How We Turned 16k Chase Points into a Cheap Positioning Flight to New Zealand
One of our favorite travel hacks—especially when flying internationally as a family or couple—is using positioning flights. This is exactly how we saved big on our trip to New Zealand by strategically using Chase points and a transfer bonus.
The Transfer That Made It Happen
We started with 16,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points and transferred them to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club during a transfer bonus.
Thanks to that bonus, our 16k Chase points instantly became 22,400 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points. This is why we always watch for transfer bonuses—they can completely change the math on a booking.
Booking the Positioning Flight
We then used 22,000 Virgin points to book 2 one-way tickets from Salt Lake City (SLC) to Los Angeles (LAX) on Delta Air Lines.
This flight wasn’t our final destination—it was a positioning flight to get us to LAX, where our long-haul flight to New Zealand departed. Positioning flights often unlock better award availability and cheaper international redemptions.
The Value Breakdown 💰
Here’s how the numbers shook out:
Points used: 22,000 Virgin Atlantic points
Chase points transferred: 16,000
Cash price at booking: $404
Taxes paid: $11.20
Value per point: 2.46 cents per Chase point
That’s nearly double the value you’d get by booking through the Chase travel portal—and we would’ve paid cash otherwise.
Why This Hack Works So Well
Positioning flights are one of the most underrated strategies in points travel:
✈️ Opens access to better international award deals
💳 Maximizes transfer bonuses
💵 Saves real cash on flights you need anyway
Even though this was a short domestic flight, it played a critical role in making our New Zealand trip affordable.
Final Thoughts
Using Chase transfer bonuses + Virgin Atlantic sweet spots is one of our go-to strategies, especially when planning big international trips. This simple move saved us hundreds of dollars and helped set up an incredible adventure—without touching our cash budget.
If you’re planning a big trip and your home airport doesn’t have great award options, don’t skip positioning flights. They’re often the key that unlocks the whole itinerary.