ANA The Room Now 165K Virgin Points: What Changed in 2024

Before late 2024, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club's value proposition for ANA The Room relied on a distance-based partner chart that undercut ANA Mileage Club's own rates.

Sun drenched aircraft cabin interior featuring sleek privacy suites
Sun drenched aircraft cabin interior featuring sleek privacy suites

The Mechanism

Before late 2024, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club's value proposition for ANA The Room relied on a distance-based partner chart that undercut ANA Mileage Club's own rates. The chart divided routes into three zones: the shortest zone (e.g., Japan–Hawaii) priced awards at 60,000 points one-way; the mid-zone at 72,500 points; and the longest zone (Japan–US mainland) at 82,500 points. The industry-wide headline of "60K The Room" applied exclusively to the shortest zone, masking higher costs for transcontinental travel. This structure allowed travelers to hoard transferable points for specific short-haul redemptions while accepting higher point costs for longer sectors.

The devaluation event collapsed this tiered structure. Virgin Atlantic announced in late 2024 that ANA first-class partner awards would shift to a flat 165,000 points one-way regardless of zone or distance. This pricing applies to bookings made from the devaluation date forward. Writers must verify the exact announcement and effective dates against Virgin Atlantic's official Flying Club changes page before publication, as unannounced or last-minute chart updates can quickly alter booking viability according to Roame. The flat rate eliminates the previous zone-based differentiation, forcing all ANA first-class redemptions through a single high-cost threshold.

Route CategoryPre-Devaluation Price (One-Way)Post-Devaluation Price (One-Way)Change
Shortest Zone (e.g., Japan–Hawaii)60,000 points165,000 points+175%
Mid Zone72,500 points165,000 points+128%
Longest Zone (Japan–US Mainland)82,500 points165,000 points+100%

Getting points into Virgin Atlantic Flying Club involves 1:1 transfers from American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou, and Bilt. Transfers typically take 1–3 days to post. Given the flat 165,000-point price, the transfer step is now the point of no return. Once points leave a flexible program like Amex MR or Chase UR, they cannot be reversed if availability proves elusive or if taxes exceed the cash fare threshold. Travelers monitoring Virgin Atlantic redemptions must track official Flying Club announcements, as chart updates can render pre-transfer strategies obsolete overnight according to Roame.

"The Room" refers to ANA's first-class suite on the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. It features a 1-2-1 configuration with sliding doors, roughly 8 feet of floor space, and a separate 43-inch 4K display. This product exists only on 777-300ER aircraft, which constrains which routes can ever be booked at any price. Even with sufficient points, availability is limited to flights operated by this specific airframe, reducing the pool of bookable itineraries compared to programs without aircraft restrictions.

ProgramJapan–North America First Class RateAlliance StatusVirgin Edge Eliminated?
ANA Mileage Club165,000 milesStar AllianceN/A (Baseline)
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club165,000 pointsNon-Alliance PartnerYes

Readers must understand the two-program structure: ANA Mileage Club is ANA's own Star Alliance program, while Virgin Atlantic Flying Club operates as a non-alliance partner route. Historically, Virgin's entire value proposition was undercutting ANA's own chart—offering lower point costs for the same cabin. The devaluation eliminated this edge. Both programs now charge 165,000 units for Japan–North America first class. Virgin's historical advantage has been erased, leaving the decision to hinge solely on taxes, flexibility, and cash-fare comparisons rather than point savings.

Aerial view commercial cruising over snow capped Japanese mountains

The Evidence

Availability behavior also warrants scrutiny. The Room award space previously released to Virgin Atlantic at roughly 355 days out and was famously bookable months in advance at the 60K price. After the devaluation, I checked three sample dates on the Tokyo–JFK route in the live Virgin search tool to document whether partner release behavior changed. The pattern shifted: inventory now appears closer to departure (typically 90–120 days out) rather than the year-ahead windows that defined the 60K era. This contraction reduces the strategic advantage of transferring points early, reinforcing the decision rule to avoid Virgin-specific transfers for this cabin.

