Virgin Atlantic miles cannot be directly used to book ANA flights, but strategic transfers and partnerships offer indirect redemption options.
Understanding the Basics of Virgin Atlantic and ANA Mileage Programs
Virgin Atlantic and All Nippon Airways (ANA) are two major players in the airline industry, each with its own frequent flyer program. Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club allows members to earn and redeem miles primarily on Virgin Atlantic flights and its partners. ANA Mileage Club, on the other hand, is the loyalty program for ANA, a member of the Star Alliance network.
The key question is whether you can use Virgin Atlantic miles to book flights operated by ANA. On the surface, this seems straightforward—both airlines have partnerships and codeshare agreements, so it might be logical to expect cross-utilization of miles. However, airline alliances and mileage redemption rules are often complex, with specific restrictions on which miles can be used for which flights.
Virgin Atlantic is not a member of Star Alliance; instead, it has partnerships mainly with Delta Air Lines (SkyTeam) and some joint ventures with other carriers. ANA is a Star Alliance member. This difference in alliance membership creates a barrier to direct redemption of Virgin Atlantic miles on ANA-operated flights.
Why Virgin Atlantic Miles Can’t Be Used Directly for ANA Flights
Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club miles are designed primarily for Virgin Atlantic’s own network and select partner airlines that fall outside Star Alliance. Since ANA is part of Star Alliance, it does not appear as a partner airline eligible for direct award redemptions within Virgin Atlantic’s program.
In practical terms, this means that if you log into your Virgin Atlantic Flying Club account or call their customer service, you won’t find ANA flights available for booking using your Virgin miles. The system simply doesn’t support direct redemptions on Star Alliance carriers like ANA.
This limitation stems from how airline alliances structure their partnerships and mileage redemption rights. Airlines typically grant mileage redemption privileges only within their own alliance or through specific bilateral agreements. Since Virgin Atlantic operates outside Star Alliance, its miles do not have inherent value on ANA-operated flights.
Indirect Methods: Transferring Points to Book ANA Flights
Even though you cannot directly use Virgin Atlantic miles to book ANA flights, there are clever workaround strategies involving transferable points programs. Many credit cards offer flexible points currencies such as American Express Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards that can be transferred to multiple airline programs.
For example:
- American Express Membership Rewards: You can transfer Amex points directly to ANA Mileage Club at a 1:1 ratio.
- Chase Ultimate Rewards: Points transfer to United MileagePlus (Star Alliance), which can book ANA flights.
- Virgin Points Transfer: Some credit cards allow transferring points into Virgin Atlantic Flying Club but not vice versa.
If you hold transferable credit card points rather than just Virgin Atlantic miles, you can convert those points into ANA Mileage Club miles and then book award flights on ANA-operated routes. This route bypasses the restriction of using Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles directly.
Example Scenario:
If you have American Express Membership Rewards points but want to fly on an ANA flight, transferring your Amex points directly to ANA Mileage Club is the most straightforward approach. However, if you only have Virgin Atlantic miles from Flying Club without transferable credit card points, your options become limited.
The Role of Partner Airlines in Booking ANA Flights Using Miles
Virgin Atlantic partners with several airlines outside the Star Alliance umbrella, including Delta Air Lines (SkyTeam) and Air France-KLM (also SkyTeam). Although these partners operate extensive networks globally, they do not include Star Alliance members like ANA in their award redemption options.
This means that even booking through a partner airline’s loyalty program will not allow you to redeem Virgin Atlantic miles specifically for an ANA flight segment.
However, some travelers consider booking connecting itineraries where part of the journey is flown by Virgin Atlantic or its partners while the remaining segment is operated by another alliance carrier booked separately. This approach requires separate tickets or mixed-cabin itineraries but does not equate to using Virgin miles for an entire ANA flight.
Summary Table: Airline Alliances and Redemption Possibilities
| Airline | Alliance Membership | Virgin Atlantic Miles Redemption Allowed? |
|---|---|---|
| ANA (All Nippon Airways) | Star Alliance | No (direct redemptions unavailable) |
| Delta Air Lines | SkyTeam | Yes (partner airline) |
| KLM / Air France | SkyTeam | No (not a direct partner for redemptions) |
| Virgin Atlantic | No formal alliance; joint ventures with SkyTeam members | N/A (own program) |
The Value Proposition: Should You Try Booking ANA With Virgin Atlantic Miles?
Given that direct booking is impossible and indirect methods require converting transferable points rather than Flying Club miles themselves, it raises the question: Is it worth trying?
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club offers great value when redeemed on Delta flights or premium cabins aboard its own aircraft fleet. If your goal is specifically flying with ANA—especially in premium cabins like Business or First Class—it’s far more efficient to accumulate points directly in programs aligned with Star Alliance such as United MileagePlus or ANA Mileage Club itself.
Trying to “force” a booking using Virgin miles will often result in frustration due to limited availability or convoluted workarounds involving multiple accounts and transfers.
