Like clockwork, Velocity Frequent Flyer has brought back its regular November promotion of bonus points when transferring from most credit card or hotel loyalty programs to Velocity. This time, you can even earn bonus Velocity status credits.
During November 2020, you can earn between 15-40% bonus Velocity points when transferring points from credit card reward programs including Amex Membership Rewards, CommBank Awards, NAB Rewards and Westpac Altitude. You can also earn 50 Velocity status credits by transferring the equivalent of at least 50,000 Velocity points from a participating loyalty program.
The amount of bonus points that you’ll receive depends on the loyalty program and the number of points transferred. This promotion ends at 11.59pm (AEST/Brisbane time) on 30 November 2020.
Programs giving a fixed 15-20% bonus points
When transferring Flybuys points this month, you’ll reeive 15% bonus Velocity points.
And during November 2020 you’ll earn 20% bonus Velocity points on all transfers from the following programs:
- CommBank Awards
- Westpac Altitude
- Marriott Bonvoy
- Accor ALL
- IHG Rewards Club
- Hilton Honors
- Shangri-La Golden Circle
- Choice Privileges
Programs giving a variable 15-40% bonus points
And you’ll earn 15-40% bonus Velocity points, depending on the amount transferred, with the following credit card rewards programs:
- American Express Membership Rewards
- Diners Club Rewards
- NAB Rewards
- Citi Rewards
- Card Services
- Suncorp Bank Rewards
- BOQ Q Rewards
With these programs, you’ll earn a higher rate bonus Velocity points if you transfer more points at a time:
- 1 to 100,000 Velocity Points = 15% bonus Velocity Points
- 100,001 to 250,000 Velocity Points = 20% bonus Velocity Points
- 250,001 to 500,000 Velocity Points = 25% bonus Velocity Points
- 500,001 to 750,000 Velocity Points = 30% bonus Velocity Points
- 750,001+ Velocity Points = 40% bonus Velocity Points
Earn 50 bonus Velocity status credits
During this promotion you can also earn 50 Velocity status credits, which count towards Virgin Australia status. Simply transfer the equivalent of at least 50,000 Velocity points in one transaction from any of the participating loyalty programs. This includes flybuys and the hotel loyalty programs, as well as the bank-opreated schemes.
See the Velocity Frequent Flyer website for more details about this offer.
More banks have resumed Velocity transfers
The November 2020 promotion has been launched shortly after Diners Club, Citibank, Suncorp Bank, Card Services and Bank of Queensland have all recently resumed allowing points to be transferred to Velocity Freuqent Flyer. All of these banks have cards issued by Citibank. Virgin Money, which also uses Citibank to issue its Australian credit cards, also recently resumed new applications for its Velocity credit cards.
Velocity typically runs a similar promotion offering bonus points on credit card transfers every May and November. But it didn’t in May 2020 because Virgin Australia had just entered voluntary administration, all Velocity redemptions were suspended at the time and all loyalty programs had also stopped allowing transfers to Velocity.
Most banks have since reopened Velocity points transfers, and the promotion is back for November 2020. It comes at a time that Virgin Australia needs the revenue so badly, it’s currently offering a 100% bonus if you buy new Velocity points. But ANZ Rewards points and HSBC Rewards Plus points still cannot be converted to Velocity points for the time being.
Velocity points can currently be redeemed for selected Australian domestic flights and upgrades, products from the Velocity Rewards store including gift cards, wine, car hire and hotel bookings. But some redemptions, including international flights and bookings on Virgin’s partner airlines, remain unavailable indefinitely. It’s also unlikely that point transfers to KrisFlyer will return.
As some uncertainty still remains arond the future of Virgin Australia, which is expected to exit voluntary administration later this month, we would suggest not transferring points to Velocity at this time unless you have an immediate use for them.
Join the discussion on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum: Up to 40% Velocity transfer bonus – November 2020
Qantas is also giving bonus points, status credits on credit card transfers this month
Qantas Frequent Flyer is running a similar promotion during November 2020 on transfers from credit cards that allow discretionary point transfers to Qantas. In Australia, only Amex Membership Rewards Premium Ascent points are eligible (i.e. points earned from Amex Platinum or Centurion cards). But there are also some overseas credit card reward programs that offer transfers to Qantas Frequent Flyer.
This month, you can earn 15% bonus Qantas points on transfers of under 300,000 points, or 25% on transfers of 300,000+ points. You’ll also earn 1 Qantas status credit for every 5,000 points transferred, up to 150 status credits in total.
Join the discussion on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum: Bonus points & SCs on QF credit card transfers during November 2020