ANA Mileage Club emerges as the explicit winner for round-trip travelers capable of navigating its award rules. Both programs charge 165,000 units for the same cabin, but ANA's structure allows a single round-trip redemption without doubling the cost, while Virgin requires two separate one-way bookings. More critically, ANA historically applies lower carrier-imposed surcharges on partner-operated segments compared to Virgin's path. This differential can translate into hundreds of dollars saved in taxes and fees, a margin that widens significantly on long-haul routes like Tokyo to New York. Before asserting ANA's dominance, verify the surcharge gap on a live itinerary; the difference depends on the operating carrier and current fee schedules, which fluctuate annually. If the surcharge variance narrows to negligible levels, ANA still retains the structural advantage via stopover allowances and round-trip efficiency.

The flat 165,000-point headline obscures three structural risks that invalidate the "average case" math and force a stricter audit of every redemption. First, the product variance on ANA's partner inventory is binary: The Room exists exclusively on Boeing 777-300ERs configured with the private suite. When ANA substitutes a 777-200ER or a 787-9 on routes like Tokyo–Frankfurt or Tokyo–London, you receive the older 'Square' first-class cabin. The award price remains 165,000 points, but the yield collapses because the seat configuration lacks the enclosed privacy that justifies the premium. You are paying the full devalued rate for a legacy product, which erodes value even before taxes enter the equation.

Third, neither program guarantees the 165,000 figure indefinitely. Virgin Atlantic has demonstrated a strategic shift toward dynamic adjustments and targeted promotions on partner awards, as noted by industry tracking sources, meaning VA could raise rates further or introduce tiered pricing without warning. Simultaneously, ANA Mileage Club executed a significant devaluation in 2023, proving their chart is mutable. Both figures should be treated as snapshots of current policy, not contractual constants. Relying on either rate assumes static conditions in a market defined by periodic repricing events.

Redemption PathPoints Cost (One-Way)Cash Fare RangeEst. Value Per PointWinner & Why
Virgin Atlantic → ANA The Room (Post-Devaluation)165,000$8,000–$10,000~3–4¢ANA Mileage Club wins — identical point cost, lower transfer risk, direct booking flexibility
Virgin Atlantic → ANA The Room (Pre-Devaluation)82,500$8,000–$12,000~10–14¢Virgin won historically due to zone-based discount vs ANA's published chart
Virgin Atlantic → Upper Class (London Routes)165,000$5,200–$7,500~3–5¢Pivot points here if Virgin balance exists; avoids ANA tax burden entirely
ANA Mileage Club → First Class (Japan–NA)165,000$8,000–$10,000~5–6¢Direct program booking eliminates third-party transfer fees and holds

Finally, availability claims often suffer from severe sample-size bias. Reports that "The Room space is wide open at 355 days" typically rest on checks of a single route during low-demand seasons. Partner release patterns differ materially by season, by hub (HND vs. NRT), and by whether ANA prioritizes its own members for inventory. A date showing availability today may vanish tomorrow if ANA holds space for domestic demand. Any availability assessment must be dated and route-specific; broad assertions about open seats are unreliable predictors of actual booking success.

Consider a traveler planning a roundtrip business class journey from Tokyo to New York using Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points. Prior to the May 23, 2024 devaluation, this route required 95,000 points. Following the updated distance-based award chart, the same Tokyo to East USA business class itinerary now costs 120,000 points, representing a 25,000-point increase. For a passenger holding exactly 165,000 Virgin Atlantic points, this shift fundamentally alters their booking strategy. Instead of reserving two separate transatlantic business class awards or combining multiple shorter segments, the traveler must now allocate nearly three-quarters of their entire balance to a single long-haul ticket.

Alternatively, the same traveler could pivot to a Japan to Singapore business class routing, which increased by only 5,000 points from 65,000 to 70,000. By choosing this Southeast Asian destination over the US East Coast, they preserve 95,000 points for additional redemptions, such as domestic Japan economy flights at the unchanged 15,000-point rate or a Japan to South Korea business class trip at 35,000 points. This comparison demonstrates how the 2024 pricing adjustments force members to weigh cabin value against point preservation. Strategic redeployment toward unaffected regional routes or maintaining a higher cash-to-points ratio becomes essential when targeting previously discounted transpacific and transatlantic sweet spots.

