A business class seat from the United States to Tokyo can cost 8,000 dollars in cash. Booked the right way, it costs 90,000 to 120,000 Virgin Atlantic points round-trip, plus modest taxes. That is one of the best deals in all of award travel, and it works because Virgin Atlantic prices ANA flights using its own award chart, which is far cheaper than ANA's own prices. Here is exactly how this sweet spot works and how to book it before availability disappears.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club has a partnership with ANA that lets you book ANA flights with Virgin points at fixed rates. A round-trip business class ticket between the US and Japan costs 90,000 to 120,000 Virgin points, depending on the season and departure city. ANA's own program charges far more for the same seat, and Virgin's first class price, 72,500 points one-way from the US West Coast, is even more remarkable for a seat that retails above 20,000 dollars.

Virgin points are easy to earn because they transfer 1 to 1 from Chase, Amex, Capital One, and Citi. That means almost any transferable points balance can become a Virgin balance in minutes. This is the key insight: you do not need to fly Virgin Atlantic to use Virgin points, and you do not need ANA miles to fly ANA. The cheapest price for a flight often comes from a partner program you would never expect.

ANA releases a limited number of award seats to partners, and they go fast, especially for popular routes like San Francisco to Tokyo or Los Angeles to Tokyo. Search on the Virgin Atlantic website first, but be aware that its search tool is unreliable for partner awards. A better approach is to search on United's website or ANA's own site to find dates with business class award space, then call Virgin Atlantic to book those exact flights. Virgin charges a phone booking fee in some cases, but the savings dwarf it.

Book as early as possible. ANA typically releases award seats around 330 days before departure, and the best dates vanish within days. Be flexible with your departure city: flying from Seattle or San Jose instead of Los Angeles can open up availability, and a short domestic positioning flight is cheap compared with saving 50,000 points. Set up alerts on award search tools so you are notified when space opens.

First, decide your dates and search ANA's website for business class award availability on your route. Second, transfer the exact number of points you need from your credit card program to Virgin Atlantic. Transfers from Chase and Amex are usually instant, but confirm the points have landed before you call. Third, call Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and give the agent the exact flight numbers and dates you found. Have a backup date ready in case your first choice is gone.

Fourth, pay the taxes and fees, which are usually a few hundred dollars, far lower than many European programs charge. Fifth, confirm your booking on ANA's website using the confirmation code, select your seat, and add your frequent flyer number. The whole process takes under an hour once you have found availability. The hard part is finding the seat, not booking it.

Never transfer points before you have confirmed availability. Transfers cannot be reversed, and Virgin points are less useful than Chase or Amex points if your Japan plan falls through. Never assume availability exists just because a flight has empty business class seats: award seats are a separate, limited pool, and a half-empty cabin can have zero award space.

Watch for devaluations. Sweet spots get more expensive over time as programs adjust their charts, and this one is famous enough that it will not last forever at current prices. If Japan is on your list, this is the award to prioritise. Book it, fly ANA's superb business class, and enjoy one of the best value redemptions in travel.