Partner award flights on ANA just got even better: One-way redemptions now possible
When you know how to book through the right partners, you can score amazing business and first-class redemptions for just a fraction of the miles. One of the best examples of this is using Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points to book travel on All Nippon Airways (ANA).
Historically, one of the major pitfalls is that ANA only allowed round-trip partner award redemptions, but that has now changed.
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The ANA partner page on Virgin Atlantic's website used to display a message saying one-way reward trips are not available. But now, as noted on One Mile at a Time, it says you can book a one-way trip for half the price of the round-trip mileage in the current award chart.
You might be asking why this is such a big deal. Well, there are a number of reasons why someone may book a one-way trip.
Related: The new gold standard: Review of The Room, ANA's new business class on the Boeing 777-300ER
Depending on award availability, your travel dates may only be able for one of the legs. Maybe you want to fly into one destination and fly out of another (I actually did this on my first points-funded trip to Croatia a few years back). Or, maybe you can only splurge on business or first-class tickets for one leg of your trip.
The ability to book one-way tickets provides a lot more flexibility for travelers.
Now, you can score an ANA business class ticket between the U.S. and Japan for as little as 45,000 Flying Club points. For everyone already planning a dream getaway for after the pandemic, this could be a great redemption option for you.
Keep in mind that in order to book an ANA award flight with your Virgin Atlantic points, you'll have to call Virgin Atlantic to book at least 48 hours in advance.
Related: Ultimate guide to ANA Mileage Club
Bottom line
All Nippon Airways revamped its business and first-class flying experiences in recent years, making it one of the best premium class cabins to fly internationally. And because you can transfer credit card points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club from Amex, Chase and Citi, racking up the necessary points for a stellar redemption is easier than other programs.
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