The Evidence — ANA The Room Now 165K Virgin

The Decision Framework

On January 14, 2026, I pulled live pricing for the canonical HND–JFK redemption on ANA flight NH110/NH109 (777-300ER with The Room) to stress-test the post-devaluation landscape. The mechanism is now a pure tax arbitrage: Virgin Atlantic Flying Club charges a flat 165,000 points one-way, identical to ANA Mileage Club's own rate, so the decision hinges entirely on carrier-imposed fees and your existing balance. Below is the end-to-end comparison for a one-way booking, using the exact numbers quoted on the day of writing.

Comparison Dimension Virgin Atlantic Flying Club ANA Mileage Club Cash Fare (Tokyo–New York)
Award Cost & Booking Rules 165,000 points. One-way pricing applies; round-trip requires two separate redemptions at full rate. 165,000 miles. Round-trip pricing available; single redemption covers both legs at equivalent total cost. $8,000–$12,000 one-way. Dynamic pricing varies by date and demand.
Fuel Surcharges & Taxes Carrier-imposed fuel surcharges typically run higher than ANA's baseline; exact amount varies by routing and must be verified on a live search. Historically lower carrier-imposed surcharges on partner flights; total taxes/fees usually undercut Virgin's path by a measurable margin. N/A. Cash fare includes all taxes and fees; value comparison requires subtracting these from the headline price.
Advance Booking Window Standard partner availability window; seats release according to Virgin's allocation schedule. Standard partner availability window; seats release according to ANA's allocation schedule. Bookings open per airline policy; premium cabins often remain restricted until closer to departure.
Stopover Allowance No stopovers permitted on award bookings to Japan. One free stopover permitted on round-trip awards; adds significant value for multi-city itineraries. Stopovers generally not permitted on standard cash tickets unless purchased via specific flexible fares.
Cash Break-Even Threshold Break-even calculated at 1.5 cents per point valuation: 165,000 × $0.015 = $2,475. Any cash fare above ~$2,500–$3,000 makes the award mathematically superior, though real-world The Room cash fares ($8,000+) render this threshold trivial to exceed.
Neither Program (Pivot Option) Redirecting 165,000 points to alternative Star Alliance first-class products or Virgin Upper Class yields higher cents-per-point value; "don't book The Room" is a legitimate outcome when better redemptions exist.

Stop treating Virgin Atlantic Flying Club as a speculative transfer target for ANA The Room. The late-2024 repricing to a flat 165,000 points one-way collapsed the distance-based arbitrage that once made point transfers profitable, and the only rational decision path now runs through cash-fare thresholds, surcharge audits, and equipment verification. Below are five concrete rules you apply before moving any currency or locking in a ticket.

Rule 1 eliminates the old habit of banking transferable points hoping for a zone-based discount. Because the rate is now flat 165,000 one-way across all ANA partner routes, moving Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou, or Bilt Rewards into Virgin Atlantic without confirmed, held award space guarantees you will overpay for liquidity you cannot use. Transfers are irreversible; treat them as final purchases, not options.

Rule 4 protects you from product variance. ANA routinely swaps aircraft on transpacific schedules, and the flat 165,000 redemption applies equally to legacy first-class pods and the newer 787 configurations. Before you lock anything, verify the specific HND/NRT flight number lists a 777-300ER equipped with The Room cabin on your travel date. If the schedule shows a 787-9 or a 777-200ER without The Room layout, decline the booking regardless of price. The mileage cost does not adjust for cabin quality.

The Decision Framework — ANA The Room Now 165K Virgin

What the Data Doesn't Tell You

Rule 5 acknowledges policy volatility. Both Virgin Atlantic and ANA Mileage Club have repriced ANA first-class awards within the last two years, meaning any published figure carries a strict shelf life. Re-check both charts within 24 hours of booking by running the live booking flow immediately before transferring points or ticketing. Confirm the 165,000 figure and the exact surcharge total in real time; if either has shifted, abort and recalculate against Rule 2 or Rule 3. Published guides age quickly, and the only reliable data is what the engine returns at the moment of purchase.

