New: AMEX Membership Rewards 30% Airline Transfer Bonus

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Via View From the Wing, you can get a 30% bonus when you transfer AMEX Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic through May 22, 2017.

I’ll explain the details of this offer.  And help you decide whether it makes sense for you!

Earn 30% Bonus Virgin Atlantic Miles

Link:   AMEX Membership Rewards 30% Bonus on Transfers to Virgin Atlantic

Through May 22, 2017, you’ll earn 30% more miles when you transfer your AMEX Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic.

You can earn AMEX Membership Rewards points with cards like The Business Platinum® Card from American Express, The Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Mercedes-Benz, Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express, and more!

Is This a Good Deal?

Link:   Virgin Atlantic Award Chart

I don’t usually recommend transferring AMEX Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic unless you’re short on miles for redeeming an award or have a specific trip in mind.

That’s because you’ll pay high fuel surcharges on Virgin Atlantic award tickets, including many partner award tickets.  And it’s usually NOT worth it to book Virgin Atlantic coach award tickets, because the taxes and fees are often close to the cost of a paid flight!

That said, there are times when redeeming Virgin Atlantic miles might make sense.

You can book Delta award flights with Virgin Atlantic miles with no fuel surcharges (unless your flight originates in Europe).  And, for example, fly round-trip from the mainland US to Hawaii for just 40,000 Virgin Atlantic miles.

This deal might be also be worth it if you want to fly First Class to London.

You could transfer 40,000 AMEX Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic miles.

With a 30% bonus, you’d have 52,000 Virgin Atlantic Miles (40,000 + 12,000 mile bonus).  That’s more than enough for a one-way Upper Class ticket from New York (JFK) to London, which costs 47,500 Virgin Atlantic miles plus ~$502 in taxes and fees.

That’s a decent deal, because other airlines like American Airlines charge 57,500 miles plus taxes and fees for a one-way Business Class ticket to Europe.  And you’ll pay high fuel surcharges if you redeem American Airlines miles for flights on British Airways.

And don’t forget, you could transfer AMEX Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic and use them for award flights on partner Hawaiian Airlines, without paying fuel surcharges.  Or transfer your Virgin Atlantic miles to Hilton at a 2:3 ratio, and save money using your points for otherwise expensive hotel stays.

Bottom Line

You’ll earn a 30% bonus when you transfer AMEX Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic until May 22, 2017.

I don’t recommend transferring AMEX Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic unless you have a specific award flight in mind.  Because they add big fuel surcharges to their own (and many partner) flights.