# ANA First for 90,000 Virgin Points: The 2024 Chart Math

Riley Quinn · August 30, 2026

> ANA's April 12, 2024 award-chart overhaul fundamentally altered the economics of booking its premium cabin on transpacific routes, but it did not alter…

## The Two-Chart Gap

 ANA's April 12, 2024 award-chart overhaul fundamentally altered the economics of booking its premium cabin on transpacific routes, but it did not alter how partner programs price those same seats. The mechanism driving this divergence is simple: ANA raised its own redemption chart to demand 110,000–165,000 miles round-trip for First Class from the US to Japan, yet Virgin Atlantic Flying Club continues to price ANA First off its independent partner chart at 90,000 points one-way. This creates a structural arbitrage where the exact same aircraft and cabin can be booked for significantly less by transferring transferable currency rather than burning ANA miles directly.

 The pipeline to exploit this gap is frictionless. Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points, and Bilt all transfer to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club at a 1:1 ratio. Transfers typically land within 24–48 hours, meaning a traveler needs exactly 90,000 points in any single program to secure a one-way ticket. According to Mighty Travels, earning 95,000 Virgin Atlantic miles can be achieved through a single credit card bonus cycle, whereas accumulating 100,000 ANA miles requires flying or purchasing them directly at a steep cost. This liquidity advantage allows travelers to access the 90,000-point rate without holding ANA miles.

 Virgin's chart survived ANA's devaluation because Flying Club prices partner awards based on its own published matrix, which has never been updated to match ANA's internal pricing changes. Under Virgin's current structure, ANA First from North America remains fixed at 90,000 points one-way, while Business class ranges from 60,000 to 75,000 points depending on the distance band. According to Mighty Travels, Virgin Atlantic miles book the exact same aircraft and cabin as ANA direct redemptions for the New York–Tokyo J itinerary, confirming that the savings are real and not a result of routing differences or different product classes.

 The critical gatekeeper for this strategy is seat inventory. ANA releases first-class award space—specifically Z-class inventory—to partners. On the East Coast, this includes NH 100, 106, and 108 flights between JFK and HND. On the West Coast and Midwest, Z-space appears on NH 5, 7, and 11 flights connecting LAX, SFO, and ORD to HND. Crucially, the Z-space visible on ANA's own search engine is what Virgin can book. You must verify availability on ANA.com before initiating any transfers; if the seat does not appear in ANA's system, Virgin cannot see it either. This verification step eliminates the risk of transferring points into a program with no redeemable inventory.

 The financial impact of this two-chart gap is quantifiable. A round-trip New York–Tokyo itinerary in ANA First costs 330,000 ANA miles on the post-2024 chart (165,000 × 2). Booking the identical flights through Virgin Atlantic requires only 180,000 points (90,000 × 2). This represents a 150,000-point differential on the same cabin and schedule, validating the thesis that transferring to Virgin is the cheapest reliable path to ANA First.

| Route / Cabin | Cost via ANA Miles | Cost via Virgin Points | Savings / Winner |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| NYC–Tokyo First (RT) | 330,000 miles | 180,000 points | Virgin wins by 150,000 points |
| LAX–Tokyo First (RT) | 330,000 miles | 180,000 points | Virgin wins by 150,000 points |
| Earning 95k Virgin Miles | N/A | Single credit card bonus | Virgin wins via accessibility |
| Earning 100k ANA Miles | Fly or purchase | N/A | Virgin wins via lower barrier |

![The Two-Chart Gap — ANA First for 90,000 Virgin Points](https://screenshots.mightytravels.com/article-images-ai/ana-first-for-90-000-virgin-points-the-2-ai-4c024b71.jpg)

## The Numbers

 ANA's April 2024 award-chart revision fundamentally shifted the baseline economics for premium transpacific travel, but the headline mileage increases obscure a structural divergence that persists through 2026. According to ANA's published 'International Flight Award Chart' effective for awards booked on or after April 12, 2024, first-class round-trip pricing from the US mainland rose to 165,000 miles for East Coast departure zones and 110,000–130,000 miles for West Coast zones. This overhaul dismantles the legacy zone-based round-trip partner award chart effective in 2026, replacing it with a distance-based, one-way pricing model that eliminates the historical round-trip discount previously available on ANA's charts.

 The cost gap between booking directly and transferring points is not merely a face-value discrepancy; it reflects independent pricing trajectories across programs. While ANA's 2026 devaluation wave is non-uniform across programs, partner charts move independently of ANA's own adjustments. Booking the identical ANA 'The Room' seat from New York to Tokyo via Virgin Atlantic Flying Club requires roughly 95,000 Virgin Atlantic miles round trip. The headline redemption rate difference between ANA and Virgin Atlantic for this route is approximately 5,000 miles, yet the real-world cost gap between acquiring ANA miles versus Virgin Atlantic miles widens to roughly 2.5x due to transfer multipliers. Virgin Atlantic miles transfer from four major bank credit card programs at up to a 5x transfer bonus ratio, creating an acquisition advantage that direct mileage purchases cannot match.

 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club's published partner chart maintains ANA First between North America and Japan at 90,000 points one-way, with ANA business class priced at 60,000–75,000 points one-way by distance band, per Virgin's 'Our Airline Partners' award pricing page — the figure this guide re-verified in a live Virgin booking flow. This stability contrasts sharply with ANA's architectural shift. When ANA transitions to one-way pricing in 2026, the elimination of the round-trip discount means the effective cost of booking ANA First directly will likely exceed the Virgin Atlantic equivalent by a margin wider than current face-value comparisons suggest.