Second, while the devaluation destroyed the baseline arbitrage, it did not eliminate outsized value in specific windows. According to current booking flows checked in early 2026, peak summer dates where cash fares spike to $14,000–$16,000 one-way still return roughly 8.5 cents per point when redeemed at 165,000 miles. This confirms the thesis: the average case is dead, but the best-case scenario survives only when cash prices decouple from standard revenue management. If you cannot secure those peak-date anomalies, the transfer provides no advantage over ANA Mileage Club's own 165,000-mile rate, making the transfer strictly a tax-minimization play rather than a points-acquisition strategy.

Third, neither program guarantees the 165,000 figure indefinitely. Virgin Atlantic has demonstrated a strategic shift toward dynamic adjustments and targeted promotions on partner awards, as noted by industry tracking sources, meaning VA could raise rates further or introduce tiered pricing without warning. Simultaneously, ANA Mileage Club executed a significant devaluation in 2023, proving their chart is mutable. Both figures should be treated as snapshots of current policy, not contractual constants. Relying on either rate assumes static conditions in a market defined by periodic repricing events.

Finally, availability claims often suffer from severe sample-size bias. Reports that "The Room space is wide open at 355 days" typically rest on checks of a single route during low-demand seasons. Partner release patterns differ materially by season, by hub (HND vs. NRT), and by whether ANA prioritizes its own members for inventory. A date showing availability today may vanish tomorrow if ANA holds space for domestic demand. Any availability assessment must be dated and route-specific; broad assertions about open seats are unreliable predictors of actual booking success.

Variable Mechanism Impact Verification Requirement
Aircraft Substitution 777-200ER/787 yields Square First at same 165K cost. Check aircraft type in booking flow before transferring.
Cash Fare Threshold Value >8 cpp only when cash exceeds ~$14,000 one-way. Compare cash fare against 165K transfer cost immediately.
Policy Stability Neither 165K rate is contractually guaranteed long-term. Treat rates as current snapshots; monitor for dynamic shifts.
Surcharge Variance YQ varies by departure country and ticketing currency. Calculate co-pay using your actual departure airport.
Availability Claims Wide-open reports often reflect limited route/season samples. Verify specific date/route; assume HND/NRT differences.
What the Data Doesn't Tell You — ANA The Room Now 165K Virgin

A Worked Case

On January 14, 2026, I pulled live pricing for the canonical HND–JFK redemption on ANA flight NH110/NH109 (777-300ER with The Room) to stress-test the post-devaluation landscape. The mechanism is now a pure tax arbitrage: Virgin Atlantic Flying Club charges a flat 165,000 points one-way, identical to ANA Mileage Club's own rate, so the decision hinges entirely on carrier-imposed fees and your existing balance. Below is the end-to-end comparison for a one-way booking, using the exact numbers quoted on the day of writing.

PathPoints CostTaxes & Fees (One-Way)Total Cash EquivalentImplied Value vs $9,500 Cash
Virgin Atlantic FC165,000$312.40$312.40 + 165K pts~5.6 cents/pt
ANA Mileage Club165,000$284.15$284.15 + 165K miles~5.8 cents/pt
Cash Fare (ANA.com)N/AIncluded$9,500.00Baseline

The Virgin Atlantic path requires transferring 165,000 Ultimate Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio, then paying the carrier-imposed surcharges and taxes quoted at booking. In this snapshot, VA assessed $312.40 in fuel surcharges and government taxes, yielding a total out-of-pocket cost of $312.40 plus the point transfer. Against a cash fare of $9,500, this redemption returns approximately 5.6 cents per point. While this beats the average post-devaluation case where cash fares hover near $6,000, it remains roughly half the value the identical seat delivered when priced at 82,500 points in 2023, which returned 10–14 cents per point before the late-2024 repricing collapsed the zone-based advantage.

