ANA First Class via Virgin Points: Verifying the 55,000-Point Claim
This guide shows how to verify a live ANA First Class option before committing. It compares like-for-like totals and terms for a 55,000-point, 14-day advance booking.
| Takeaway | Detail |
|---|---|
| ANA First Class to Tokyo is framed at 55,000 Virgin Atlantic points with a 14-day advance booking window. | The headline and thesis set that points price and 14-day window; verify live availability, taxes, fees, and terms before committing. |
| Advance seat selection can cost £35 each way unless free-allocation rules apply. | Tripadvisor cites £35 each way; Virgin Atlantic says advance seat allocation is free for Flying Club Gold members, Upper Class or Premium customers, or Economy Classic passengers. |
| Virgin Atlantic allows a deposit with payments spread over time. | The booking page says you can secure your holiday with a deposit and spread the cost over time; compare the full payment terms before committing. |
| Flexible car hire can include up to 4 additional drivers. | Virgin Atlantic's booking page lists up to 4 additional drivers; confirm eligibility, fees, and terms before adding drivers. |
This guide shows how to verify a live ANA First Class option before committing.
It compares like-for-like totals and terms for a 55,000-point, 14-day advance booking.
How It Works
Booking ANA First Class with Virgin Points is a partner award, not a Virgin Atlantic-operated award: the points price is set by Virgin Atlantic's published award chart for partner airlines, while the seat, taxes, fees, and booking path are separate live checks. Head for Points frames this as part of redeeming Virgin Points on non-SkyTeam partners, and The Points Party notes that Virgin Atlantic keeps published award charts rather than fully dynamic pricing. That distinction matters because the chart gives a starting points figure, but it does not by itself confirm that a specific flight, date, or cabin is available.
Key terms to pin down before you commit: "Virgin Points" are the currency; a "partner award" is an ANA flight priced under Virgin's partner chart; "award chart" is the published points table; "one-way" and "round-trip" must be matched to the same chart line; "taxes, fees, and carrier charges" are cash amounts separate from points; and "advance booking window" is the period before departure in which an award can be ticketed. The guide's stated 55,000-point target and 14-day window should be treated as claims to verify against the live chart and fare rules, not as automatic entitlements.
The mechanism is only complete when every component is visible on one itinerary: flight number, cabin, date, points, cash, and change or cancellation terms. If the screen shows points but not cash, or cash but not the fare rules, the option is incomplete. Compare like-for-like totals by keeping the same route, cabin, direction, and passenger count across any alternative, and do not convert a one-way points figure into a round-trip total unless the chart and booking screen both support that math.
A published chart can tell you the points side of the transaction, but availability and the final cash side are live variables. The Points Party's point about published charts is useful for planning, yet it does not mean every ANA First Class seat is bookable at the chart price. Before committing, recheck the same itinerary in the same channel, because a partner award can disappear or reprice while you are comparing options.
Use a simple rule: no single number proves the deal. The points figure, the cash figure, the booking window, and the ticketing deadline must all be verified on the same live record before you transfer points or pay. If one element is missing, pause and re-run the search rather than assuming the rest of the terms will match.
Key Factors to Consider
Rank any candidate by three criteria: the points price shown for the exact flight and date, the cash taxes and fees added before payment, and the seat-assignment cost for your cabin and status. Points alone are not the total; a lower points figure can be offset by a higher cash or seat line, so compare complete like-for-like totals.
| Criterion | What to verify live | Numbers or rules to check |
|---|---|---|
| Points price | Exact flight, date, and cabin in search results | Published partner chart is the reference; headline points figures are starting points, not guarantees |
| Cash total | Taxes and fees at checkout | Add this line to points before comparing options |
| Seat cost | Cabin, status, and timing | £25 advance fee reported by Business Traveller; £35 each way cited in a Tripadvisor discussion; free advance allocation for Gold, Upper Class, Premium, or Economy Classic per Virgin Atlantic; free selection at online check-in, which opens 24 hours before departure, per Flight Tribe |
The points line should be checked against Virgin Atlantic's published partner award chart, which The Points Party notes the program still maintains, but the live result is the number to commit to. Separate acquisition figures, such as 18,000 or 3,000 bonus points from Virgin Atlantic Mastercard offers cited by Head for Points, are not award prices and should not be folded into the same comparison.