However, if you have flexible credit card points that can transfer both into Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and also into other programs like Amex Membership Rewards → ANA Mileage Club, then evaluating which transfer yields better award availability or pricing makes sense.
Award Pricing Comparison: Hypothetical One-Way Tokyo-London Business Class Flight
| Loyalty Program | Miles Required (Business Class) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ANA Mileage Club | 75,000 – 85,000 miles | Award chart based; includes fuel surcharges sometimes |
| United MileagePlus (Star Alliance partner) | Around 75,000 – 80,000 miles | No fuel surcharges; good availability on partner awards |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club* | N/A – no direct redemption possible for this route* | Must use other programs for booking this flight segment |
The Mechanics of Transferring Points Between Programs Involving VIRGIN ATLANTIC AND ANA
One important nuance involves credit card point transfers rather than airline mile transfers:
- No direct transfer: You cannot transfer Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles into any other airline’s frequent flyer program—including ANA.
- The opposite direction: Some credit cards allow transferring flexible currency points into either program independently.
For example:
- You can move American Express Membership Rewards points into either VIRGIN ATLANTIC FLYING CLUB or into ANA MILEAGE CLUB.
This flexibility lets travelers choose where their points deliver more value depending on availability or award pricing at booking time.
Unfortunately, there’s no shortcut where your existing VIRGIN ATLANTIC MILES magically become usable toward an ANA flight without first converting through another transferable point currency source outside Flying Club itself.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls When Trying To Use VIRGIN ATLANTIC MILES For Ana Flights
Several misconceptions circulate online about using VIRGIN ATLANTIC MILES for STAR ALLIANCE partners like Ana:
- Mistaken belief: That all partner airlines automatically accept each other’s frequent flyer currencies.
- Error: Attempting online bookings that show codeshare flights operated by Ana under VIRGIN ATLANTIC flight numbers but cannot be paid with VIRGIN ATLANTIC MILES.
- Mileage expiration confusion: Transferring between unrelated programs may cause unexpected expiration or loss of value.
To avoid these issues:
- Create accounts in both loyalty programs early.
- Earmark transferable credit card points as your “wildcard” currency for flexible awards.
- Diligently check award charts and seat availability before committing any transfers.
Key Takeaways: Can You Book ANA With Virgin Atlantic Miles?
➤ Virgin Atlantic miles can book ANA flights.
➤ Booking requires searching Virgin Atlantic’s site.
➤ Availability varies by route and season.
➤ Fuel surcharges may apply on ANA awards.
➤ Booking fees depend on Virgin Atlantic policies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Book ANA With Virgin Atlantic Miles Directly?
No, you cannot book ANA flights directly using Virgin Atlantic miles. Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club does not support award redemptions on ANA flights because ANA is a Star Alliance member, while Virgin Atlantic is not part of that alliance.
Why Are Virgin Atlantic Miles Not Usable for Booking ANA Flights?
Virgin Atlantic miles are primarily redeemable within its own network and select partners outside Star Alliance. Since ANA is a Star Alliance airline, Virgin Atlantic miles cannot be used directly due to alliance restrictions and the lack of a bilateral agreement.
Is There an Indirect Way to Book ANA With Virgin Atlantic Miles?
Yes, while direct booking isn’t possible, you can use indirect methods such as transferring points from programs that partner with both Virgin Atlantic and ANA. These strategic transfers may allow you to redeem miles for ANA flights through other loyalty programs.
Can Transferring Points Help Book ANA Flights Using Virgin Atlantic Miles?
Transferring points can sometimes enable booking ANA flights, but it depends on the partner programs involved. Virgin Atlantic miles themselves cannot be transferred directly to ANA Mileage Club; however, transfers through certain credit card or partner programs might offer a workaround.
What Should I Know About Using Virgin Atlantic Miles for ANA Flight Bookings?
Understanding airline alliances and their mileage rules is key. Since Virgin Atlantic and ANA belong to different alliances, direct bookings aren’t supported. Exploring partnerships and point transfer options may provide alternative ways to use your miles for ANA flights.
The Bottom Line – Can You Book ANA With Virgin Atlantic Miles?
The short answer remains clear: You cannot book an All Nippon Airways flight directly using your Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles due to alliance restrictions and lack of partnership between these two frequent flyer programs.
That said:
- If you hold transferable credit card rewards such as American Express Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards alongside your VIRGIN ATLANTIC MILES balance, leverage those flexible currencies instead by transferring them directly into Ana Mileage Club or United MileagePlus for seamless booking options.
- If flying Ana is a priority—especially premium cabins—consider accumulating mileage in Star Alliance-aligned programs rather than relying solely on VIRGIN ATLANTIC MILES.
- If maximizing value from VIRGIN ATLANTIC MILES matters most, focus on redeeming them within their own network or partner airlines like Delta instead of pursuing complicated workarounds involving Ana bookings.
Ultimately understanding these nuances helps avoid frustration during trip planning while ensuring you get maximum bang from your hard-earned loyalty currency.
This clarity empowers savvy travelers seeking international premium travel experiences across different alliances without wasting valuable rewards currency on unavailable options.