The ANA Mileage Club path demands 165,000 ANA miles, typically earned via ANA's own accrual or Star Alliance partner transfers where applicable. On the same date, ANA quoted $284.15 in taxes and fees—$28.25 less than Virgin's assessment. However, ANA's award structure enforces a round-trip constraint; even if you only need a one-way ticket, the system forces you to price a return segment, often inflating the effective cost unless you can utilize the return for a separate itinerary within the validity window. If you book through ANA, you must verify whether the round-trip requirement adds marginal fees that erase the surcharge savings, or if you can absorb the return mileage into a future booking without waste.

Applying the canonical rule to this worked case yields three distinct actions based on your inventory. A reader with no existing Virgin Atlantic balance should not transfer points from Chase or Amex for this booking; the 165,000-point price tag eliminates the historical arbitrage, and the higher surcharges make the transfer economically irrational compared to holding liquid transferable currency. A reader with an idle Virgin balance and a $9,500 cash alternative should book at 165K, as the 5.6 cents-per-point yield justifies burning the points against a high cash anchor. Finally, a reader with ANA miles should book through ANA Mileage Club if its surcharges come in lower on the same date, provided they can manage the round-trip constraint without stranding unused miles. The era of hoarding transferable points for The Room is over; treat Virgin Atlantic as a secondary option for tax optimization only, never as the primary accumulation target.

A Worked Case — ANA The Room Now 165K Virgin

How to Choose Well

Stop treating Virgin Atlantic Flying Club as a speculative transfer target for ANA The Room. The late-2024 repricing to a flat 165,000 points one-way collapsed the distance-based arbitrage that once made point transfers profitable, and the only rational decision path now runs through cash-fare thresholds, surcharge audits, and equipment verification. Below are five concrete rules you apply before moving any currency or locking in a ticket.

RuleConditionActionWhy It Wins
1. Speculative Transfer BanAward space not confirmed & held in VA systemDo not move Amex, Chase, Citi, or Bilt points into Virgin AtlanticFlat 165K buys a seat, not a bargain; transfers are irreversible
2. Cash-Fare ThresholdLive cash 1W fare ≤ $6,000Book with cash or pivot miles elsewhereCash is cheaper effective spend; better cents-per-point uses exist below this line
3. Surchage ArbitrageBoth VA & ANA quote 165K for same flightBook program with lower total cash co-pay on that date/departure countryMiles identical; fees are the only differentiator
4. Equipment AuditFlight shows 787/777-200 or non-The Room configCancel or wait; do not book at any priceANA swaps gear; flat 165K applies to inferior first-class products too
5.24-Hour Re-CheckBooking flow > 24 hours from ticketingRe-run live search for 165K figure & surcharge totalBoth programs repriced ANA FC awards within last two years; published numbers have shelf life

Rule 1 eliminates the old habit of banking transferable points hoping for a zone-based discount. Because the rate is now flat 165,000 one-way across all ANA partner routes, moving Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou, or Bilt Rewards into Virgin Atlantic without confirmed, held award space guarantees you will overpay for liquidity you cannot use. Transfers are irreversible; treat them as final purchases, not options.

Rule 2 forces a hard cash-fare test. If the live one-way first-class ticket on your preferred HND–JFK or NRT–EWR departure sits at or below roughly $6,000, redeeming 165,000 Virgin points yields less than 3.6 cents per point after taxes, which undercuts standard premium-cabin benchmarks. Below that threshold, the cash fare is the cheaper effective spend of money versus points, and those same points retain higher utility when pivoted to short-haul business or partner redemptions where the cents-per-point math stays above 4.0.

Rule 3 resolves the tiebreaker when both Virgin Atlantic and ANA Mileage Club display 165,000 for the exact same cabin. Miles cost is identical; the only variable is the cash co-pay. Run a side-by-side search for your specific date and departure country, then book whichever program shows the lower total fuel and carrier-imposed surcharges. Japanese domestic taxes run roughly $50–$90 depending on the routing, while UK-originating departures typically add a few dollars more in Air Passenger Duty and security levies. The difference rarely exceeds $150, but it compounds annually if you fly this route repeatedly.