For cash-side seat charges, Business Traveller reports a £25 fee to reserve a seat in advance, while a Tripadvisor discussion cites £35 each way. Because these figures come from different contexts, verify the exact charge on your booking rather than assuming either one. Virgin Atlantic's partner-hub guidance makes advance seat allocation free for Gold members, Upper Class, Premium, or Economy Classic passengers.
Timing can remove the fee: Flight Tribe states that online check-in opens 24 hours before departure and seat selection is free at that point. If sitting together matters, compare the advance fee with the value of certainty; the Tripadvisor example frames £35 each way as avoidable unless necessary. Also verify the advance-booking window and release timing on the live search, because partner availability can differ from any advertised window.
Common Mistakes
Two mistakes cause most of the frustration with this booking: committing before the whole trip is visible, and treating a confirmed ticket as a confirmed seat. Both are cheap to catch in advance and painful to unwind after points have moved.
Mistake 1: ticketing one direction before verifying the other. A traveler finds the ANA First Class date that matches the points price they were chasing, transfers the points, and tickets the outbound — then searches the return and finds no partner space on the day they need to come home. Partner seats are released flight by flight, so an excellent outbound tells you nothing about the return. The fix is to search each direction as its own one-way query and confirm, before any transfer, that both show the cabin and date you want. If only one direction is open, make that call deliberately.
A related version of the same error: accepting the itinerary header without reading every segment. Low partner award prices sometimes surface on itineraries that are not what the headline suggests — a mixed cabin, an extra connection, or a long-haul leg operated by a different carrier than the one you searched. Before you commit, open the full detail view and confirm that each long-haul segment is in the cabin you are paying for, on the operating airline you expect, on the dates shown.
Mistake 2: assuming the ticket secures the seat. A second traveler books, then goes to choose seats and discovers that advance seat selection is a chargeable item. Virgin Atlantic's partner hub guidance states that advance seat allocation is free of charge for Flying Club Gold members, Upper Class and Premium customers, and Economy Classic; Business Traveller has reported a £25 fee to reserve a seat in advance. Confirm which rule applies to the operating carrier and the fare you actually booked — not the one you remember from a previous trip.
Then check how that charge is applied. The £25 and £35 figures discussed above come from Virgin Atlantic-operated contexts, so confirm with the operating carrier — here, ANA — which seat-selection rules actually govern your award ticket before assuming either number applies. Write the points total, the taxes and fees line, and any seat cost on one page, and read that page before the points leave your account. If any line is blank, you are not ready to commit.
Insider Tactics
Insider tactics start with search discipline: run the booking flow to the final price screen, then stop before payment. That is the point where the live seat, taxes, fees, and terms are all visible together, so you can compare the complete option rather than assembling it from separate screens. If your plan depends on a 14-day advance booking window, treat that window as a condition to verify on the live search, not as a promise.
When testing alternatives, change only one variable at a time—date, routing, or cabin—so you can tell which change actually moved the total. If you change several things at once, a cheaper-looking result may come from a different seat, a different fee, or a different booking path rather than from the change you intended.
Seat timing is the most useful lever, using the fee figures and free-allocation rules priced above. Because those rules come from Virgin Atlantic-operated flights, confirm with ANA which seat-selection policy applies to your award ticket, then apply the same choice: pay to secure seats together now, or wait for the free window at check-in if your group can accept the remaining seats.
| Seat tactic | When it applies | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Pay in advance | Before departure | Live fee at checkout; free for Gold, Upper Class, Premium, or Economy Classic |
| Wait for check-in | From 24 hours before departure | Free selection and the remaining seat map |
For parties of two or more, set the seat rule before you commit to the fare. If sitting together is essential, include the advance fee in the like-for-like total and compare it with a date or routing that has better free seat availability. If it is only preferred, waiting for the 24-hour window may be cheaper, provided you are comfortable with whatever seats remain.
Keep a short verification trail: note the live price, taxes, fees, and seat terms you saw, then compare them with the final checkout screen before paying. If any element moved, re-evaluate the whole option instead of accepting the change in pieces; commit only when the current total and terms match your plan.
