How to Book ANA Business Class for Points
From credit card points to a lie-flat seat to Tokyo in 6 steps. No travel agent needed — just a phone call and the right timing.
1. Have transferable points
You need 37,500–60,000 points per person, each way — 37,500 from Hawaii, 52,500 from the West Coast, or 60,000 from the East Coast. Points transfer 1:1 from Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One, Bilt, or Citi ThankYou to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
Tip: Chase and Capital One transfer instantly. Amex can take 1–2 days. Have your points ready before you find a seat.
2. Find an available seat on Layflat
ANA typically releases only 1 business class saver seat per flight. These seats appear and disappear within hours as travelers book them. Layflat scans award availability hourly across all US hubs to catch these brief windows.
Tip: Set up alerts on Layflat to get notified the moment a seat opens on your preferred route and dates.
3. Call Virgin Atlantic
Call 1-800-365-9500. Tell the agent you want to book an ANA partner award. Give them the exact flight details from Layflat — date, route, and flight number. The agent will confirm availability with ANA in real time.
Tip: Stay on the phone while you transfer points. The agent can wait a few minutes while the transfer completes.
4. Transfer points while on the phone
Once the agent confirms the seat is available, transfer your points to Virgin Atlantic right then. Chase and Capital One transfer instantly — you can do it from your phone while talking to the agent. Once the points appear in your VA account, the agent will ticket it immediately.
Tip: Pro tip: Don't transfer points until you're on the phone and the agent confirms availability. Chase and Capital One are instant, so there's no risk. This way you never have points stranded in your VA account.
5. Select your seat on ANA
After booking, go to ana.co.jp and manage your reservation. Enter your booking reference and name. You can select your seat (window recommended for the lie-flat suites) and pre-order your meal.
Tip: ANA's business class features "The Room" on 777-300ERs — a fully enclosed suite with a door, lie-flat bed, and direct aisle access from every seat.
6. Fly lie-flat to Tokyo
Enjoy one of the world's best business class products. ANA serves multi-course Japanese cuisine with seasonal ingredients, offers an extensive sake and wine selection, and provides premium amenity kits. The lie-flat seat converts to a full bed with mattress pad and duvet.
Tip: A ticket that would cost $8,000–15,000 in cash, booked for 37,500–60,000 points + ~$200 in fees. That's roughly 10–25 cents per point in value.
Why availability changes every hour
ANA typically releases only 1 business class saver seat per flight. One seat. That's it. When someone books it, it vanishes from search results entirely.
The cycle:
- Someone cancels — 1 seat appears on a random date
- Someone else books it — it disappears
- Another cancellation happens — a seat appears on a different date
- Repeat, 24/7, across every route
This is why the available dates are completely different every time you check. At release (355 days out, 9am JST), points enthusiasts book within minutes. After that, availability is purely from cancellations — random, unpredictable, and short-lived.
Layflat scans award availability every hour across 9 US hubs — catching these brief windows before they close. With real-time alerts, you'll know the moment a seat opens on your preferred route, so you can call Virgin Atlantic and book before anyone else does.
Where to get the points
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Transfer: Instant
Capital One
Transfer: Instant
Amex Membership Rewards
Transfer: 1–2 days
Citi ThankYou
Transfer: Instant
Bilt Rewards
Transfer: 1–2 days
Marriott Bonvoy
Transfer: 3–5 days
You need 37,500 points (Hawaii), 52,500 points (West Coast), or 60,000 points (East Coast) per person, each way.
Ready to find your seat?
Start searching for award availability now. Free Scout plan includes 5 searches per month.