23 Best Ways to Earn Lots of Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer Points
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Virgin Australia Velocity has a stellar reputation among airline loyalty programs. It recently won several Freddie Awards, including Program of the Year and Best Customer Service from travelers and frequent flyer members.
Velocity members earn Points with the program’s many travel and non-travel partners. Velocity Points can be redeemed for low-cost flights and upgrades, hotel stays, car rentals, and a long list of other options at the Velocity Rewards Store.
By the time you finish this guide, you will be prepared to earn as many Points as possible in the Velocity program. So, start thinking now about those redemptions!
Table of contents
Table of Contents
Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer Program
1. Join the Velocity Frequent Flyer Program
Virgin Australia Velocity members earn miles for travel on Virgin Australia and their international airline partners, as well as for using the program’s many global partners. Join for free using the information on your passport.
2. Book a Flight on Virgin Australia
As a Velocity member, you’ll earn 5 Points per $1 spent on Virgin Australia Domestic fares.
Plus, Platinum, Gold, and Silver members in the elite program receive bonuses of 100%, 75%, and 50% respectively (not including Domestic Getaway fares).
International flights are worth up to 2 Velocity Points per mile. Here is the chart for Points earned on long-haul international flights:
| Virgin Australia International Long-Haul Flights | ||
| Fare Type | Fare Class | Velocity Points Earn Rate Per Mile |
| First class — operated by Etihad | F, A | 2.5 |
| First class — operated by Delta | 1.5 | |
| Business | C,J | 2 |
| Business Saver | I, D | |
| Premium | R, W | 1.25 |
| Premium Saver | O | |
| Freedom — economy | K, H, B, Y | 1 |
| Elevate — economy | V, N, E, L | 0.5 |
| Gateway — economy | M, S, T, Q | |
| Group travel | G | |
Here is the chart for Points earned for short-haul international flights:
| Virgin Australia International Short-Haul Flights | ||
| Fare Type | Fare Class | Velocity Points Earn Rate Per Mile |
| Business | C, J | 2 |
| Business Saver | I, D | |
| Freedom — economy | L, K, H, B, Y | 1 |
| Gateway — economy | T, Q, V, N, E | 0.5 |
| Go Plus — economy | ||
| Go — economy | M, U | |
| Economy group travel | G | |
3. Fly a Partner Airline
Virgin Australia’s partner airlines fly to over 600 destinations and offer up to 3 Velocity Points per mile. As with most airline loyalty programs, members can’t earn Points for reward seats.
| Partner Airline | Earned Velocity Points |
| Alitalia | Up to 2 Points/mile |
| Capital Airlines | Up to 3 Points/mile |
| Delta | Up to 2 Points/mile |
| Etihad | Up to 2.5 Points/mile |
| FlyPelican | Up to 2 Points/$1 |
| Hainan Airlines | Up to 2 Points/miles |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Up to 2.5 Points/mile |
| Hong Kong Airlines | Up to 2 Points/mile |
| Silk Air | Up to 1.5 Points/mile |
| Singapore Airlines | Up to 2 Points/mile |
| South African Airways | Up to 2 Points/mile |
| Tianjin Airlines | Up to 3 Points/mile |
| TigerAir Australia | You can redeem your Velocity Points for TigerAir flights but you cannot earn them |
| Virgin Atlantic | Up to 2 Points/mile |
4. Elite Status Credits
While you’re busy earning Velocity Points for flying Virgin Australia and partner airlines, you will also be accruing status credits. With enough status credits you can achieve Silver, Gold, and Platinum status, and earn some terrific benefits (like bonus Points!) when you fly.
One great thing about the Velocity program is that they assess member status credits daily, so you can be upgraded right away. Here are the requirements for each status, as well as the bonus points you can earn at each level:
| Status | Qualification | Bonus Points on Virgin Australia and Select Travel Partners | Bonus Points on Etihad Airways |
| Silver | 250 status credits and 2 eligible sectors | 50% | 25% |
| Gold | 500 status credits and 4 eligible sectors | 75% | 50% |
| Platinum | 1,000 status credits and 8 eligible sectors | 100% | 50% |
The number of status credits earned is determined by the airline, fare type, and distance flown. Domestic, international, short-haul, and long-haul tables are posted here. Status credits are valid for 12 months from the flight date.
Another method for earning elite status credits is by enrolling in the FlyBuys program and using the card for special savings.
Unfortunately, the FlyBuys program is only open to members in Australia, but it’s a great strategy for Australian travelers to earn up to 10 elite status credits a month!
5. Sharing Velocity Benefits
With Platinum status, you have the option of sharing your Velocity benefits and rewards with friends or family.
Here’s how it works: you must earn the required status credits to maintain Platinum within the 12-month period. If you accrue an additional 500 status credits on top of that, you can gift Gold membership to someone else. Accrue an additional 1,000 status credits, and you can gift Platinum membership!
Earning Points With Credit Card Partners
6. Virgin Australia Co-Branded Cards
There are multiple Virgin Australia co-branded credit cards available in Australia, which is super for Australian members who want to earn Velocity Points quickly.
