The Amex Membership Rewards program has just launched a lucrative new transfer bonus, which I think will interest many people. We haven’t seen one of these offers from Amex since late last year, so this is definitely worth considering.
Big Amex to Virgin Atlantic transfer bonus available
Between November 20 and December 31, 2025, the American Express Membership Rewards program in the United States is offering a 40% bonus on points transfers to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
Ordinarily points transfer at a 1:1 ratio (in 1,000 point increments), while through this promotion you’d get 1,400 Flying Club points for every 1,000 Membership Rewards points transferred. Transfers are generally instant.
For context, Amex seems to offer a transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club once or twice per year, though for this year, this is the first offer. The bonuses are typically in the range of 30-40%, so this is on the high side, and as good as these offers get.
Should you transfer Amex points to Virgin Atlantic?
Virgin Atlantic is definitely a frequent flyer program with more niche redemption opportunities. In addition to being able to redeem Flying Club points for travel on Virgin Atlantic, there’s also good value to be had for redemptions on Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, and Delta.
Last year we saw Flying Club introduce dynamic award pricing for travel on Virgin Atlantic. While the changes are a mixed bag, what’s exciting is that on the low end, redemptions are cheaper than ever before. It’s now possible to fly one-way Virgin Atlantic Upper Class between the United States and the UK for under 30,000 points, and that’s before a transfer bonus.
Beyond that, Virgin Atlantic has several airline partners, some of which are more lucrative than others. Probably the best use of Flying Club points is for travel in ANA first & business class. You can find the redemption rates below.
Paying 45,000-47,500 Flying Club points for a one-way business class ticket between the United States and Japan is a phenomenal value to start with. Then when you consider the 40% transfer bonus, that means you could be paying significantly fewer Amex points. First class can also be a good deal.
All Nippon Airways’ new first & business class are amazing products as well. The major catch is that availability can be really tough to come by.
Bottom line
At the moment, Amex is offering a 40% bonus when you transfer points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. This is definitely more of a niche program, but with a specific use in mind, there’s a lot of value to be had.
With the 40% bonus, award travel on Virgin Atlantic will be an even better value. There’s also lots of value to booking on partners, ranging from SkyTeam airlines, to Air New Zealand, to All Nippon Airways.
Do you plan on taking advantage of this Amex transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club?