Velocity Frequent Flyer - Virgin Australia

Velocity Frequent Flyer
Velocity Frequent Flyer is the award winning frequent flyer loyalty program of Virgin Australia, providing members with many easy ways to earn Velocity Points both at home and around the world and enjoy fantastic everyday rewards sooner. Velocity delivers all the rewards you can expect from a world-class loyalty program, plus a range of unique benefits we know are important to you, such as Family Pooling and Points for Pets. Joining Velocity is free and becoming a member is easy
  • Pros
  • Status extension feature ❸
  • No cancellation penalty ❹
  • Access to preferred seats
  • Points transfer into KrisFlyer ❺
  • Cons
  • No stopovers
  • Low number of partner airlines
  • Partners cannot be booked online
  • Most partners impose fuel surcharge
  • Fees & Charges
  • Phone booking fee ❶
    $35
  • Change award fee ❷
    $35
  • Expiration: Points expire 24 months since last activity.
  • For some programs, an activity is any accrual of miles, crediting a flight, transfering or purchasing miles. For others, spending activities such as redeeming or donating points counts as an activity.
  • ❶ $35 fee for domestic phone bookings and $60 for international phone bookings
  • ❷ $35 or 4,500 point fee to change date, time or routing on awards
  • ❸ Fewer credits required to retain status than to earn it
  • ❹ Award flights to the U.S. cancelled more than 24 hours before departure carry no cancellation penalty
  • ❺ You can transfer points or miles in Velocity Frequent Flyer or KrisFlyer, with a rate of 1.35 points or miles in the origin program equating to 1 point or mile in the destination program.

Transfer Partners

1,000
Marriott points
3 : 1
+ 15,000 bonus
333
points
30 days
1,000
IHG points
5 : 1
200
points
42 days
1,000
Hilton points
6.67 : 1
150
points
4 days
1,000
Choice points
6.67 : 1
150
points
42 days
The ratio is the number of flexible reward points it would take to transfer to Velocity Frequent Flyer.
Transfer time is what is reported by the transfer programs, supplemented by our own research. However, actual time to transfer is often highly variable.

Airlines and Fuel Surcharge

This table will show you the partner airlines can be booked online and those which impose fuel surcharge.

Airline
Online
Booking
Fuel
Surcharge
Alliance
Virgin Australia Virgin Australia
No alliance
airberlin airberlin
oneworld®
Air New Zealand Air New Zealand
Star Alliance™
Alitalia Alitalia
SkyTeam
Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines
SkyTeam
Etihad Airways Etihad Airways
No alliance
Airline
Online
Booking
Fuel
Surcharge
Alliance
Hawaiian Airlines Hawaiian Airlines
No alliance
SilkAir SilkAir
No alliance
Singapore Airlines Singapore Airlines
Star Alliance™
South African Airways South African Airways
Star Alliance™
Virgin America Virgin America
No alliance
Virgin Atlantic Virgin Atlantic
No alliance

Program Review

About the Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer Program

Created in 1970 by Sir Richard Branson, the Virgin Group has achieved the distinction of being amongst the most highly respected and recognized global brands. In 2000, Virgin Australia became an integral part of this very large, service-oriented enterprise. The entry of Virgin branding into the Australian aviation marketplace in May 2011, provided renewed, vital competition, crucial in the determination to reach the present position as the preferred Australian airline!

 

The Velocity Program Factor

The Virgin Australia Velocity program is designed to reward and benefit you as a loyal Frequent Flyer. Four levels of membership ensure that greater the number of flying miles you accumulate, greater are the rewards you will gain. In addition, you have the advantage of exclusive benefits, such as Family Points Accumulation. Your pets are also included with their own innovative Frequent Flyer Program! 

From the initial entry level, you are offered opportunities of upgrading to Silver and thereon to Gold Velocity and Platinum Velocity memberships. As a Member at one of these status levels, you can expect to receive the many and varied benefits as befitting a valued customer of a world-class recognized global frequent flyer program. In addition, there is an original and innovative selection of benefits designed to meet the particular preferences of the Platinum and Gold Velocity members.  

 

Earning Your Status Credits

Status Credits are utilized in determining your Velocity membership level, namely Platinum, Gold or Silver, which can only be earned and accumulated in limited and defined opportunities. It is a factor that creates their difference in earning Velocity Points.