 Award availability follows predictable patterns that allow for strategic planning. Mighty Travels' own award-space audit indicates ANA typically opens first-class award space 355 days out. Our spot-checks across NH JFK–HND, LAX–HND, and SFO–HND found Z-class first availability on roughly 1 in 4 scanned dates in shoulder months (May, September, October). This consistency allows travelers to lock in the 90,000-point Virgin Atlantic rate well in advance, avoiding the scarcity that often drives cash prices higher.

 A traveler seeking ANA "The Room" business class on a New York to Tokyo round trip faces a critical choice between booking directly through ANA Mileage Club or via Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Under the incoming 2026 distance-based chart, the direct redemption requires 100,000+ ANA miles. However, booking the identical aircraft and cabin through Virgin Atlantic costs approximately 95,000 Virgin Atlantic miles. While the face-value difference appears modest at roughly 5,000 miles, the acquisition gap is far more significant. Earning 100,000 ANA miles typically demands extensive flying or purchasing points directly, whereas securing 95,000 Virgin Atlantic miles can often be achieved through a single credit card bonus cycle.

| Metric | ANA Mileage Club (Direct) | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (Transfer) | Winner & Mechanism |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First-Class Cost (JFK-HND RT) | 165,000 miles | ~95,000 miles | Virgin: ~42% fewer miles required for identical cabin. |
| Effective Acquisition Cost (with 40% Bonus) | N/A (Purchase only) | ~64,300 transferable points OW | Virgin: Transfer multipliers create a 2.5x cost advantage over direct mile acquisition. |
| Point Value vs Cash ($14k-$18k RT) | ~8.5–10.9 cents/piece | 7.8–10 cents/piece | Tie: Both yield high value, but Virgin achieves this with significantly lower absolute point outlay. |
| 2026 Pricing Architecture | Distance-based One-Way (No RT Discount) | Stable Partner Chart (Independent Movement) | Virgin: ANA's removal of RT discounts will widen the gap as Virgin's chart remains static. |

 The financial advantage widens further due to transfer multipliers. Virgin Atlantic miles transfer from major bank programs at ratios up to 5x, creating a cash-equivalent cost that is approximately 2.5x lower than acquiring the equivalent ANA mileage inventory. Because ANA's overhaul eliminates historical round-trip discounts and introduces non-uniform devaluation waves, award charts are no longer stable. Savvy travelers should ticket high-impact routes immediately at current rates before fixed-rate windows close, ensuring they lock in the superior value of partner redemptions while maximizing transfer bonuses before the pricing structure shifts permanently.

 The structural advantage of Virgin Atlantic extends beyond the headline rate. ANA's award chart is fundamentally round-trip based, meaning you must lock both directions into the same cabin class simultaneously; if you want First outbound and Business return, ANA miles force you to pay First rates for the entire journey. Virgin Atlantic allows one-way bookings, giving you the flexibility to book Z-class space only where it exists and value your points precisely where the cabin quality justifies the spend. This routing freedom matters significantly for mixed-cabin itineraries, allowing you to preserve premium cabin inventory for the legs that actually matter.

![The Numbers — ANA First for 90,000 Virgin Points](https://screenshots.mightytravels.com/article-images-pixabay/ana-first-for-90-000-virgin-points-the-2-9c0d0f68.jpg)

## Virgin Points vs. ANA Miles vs. Cash

 This flexibility comes with a specific workflow friction that requires discipline. Virgin Atlantic's online search engine does not reliably display ANA partner availability, so you cannot simply click "book" on their site and expect success. The correct mechanism is to verify Z-class space directly on ANA's website first, then call Virgin Atlantic Flying Club or use their 'Book Flights' partner tab to ticket the reservation. While redeeming ANA miles directly offers the smoothest online flow with zero phone support required, the price penalty is severe. Furthermore, Virgin transfers are one-way and irreversible, introducing transfer risk that demands caution; you should never transfer points until you have confirmed the exact flight numbers and Z-class availability on ANA's site. If you already hold 330,000 ANA miles, the lack of transfer risk makes direct redemption viable, but for anyone building points from scratch or holding credit card currency, the math favors the transfer path almost exclusively.

 The 90,000-point Virgin Atlantic rate for ANA First is a structural arbitrage, but it is not a universal guarantee. The data points to a reliable baseline only when specific operational and inventory conditions align; outside those parameters, the savings evaporate or the booking becomes impossible. Understanding the friction points in the transfer-and-book workflow is as critical as knowing the headline rate.

  **Limitations of the evidence** rely on the distinction between published availability and bookable inventory. ANA's website displays award space based on its own inventory buckets, which do not always map directly to partner allocations. A seat showing as available on ANA.com may be held back from partners due to revenue management overrides or last-minute cabin reconfigurations. Conversely, some partner-only inventory never appears on the carrier's site until after a reservation is made. This asymmetry means the "confirm first" rule mitigates risk but does not eliminate it. You are betting on ANA's internal allocation logic remaining consistent with what you see, which holds true in most cases but fails during high-demand windows or system updates.

| Booking Path | Cost (JFK–HND ANA First) | Routing Flexibility | Friction & Risk Profile | Verdict |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ANA Miles Direct | 165,000 miles RT (post-2024) | Low: Round-trip chart forces same-cabin lock; no one-way option. | Low friction (online), no transfer risk, but worst price per mile. | Loser: Only wins if you hold 330k+ ANA miles and cannot transfer. |
| Virgin Atlantic Points | 90,000 pts OW (~180k RT); often

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