However, no Virgin Australia credit cards are currently available in the U.S. or Canada. The good news is, there are plenty of other credit cards you can use to end up with Velocity Points faster which we dig into below.
7. Hilton Honors Credit Cards
A hotel loyalty program that lets you transfer points is Hilton Honors. Turn 10,000 Hilton Honors points into 1,500 Velocity Points. Choose from these co-branded cards to earn Hilton Honors points:
Recommended Hilton Cards
| CREDIT CARD | CARD INFO |
|---|---|
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card Apply Now (at Amex's secure site) |
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Hilton Honors American Express Card Apply Now (at Amex's secure site) |
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Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card Apply Now (at Amex's secure site) |
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The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card Apply Now (at Amex's secure site) |
|
8. Marriott Credit Cards
You can earn and transfer Marriott points to Virgin Australia at a transfer rate of 3:1. Plus, for every 60,000 Marriott points that you transfer, you’ll receive an extra 5,000 Velocity Points bonus.
Recommended Marriott Cards
| Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card - Earn 75,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Get automatic silver elite status each account anniversary year; and a free night award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary. Plus, earn 6X points per $1 at over 7,000 participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, and 2X points per $1 on all other purchases. Annual Fee is $95. |
| Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card - Earn 30,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. Earn 3X points per $1 at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, earn 2X on other travel purchases, then 1x on all other purchases. A solid card for Marriott loyalists looking for a no-annual-fee card offering Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status. |
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card - Limited Time Offer! Earn 125,000 bonus points! Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Plus, earn an additional 25,000 bonus points after your first anniversary of Card Membership. Offer Expires 1/13/2021. Earn 6x per $1 at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels plus 3x at U.S. restaurants and flights booked directly with airlines. Annual fee is $450. Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Bonvoy Brilliant card, click here. |
| Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card - earn 100,000 bonus points when you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. A solid card for business owners who will get complimentary Marriott Bonvoy silver elite status. Annual fee is $125. Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card, click here. |
9. IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card
The IHG Premier card includes more than 4,700 hotels where you can stay to earn Points. You can also earn IHG Rewards Points with the IHG Premier card, then transfer your IHG Rewards points to your Velocity Frequent Flyer account. The transfer rate is 10,000 IHG Rewards points to 2,000 Velocity Points.
10. Choice Privileges® Visa Signature® Card
If you frequent Choice Privileges hotels and utilize the Choice Privileges card, you can transfer those points to your Virgin Australia account at a rate of 20,000 Choice Privileges points to 3,000 Velocity Points.
Virgin Australia Transfer Partners
11. Transfer KrisFlyer Miles
KrisFlyer, the loyalty program for Singapore Airlines, is a Velocity transfer partner. All you have to do is link your Velocity and KrisFlyer accounts and you’ll be able to convert Velocity Points and KrisFlyer Miles between them.
There’s a minimum of 5,000 Points per conversion, and the Points convert at a rate of 1.55 KrisFlyer Miles to 1 Velocity Point or 1.55 Velocity Points to 1 KrisFlyer Mile.
12. Additional Hotel Loyalty Program Transfers
Accor Live Limitless Hotels and Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts are 2 other programs that offer the opportunity to transfer their points to Virgin Australia. While neither program has a travel rewards card to help you earn points for your daily spending, those who frequent the hotels often can transfer points at a rate of 1 Accor Live Limitless Hotels Points to 1 Velocity Point and 1 Shangri-La Golden Circle Award Point to 1 Velocity Point.
Earn Velocity Points With Travel Partners
13. Velocity Hotel Partners
Earn Velocity Points for hotel stays both within and outside of Australia. This is just a sample of the more than 600,000 hotels in over 37,000 cities around the world that participate in the program.
| Hotel | Points/Stay | Hotel | Points/Stay | Hotel | Points/Stay |
| Accor Live Limitless Hotels | 1 Point/$1 | Next Hotels & Resorts | 3 Points/$1 or 1,000 per stay | View Hotels | 3 Points/$1 |
| Crown Hotels | 3 Points/$1 | Pan Pacific Hotels Group | 3 Points/$1 | Virgin Limited Edition Hotels | Up to 35,000 Points/stay |
| Hamilton Island | 3 Points/$1 | Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts | 3 Points/$1 | Voyages Ayers Rock Resort | 3 Points/$1 |
| Intercontinental Hotels Group | 3 Points/$1 or 600 per say | Staywell Group | 3 Points/$1 | ||
| Langham Hospitality Group | 3 Points/$1 or 1,000 per stay | TFE Hotels | 3 Points/$1 |
14. Hotel Conferences and Events
Book a conference or other event at a Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts property within or outside of Australia and earn 20,000 Velocity Points.
You can also earn up to 65,000 Velocity Points for events held at the following Langham Hospitality Group properties internationally:
- Eaton Hotels
- The Langham Hotels and Resorts
- Langham Place Hotels and Resorts
15. Virgin Australia Holidays
Dreaming of a holiday in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, North America, or the Pacific? Allow Virgin Australia Holidays to create the perfect trip and you’ll earn 3 Points per $1 spent.
Plus, if you have Silver, Gold, or Platinum status you will get your 50%-100% bonus, too!