Whenever you fly with recognized flights, with Virgin Australia, and airline partners, you will earn Status Credits. Greater is your flight frequency, distance flown, and fare flexibility, the greater is the amount of Status Credits you can earn! This is seen by just one Business Class journey could see you well established on the opportunity ladder to a higher membership level.

You will have the advantage of earning Status Credits when:

  • Shopping
  • Using your linked "flybuys" card at Coles and Coles Online
  • Liquorland and First Choice Liquor

You will receive 1-Status Credit for every $100 you spend on eligible purchases, to a maximum of 10- Status Credits per-month!

 

Using Your Credit Card to Earn Status Credits

As an American Express Velocity Platinum Card holder, you will earn 100-Status Credits when spending a minimum sum of $50,000 within your membership-card year. The upgrades needed to achieve this status are as follows:

  • Upon your Status Credit balance reaching 250, with your having flown 2-Eligible Sectors, you are automatically upgraded to a Silver Velocity Member.
  • Once your Status Credit balance attaining the 500-mark, as well as you having flown 4-Eligible Sectors, your status level is automatically upgraded to Gold Velocity membership. 
  • As your Status Credit balance reaches 1,000, with your flight record at 8- Eligible Sectors, you will be automatically upgraded to the ultimate Platinum Velocity membership level – you have arrived!

Your status as a Gold or Platinum member provides you with a choice selection of exceptional benefits. Included, is access to over 150-lounges worldwide, as well as Priority Check-in, and Boarding.  In addition, you will receive a preferred baggage allowance and the advantage of complimentary membership into the Premium Tiers of car hire and accommodation partners. 

 

Earning Bonus Points Opportunities

You can further benefit from your status as a Silver, Gold and Platinum Member, will earn you Velocity Points bonuses, when:

  • You fly with recognized Virgin Australia fares structures
  • With Etihad Airways partner 
  • Bookings with determined Velocity accommodation, car hire, holiday, travel partners, and Insurance.
  • Your Velocity Membership entitles you to earn Points on recognized flights with Virgin Australia and airline partners, to more than 600 global destinations! 

Of particular note, is that when using a Virgin Australia Velocity co-branded credit card to make your purchases with partners, you, in fact, earn Double Points twice with your card and repeated with a partner!

 

Redeeming Your Points

Your Velocity membership gives you the benefit of redeeming your Points for flights to over 600-destinations across the globe, with “Reward Seats” from 7,800 Points. The Rewards are designed for flexibility but are naturally subject to carrier charges, fees, taxes, and reward seating availability. In the event of your not being able to find your preferred Reward Seat, your Velocity Points may be utilized for any other seat with Virgin Australia!
The redeeming Velocity Points for flight upgrades is highly popular with many Members, especially with regard to upgrading seating to the luxury of Business Class on Domestic and International Short Hauls. Membership of Velocity Platinum and Gold programs also has the advantage of upgrading to Business Class or Premium Economy on Long Haul flights to Hong Kong and Los Angeles.
This has the added advantage of your being able to redeem your Velocity Points for booking accommodation, car hire and holiday packages with global travel partners.

 

Earning Points from Business, Pleasure, and Leisure

Flexibility is a primary feature of Virgin Australia Velocity Rewards and supporting this is that Members receive 40,000-Velocity Points for every month in which you spend $3,000 on recognized transactions during the first 3-months! If you are considering stays in Hotels, then you will benefit from earning triple-Velocity-Points when you book directly with one of the partners. Additionally, when booking a car hire with Europcar, Hertz and Thrifty for 5-days and over, you could increase your point’s rewards by earning double-points! 

 

Utilizing Your Velocity Points for Fuel

There is a particular advantage for those intrepid travelers and tourists who drive many miles in pursuit of holiday dreams or business. Your Velocity Points can be used for fuel or in-store purchases at more than one-thousand BP service stations! 

The process is made easy and convenient for you, by just swiping your Velocity membership card prior to paying. Providing you have sufficient Velocity Points and the value of your determined purchase has a minimum value equal to your BP in-store redemption option, you will be eligible to “Pay with Point’s”. You have the option to at any time, change or update your BP in-store redemption option, to the value of between $10 and $60!  

 

Frequent Flyer Program

With 4-levels of Velocity membership available, you can determine the types of benefits you wish to receive when you travel. As a Velocity Frequent Flyer Member, you have the advantage of exclusive benefits, for you personally, as well as including Family Points Pooling and also the Pet-Friendly Frequent Flyer Program!