New collaboration: Transfer Wells Fargo Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Virgin Red at a 1:1 ratio

Wells Fargo Rewards has introduced a seventh transfer option to its expanding list of airline and hotel partners. Consumers can now convert their reward points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club or Virgin Red at a 1:1 exchange rate.

There’s no minimum transfer limit, allowing you to convert as few as 1 Wells Fargo Rewards point into 1 Virgin point. However, keep in mind that transfers are permanent, so make sure to check flight availability or have a plan for the points before you transfer.

In our September 2024 valuations, TPG estimates Virgin points are worth 1.4 cents each, while Wells Fargo Rewards points are valued at 1.6 cents each.

The Virgin programs are closely linked, sharing a single Virgin points balance. Therefore, whether you transfer to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club or Virgin Red, once you connect your two Virgin accounts, the shared Virgin points balance will reflect in both, allowing for easy redemptions through either program (with many similar rewards available via both).

Virgin points can be used for a variety of rewards, such as upgrades on Virgin Atlantic, flights with Virgin or its SkyTeam partners (including Air France-KLM and Delta Air Lines), vacation packages through Virgin Atlantic Holidays, concert tickets, food tours, and duty-free items.

Should you convert your Wells Fargo Rewards points to Virgin?

While redeeming points for flights on Virgin Atlantic can incur high carrier-imposed fees, Flying Club employs a peak and off-peak award chart, unlike many other airline programs that use dynamic pricing. So, even if a round-trip business-class ticket from the U.S. to the U.K. might cost over $2,000, it's wise to compare the cash fare with the award ticket price to determine if redeeming your points is worthwhile.

Additionally, Flying Club provides networkwide redemption discounts multiple times each year, allowing your points to stretch even further.

You can also redeem Virgin points for SkyTeam partner awards, including international flights from the U.S. to Europe on Delta. For instance, booking a one-way Main Cabin Delta flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) via Virgin Atlantic Flying Club would typically cost you 15,000 points plus around $200 in taxes and fees. While these unavoidable fees can be quite high, Delta may charge three times the amount of SkyMiles for the same flight.

Furthermore, if you fly Delta from the U.S. to other European cities outside the U.K., the taxes and fees are considerably lower, though it will require more Virgin points.

Ultimately, it's wise to compare different programs to find the best value. For example, if Virgin Atlantic Flying Club requires 30,000 points for a flight from JFK to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) on a Delta-operated flight in Main Cabin, while Delta SkyMiles charges 110,000 miles for the same journey, it’s more advantageous to book through Flying Club instead of SkyMiles.

We advise checking for availability before transferring your points or miles.

How to accumulate Wells Fargo Rewards points

While Wells Fargo offers various types of credit cards, including cash rewards options, you can currently earn Wells Fargo Rewards points only with the following cards:

• Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card (see rates and fees)
• Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card (see rates and fees)

Thanks to the new transfer option, holders of the Wells Fargo Autograph and Journey cards can now transfer their points to the following programs at a 1:1 exchange rate:

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Air France-KLM Flying Blue
• Avianca LifeMiles
• British Airways Executive Club
• Iberia Plus
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club / Virgin Red
• Choice Privileges (transfers at a 1:2 ratio)

Final thoughts

It's encouraging to see the Wells Fargo Rewards transfer partner list steadily expanding with the inclusion of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Virgin Red.

Ideally, a major player like Air Canada Aeroplan or Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer will be next to join the transfer list. While a Wells Fargo card may not have been your top choice, the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card stands out as a strong new option in the transferable points arena, featuring a generous welcome bonus, impressive category rewards, and an increasingly valuable list of transfer partners.