16. Use Cruisepilot to Book Cruises
Book a cruise and earn Velocity Points through Virgin Australia Velocity partner Cruisepilot! Enjoy discounts and specials offered to Velocity members throughout the year when you book through Cruisepilot.
17. Car Rental Agencies
With over 12,000 agencies to choose from worldwide, you can easily earn Velocity Points with your next car rental.
18. Airport Parking and Car Services
Select from a variety of airport parking and car service partners in Australia and increase your Velocity Points balance.
| Company | Earned Points |
| Ola Rideshare | 2 Velocity Points/$1 |
| Midas Car Service | 2 Velocity Points/$1 |
| Wilson Parking | Up to 5 Velocity Points/$1 |
| SkyBus Airport Express | Varies |
19. Book Pet Travel
Bring your cat or dog on your next Virgin Australia domestic flight and earn Velocity Points. You’ll even earn bonus points if you’re a Silver, Gold, or Platinum member.
| # of Pet Carriers | Red | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
| 1 | 300 Points | 450 Points | 525 Points | 600 Points |
| 2 (maximum) | 600 Points | 900 Points | 1,050 Points | 1,200 Points |
If you’d rather Jetpets handle the arrangements transporting your pet domestically or internationally with Virgin Australia, you can still earn 3 Points per $1 spent. You are not required to accompany your pet.
Hot Tip: Flying with pets doesn’t have to be extra stressful. Explore how to fly with Fido in our ultimate guide to traveling with pets.
Other Ways to Earn Velocity Points
20. Transfer Among Family Members
Put all your family members’ points and status credits together into 1 account so you can redeem for bigger rewards with Family Pooling! This can even boost you to a new membership level. Add up to 6 family members to a pool (2 must be 18+, and 4 under 18 years of age).
Velocity members can also transfer Velocity Points (5,000-100,000) to an eligible family member’s account up to 4 times a year.
21. Australian Partner Deals
Because Virgin Australia is an Australian airline, local members have the most opportunities to earn Velocity Points.
For instance, in Australia, you can earn Velocity Points for shopping at the Velocity e-Store.
There are also home and business and financial opportunities. Visit the Virgin Australia Velocity website to find all the options available to Australian members.
22. No1 Lounges
Make the most of your time at the airport with a visit to a lounge in the No1 collection. Enjoy delicious dining menus, extensive wine lists, classic cocktails, and stunning runway views.
When booking lounge access with No1 Lounges, Velocity Red members will earn 3 Points per $1 spent, Silver members will earn an additional 4.5 Points per $1, Gold members will earn 5.25 Points per $1, and Platinum members will earn 6 Points per $1.
23. Velocity Special Offers
You’ve already learned how Velocity partners offer great regular deals to earn Velocity Points, but that’s not all!
Velocity special offers are exclusive offers for Velocity members to earn even more points. Check the Velocity special offers page on a regular basis for updated deals.
Final Thoughts
Virgin Australia offers so many ways to earn Velocity Points even if you don’t live in Australia. Those living in the U.S. can earn points via hotel credit cards, hotel transfer partners, car rental partners, shopping through the Velocity e-Store, and much more!
If you’re a fan of the Virgin Australia Velocity program, start earning today so you can begin redeeming for big rewards.
The information regarding the Choice Privileges® Visa Signature® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, click here.
I am thinking about joining the Velocity program. If I book flights with Virgin for 6 adults and 3 children, do I get the points for the entire purchase or just for the value of my ticket?
Hi Ilo,
You will only receive points for your ticket as each membership account can only receive miles from the account holders flights. However, if you have a credit card that earns points or miles then you’ll receive those for the entire purchase.
I would like to make a few corrections:
1. In section 3, it’s Tigerair Australia, not just Tigerair which could be confused with the one in Taiwan which is not part of Velocity.
2. Midas, Brunel and Wilson Parking in section 18 are no longer partners, but rideshare app Ola (NZ and AU) now is.
3. In the FAQ section, it says that as long as you redeem points (at least 1) every 24 months, they won’t expire. Earning points (at least 1) also resets the 24 month countdown, but family pooling transfers and manual family transfers do not count towards resetting the expiry.
4. In the final thoughts, Virgin Galactic is no longer a partner.
Hi Dean,
Thanks for points these out. We’ve made the adjustments as noted. With the exception of Midas, and Wilson Parking, as both of those appear to still be active.
Thanks for reading!
Actually technically that part of the Velocity website is not updated anymore, it’s basically a section they probably forgot existed. The up to date (changes every now and again) partner list would be https://experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com/partners-offers/all-partners
Hi
I’ll be flying with Vietnam Airlines. If I join their Lotus program, is it possible to transfer my points to another airline such as Delta and then from Delta on to Velocity? I’m just trying not to lose any points as I doubt I’ll be flying with again Vietnam Airlines or any of its partners in the future.
Thanks
Rod
Hi Rod,
Unfortunately, it is not possible to transfer points from the Vietnam airlines Lotus program to Delta. But in the future, when you book a flight with a Skyteam partner you can earn Delta miles by inserting your Delta Skymiles number during booking.