.

Why is ANA cheaper through Virgin than through ANA?

Because Virgin sets its own fixed partner chart for ANA, and that set rate is usually lower than ANA’s now-dynamic pricing, especially on peak dates. The two airlines are in different alliances, but their direct partnership lets Virgin sell ANA seats at a published, unchanging price.

Are there fuel surcharges on ANA through Virgin?

Yes, some. Virgin passes along ANA’s carrier-imposed surcharges, which with taxes tend to run a few hundred dollars, often in the $180 to $315 range one-way depending on route and direction. It is still an excellent deal, but budget for the cash on top of the points.