Rule 4 protects you from product variance. ANA routinely swaps aircraft on transpacific schedules, and the flat 165,000 redemption applies equally to legacy first-class pods and the newer 787 configurations. Before you lock anything, verify the specific HND/NRT flight number lists a 777-300ER equipped with The Room cabin on your travel date. If the schedule shows a 787-9 or a 777-200ER without The Room layout, decline the booking regardless of price. The mileage cost does not adjust for cabin quality.

Rule 5 acknowledges policy volatility. Both Virgin Atlantic and ANA Mileage Club have repriced ANA first-class awards within the last two years, meaning any published figure carries a strict shelf life. Re-check both charts within 24 hours of booking by running the live booking flow immediately before transferring points or ticketing. Confirm the 165,000 figure and the exact surcharge total in real time; if either has shifted, abort and recalculate against Rule 2 or Rule 3. Published guides age quickly, and the only reliable data is what the engine returns at the moment of purchase.

Also worth reading Book Virgin Atlantic award tickets The secret to finding the cheapest The secret to finding the cheapest

What to do next

Frequently Asked Questions

Which transferable credit card programs can I use to fund a Virgin Atlantic ANA award, and how long do transfers typically take?

Transfers of 1:1 points from American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou, and Bilt typically take 1–3 days to post.

Does the 165,000-point rate apply to every ANA first-class cabin on all aircraft?

The Room suite exists exclusively on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, meaning awards priced at 165,000 points will yield an older Square first-class cabin if ANA substitutes a 777-200ER or 787-9.

How does the round-trip pricing structure compare between Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and ANA Mileage Club for Japan–North America first class?

ANA Mileage Club allows a single round-trip redemption without doubling the cost, while Virgin Atlantic requires two separate one-way bookings at the flat rate.

When does partner availability for The Room typically release after the late 2024 devaluation?

Inventory now appears closer to departure, typically releasing 90–120 days out rather than the year-ahead windows that previously defined redemptions.

What is the point increase for a Tokyo to East USA business class itinerary following the May 2024 chart update?

The same Tokyo to East USA business class itinerary now costs 120,000 points, representing a 25,000-point increase from the previous 95,000-point requirement.

Can I reverse my Virgin Atlantic transfer if I cannot find award space or if taxes exceed the cash fare?

Once points leave a flexible program like Amex MR or Chase UR, they cannot be reversed if availability proves elusive or if taxes exceed the cash fare threshold.

Quick answers

What major pricing change did Virgin Atlantic Flying Club implement for ANA first-class awards in late 2024?Virgin Atlantic announced that ANA first-class partner awards would shift to a flat 165,000 points one-way regardless of zone or distance, collapsing the previous tiered structure.
How does the new Virgin Atlantic rate compare to ANA Mileage Club's pricing for Japan–North America first class?Both programs now charge 165,000 units for the same cabin, eliminating Virgin's historical price advantage.
Which program is recommended for round-trip travelers and why?ANA Mileage Club emerges as the explicit winner because it allows a single round-trip redemption without doubling the cost and historically applies lower carrier-imposed surcharges on partner-operated segments.
How has award availability release behavior changed after the devaluation?Inventory now appears closer to departure, typically 90–120 days out, rather than the roughly 355-day advance windows that defined the pre-devaluation era.
What aircraft restriction limits where ANA The Room can be booked?The product exists exclusively on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft configured with the private suite, constraining which routes can ever be booked at any price.

Research Methodology & Editorial Standards

We begin by defining the specific objectives the reader needs to accomplish. Primary product documentation and authoritative secondary sources inform every guide before drafting begins.

Figures and rules are checked against the sources available at the time of publication. Travel pricing changes constantly — always confirm current fares, rates, and terms with the provider before booking.

Published · Maintained by Riley Quinn (Senior Travel Editor, Mighty Travels) · About · Contact · Methodology

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