Amex Travel Rewards and Virgin Flights

[LFB531]

Sure someone out there can put me right before I end up looking more daft than usual.....

Reading the Amex blurb, they say I can transfer points to Virgin Flying Club and one point equates to one mile. So I want three returns for example to Miami, that's 8,000odd total miles per ticket.

So is it as simple as me chucking 24,000 points at Virgin FC from my Amex Rewards account in return for three economy tickets or have I totally missed the point? My previous experience of this stuff is nil so apologies in advance!

[saleen836]

The air miles will get you the flights for free but you will still need to pay all relevant tax for the flights.

(I think that is correct)

[Nickyboy]

Is 1 point actually worth 1 travel mile? Most that work on a points level need 10x the collected miles for actual travel miles.

[LFB531]

Nickyboy said:

Is 1 point actually worth 1 travel mile? Most that work on a points level need 10x the collected miles for actual travel miles.

Lifted from the Amex site;

"Virgin Atlantic Points Transfer

1 Membership Rewards point is equal to 1 mile"

I don't beleive it's that easy either!

[IM NUTS2]

Yes 1 point = 1 mile, but the flight reward isn't 1 for 1 so even thought the return distance is 8000 odd miles the "reward" is calculated like that, if it was I would be flying every week with them!

A return reward ticket to Miami using miles will set you back 45,000 flying club miles + £294.43 taxes. So 3 return flights using miles will be 135,000 FC miles + £883.29 taxes, the taxes are collected by the government and the airline has to charge for them even though the ticket is technically free!

You could use the miles towards a " miles plus money" ticket it may save you £100 per ticket.

[LFB531]

Thanks very much for that......I'm bracing myself to talk to Amex and see what can be done, patience and understanding required I feel!

[bigandclever]

I'm pretty sure you'll also be limited to specific ticket codes (the expensive ones) and availability will be very limited.

I've just booked two premium economy returns to San Francisco. It was financially more prudent to just buy the bloody tickets than work through the combinations of all the miles / companion flight rewards / upgrades from economy to premium I have. Your experience, I hope, may vary

[LFB531]

bigandclever said:

Your experience, I hope, may vary

No chance whatsoever with my form but I'll give it a go until I get bored!

[bigandclever]

You could also have a look in here ... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/virgin-flying-club-... and http://v-flyer.com/the-toolbox/fare-codes

[Cheib]

It's very easy to do......I've transferred Amex rewards to my Virgin account on more than one occasion.

[Murph7355]

Use your miles wisely - be careful where you choose to go, at what time and in what class. Otherwise you'll quite often find that you're getting next to no benefit from the miles.

Rewards points used to be much better. As did Amex's exchange rates etc.