Comparison
The most useful side-by-side comparison for this booking is between two seat strategies after you find the 55,000-point ANA First Class award: pay for advance selection or wait for free online check-in. The points price is the headline, but the cash difference between those two strategies is the part you can still control at checkout.
| Option | Cost | When it wins |
|---|---|---|
| Pay to reserve seats in advance | £25 (Business Traveller) or £35 each way (Tripadvisor discussion); free for Gold members, Upper Class or Premium customers, and Economy Classic passengers (Virgin Atlantic policy) | When two travelers need adjacent seats and the fee costs less than the risk of being separated |
| Wait for online check-in | £0 from 24 hours before departure (Flighttribe) | For solo travelers or flexible pairs who can accept remaining seats |
As priced above, paid advance selection wins when the trip depends on two seats together and no free-allocation rule applies to your ticket; free check-in wins for a solo traveler or a pair that can sit apart. Before deciding, confirm with the operating carrier which seat-selection policy governs your award ticket, since the fee figures cited here come from Virgin Atlantic-operated contexts.
Compare like-for-like totals before committing: 55,000 points plus taxes and fees plus either £0 at check-in or the applicable advance fee. If you qualify for free advance selection under Virgin Atlantic's policy, the paid option has no advantage; if you do not qualify and need adjacent seats, add the fee to the award total and compare that full number with any cash alternative you have verified live.
Winner: for most solo or flexible travelers, waiting for free online check-in wins because it keeps the cash outlay at zero; for travelers who must have two seats together and do not qualify for free advance selection, paying the advance fee wins because it buys certainty before the 24-hour check-in window.
Also worth reading How to Book Tokyo Business Class Booking ANA Business Class to Tokyo ANA First Class via Virgin: 110,000
What to do next
| Step | Action | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Check live ANA First Class to Tokyo availability through Virgin Atlantic for the 14-day advance booking window and confirm the 55,000-point price is still bookable. | The headline price and window are the thesis; live availability can differ before you commit. |
| 2 | Re-check taxes, fees, and terms on the live booking page for the same ANA First Class to Tokyo option. | The complete like-for-like total and terms may differ from the points price alone. |
| 3 | Cross-check Tripadvisor's £35 each-way advance seat figure against Virgin Atlantic's free-allocation eligibility for Flying Club Gold, Upper Class, Premium, or Economy Classic passengers. | Seat-selection cost can change the total unless a free-allocation rule applies. |
| 4 | Review the deposit and payment-spread terms on the Virgin Atlantic booking page. | Spreading payments affects cash flow and must be compared against full payment terms before committing. |
| 5 | If adding flexible car hire, confirm it includes up to 4 additional drivers and compare its terms with the base booking. | Car-hire inclusions and terms affect the overall trip cost and conditions. |
| 6 | Compare the complete totals and terms for the live ANA First Class to Tokyo option before committing. | This applies the canonical decision rule: verify the live, complete option and compare like-for-like totals and terms. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 55,000-point ANA First Class award operated by Virgin Atlantic?
Booking ANA First Class with Virgin Points is a partner award, not a Virgin Atlantic-operated award.
Who sets the points price for this partner award?
The points price is set by Virgin Atlantic's published award chart for partner airlines.
What separate live checks are needed beyond the points price?
The seat, taxes, fees, and booking path are separate live checks.
What can advance seat selection cost each way?
Advance seat selection can cost £35 each way unless free-allocation rules apply.
Which passengers may receive free advance seat allocation?
Virgin Atlantic says advance seat allocation is free for Flying Club Gold members, Upper Class or Premium customers, or Economy Classic passengers.
How many additional drivers can flexible car hire include?
Flexible car hire can include up to 4 additional drivers.
Quick answers
| What points price and advance booking window is ANA First Class to Tokyo framed at? | ANA First Class to Tokyo is framed at 55,000 Virgin Atlantic points with a 14-day advance booking window. |
| What should be verified before committing to the booking? | You should verify live availability, taxes, fees, and terms before committing. |
| How much can advance seat selection cost each way? | Advance seat selection can cost £35 each way unless free-allocation rules apply. |
| What payment option does Virgin Atlantic allow for holidays? | Virgin Atlantic allows you to secure your holiday with a deposit and spread the cost over time. |
| How many additional drivers can flexible car hire include? | Flexible car hire can include up to 4 additional drivers. |
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.