This is important because you used to be able to transfer the 50,000 mile bonus from Virgin Atlantic card to 100,000 Hilton hotel points!
So you got a 1:2 ratio (2 Hilton points for 1 Virgin Atlantic mile) for transferring Virgin Atlantic miles to Hilton. But from February 6, 2014, the transfer ratio changes to 2:3.
But Can’t You Use Virgin Atlantic Miles for Flights?
I prefer transferring Virgin Atlantic miles to Hilton because Virgin Atlantic charges high fuel and tax (~$500 to ~$1000+) on international flights.
For example, a coach round-trip from Chicago to London will cost 35,000 miles and $457 in taxes and fees!
The fees are over $1,000 when you book an Upper Class or Business Class ticket!
Emily and I flew on Virgin Atlantic Upper Class last year. We used our Hawaiian Air miles so that we didn’t have to pay the high fee by booking directly with Virgin Atlantic.
However, the excellent 1:2 transfer ratio is about to change…
What’s Changing?
Virgin Atlantic announced that starting February 6, 2014 folks will no longer be able to transfer miles to Hilton at 1:2.
These changes mean fewer Hilton points when you transfer from Virgin Atlantic.
Change Details
1. Starting From February 6, 2014
The new transfer ratio starts from February 6, 2014. So transfer before February 6, 2014 to take advantage of the higher transfer ratio.
2. Virgin Atlantic miles transfer to Hilton at a 2:3 ratio
After February 6, 2014, your Virgin Atlantic miles will transfer to Hilton at a 2:3 ratio.
This means that 50,000 Virgin Atlantic miles will get only 75,000 Hilton points instead of 100,000 Hilton hotel points.
Minimum Transfer
As a reminder, you have to transfer a minimum of 10,000 Virgin Atlantic miles to Hilton.
So if you have less than 10,000 Virgin Atlantic miles you can’t transfer them to Hilton.
And after you meet the minimum transfer of 10,000 miles, you can only transfer in increments of 5,000 mile increments.Fr example, let’s say that you have 27,000 miles in your Virgin Atlantic account. So you can only transfer 25,000 miles to Hilton hotels.
So you are then stuck with 2,000 miles in your Virgin Atlantic account.
You can instantly transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points from the Chase Sapphire Preferred, (no longer offered) Chase Ink Bold, or Chase Ink Plus to Virgin Atlantic Airlines on a 1:1 ratio if you’re running low on Virgin Atlantic points.
You can also transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic in a 1:1 ratio.
This isn’t a great transfer option, but could be worth it to get to an increment of 5,000 Virgin Atlantic miles.
How to Transfer Virgin Atlantic Miles to Hilton
You have to call the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Helpline at 800-365-9500 to transfer points.You will have to give the agent your Hilton account number and your Virgin Atlantic account number.
It can take up to 30 days for the points to post, but in my experience, it usually takes ~15 days.
Bottom Line
Starting February 6, 2014, your Virgin Atlantic miles will transfer to Hilton points at a 2:3 ratio, instead of the higher 1:2 ratio. You should get the higher transfer ratio as long as you call in by February 5, 2014.
The (somewhat) good news is that this is still better than a 1:1 ratio or worse, to transfer airline miles to hotel points. You won’t get many high-end Hilton hotel stays with 75,000 Hilton points, but it could be worth it for 1 night at an expensive Hilton or 2 nights at a mid-priced Hilton hotel.Here’s a link to see how many Hilton points you need for 1 night.