How We Turned One Credit Card Bonus into 6 Nonstop Flights to Europe (With Transfer Bonuses!)
January is one of my favorite months to book travel. The holiday chaos is over, award calendars open up, and transfer bonuses quietly become one of the most powerful tools for families who want to travel farther for less.
Today I’m breaking down exactly how we used one major credit card welcome bonus—plus transfer bonuses—to book 6 nonstop Delta flights from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam for our family of six… for just $34 in taxes total. ✈️🌍
The Big Picture: What We Booked
Route: Salt Lake City (SLC) → Amsterdam (AMS)
Airline: Delta Air Lines (booked via Virgin Atlantic)
Passengers: 6
Points Used: 180,000 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Red points
Cash Paid: $34 total in taxes
Cash Price at Booking: $4,926
Value Per Point: 3.45 cents per point 💥
For a family traveling together—on the same nonstop flight—this is an absolute win.
Step 1: Starting With One Huge Credit Card Bonus
The foundation of this booking was a single welcome offer from American Express The Platinum Card.
Sign-up bonus: 120,000 American Express Membership Rewards points
We earned a bit extra through normal spending, bringing our total to 128,000 Amex points
This is a great reminder: you don’t need dozens of cards to do big trips. One well-timed bonus can go a long way—especially when you know how to transfer points strategically.
Step 2: Leveraging a 30% Transfer Bonus (The Real Magic)
This is where things got exciting.
American Express was running a 30% transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. That meant:
128,000 Amex points → 166,400 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Red points
That’s 38,400 extra points just for transferring during a bonus window. No extra spending. No extra cards. Just timing.
👉 This is why I always tell families: don’t rush to transfer points unless you have a plan—and ideally, a bonus.
Step 3: Topping Off With Chase Points
We were just a little short of what we needed for 6 seats, so we topped off our balance using Chase:
14,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards → 14,000 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Red points
Chase transfers to Virgin Atlantic at a 1:1 ratio, and combining points from different banks is one of the most underrated travel “hacks” for families.
Total Virgin Atlantic points after transfers: 180,000
Step 4: Booking Delta Flights Through Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic has a fantastic sweet spot for booking Delta-operated flights—especially nonstop routes to Europe.
We used our 180,000 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Red points to book:
6 nonstop Delta economy seats
SLC → AMS
Only $34 in total taxes
Yes, that’s less than $6 per person in cash. 🤯
Breaking Down the Value (This Is Why Points Matter)
Here’s how the math worked out:
Cash price: $4,926
Points used: 180,000
Out-of-pocket cost: $34
Value per point: 3.45 cents
For reference:
Most people get ~1–1.5 cents per point
Anything over 2 cents is excellent
3.45 cents per point is phenomenal
Why This Worked So Well for a Family of 6
A few key reasons this redemption was such a home run:
✅ Nonstop flights (huge with kids)
✅ All 6 seats on the same flight
✅ Minimal taxes
✅ One main credit card bonus
✅ Transfer bonus timing
This is exactly the kind of booking that makes family travel feel possible—even on routes that would normally be out of reach when paying cash.
Final Takeaway: Transfer Bonuses = Family Travel Superpower
If there’s one lesson to take from this booking, it’s this:
Transfer bonuses can turn “good” points into “amazing” trips.
By stacking:
A strong welcome bonus
A 30% transfer bonus
The right airline partner
…we turned everyday points into a $5,000 European adventure for our entire family.
If you’re sitting on Amex or Chase points right now, this is your sign to:
Watch for transfer bonuses
Learn airline sweet spots
And stop assuming international family travel is out of reach 💙
More deals like this coming soon—because yes, families can travel big on points.