Additional Benefit on Velocity Earning Cards: 40K Points, 6 Months Gold or $300 Travel Bank

[levelnine]

Interesting new offer from VFF:

If you successfully apply for a Velocity Points earning credit card with an annual fee, you have the option of choosing an additional exclusive benefit if you make the selection between 26 April 2022 and 31 May 2022 by visting. You have the choice of one of the following:

• Trial Gold Status (6 months) if you are currently a Red or Silver member;
• $300 Travel Bank Credit; or
• Additional 40,000 bonus Velocity Points.

You will be able to receive this exclusive benefit if you are approved for the card and met the minimum spend criteria of the bonus Points offer provided by the Issuer for that particular card. The bonus Points offers currently available for each card with an annual fee are as follows:

• American Express Velocity Platinum Card - 120,000 bonus Points
• Virgin Australia Velocity High Flyer Card – 100,000 bonus Points
• Virgin Australia Velocity Flyer Card – 100,000 bonus Points
• Westpac Altitude Black Card - 120,000 bonus Points
• Westpac Altitude Platinum Card – 75,000 bonus Points
• American Express Velocity Business Card – 150,000 bonus Points
• Bank of Queensland Specialist Signature Card – 20,000 bonus Points
• Bank of Queensland Specialist Platinum Card – 10,000 bonus Points

Full details here: Your choice of an exclusive benefit

 

[antycbr]

In the market for a VA branded credit card after sitting out the Amex waiting period so this is very good timing. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[HSB44]

Which option offers the most value?

 

[antycbr]

Which option offers the most value?

If reward seats are available you can get business return on a SYD-MEL sector and still have points left over. You’ll only get one paid sector one way in business.

Not to mention that 40K contributes a chunk to a SQ business redemption if that’s what you prefer.

 

[HSB44]

What about they Gold for 6 months option - do you think there are any realistic options to use that status to get a status match for one world? Or is six months too short?

 

[antycbr]

What about they Gold for 6 months option - do you think there are any realistic options to use that status to get a status match for one world? Or is six months too short?

I hadn’t thought of this as most people with a high end VA credit card are probably not far off getting gold which gives the same benefits.

 

[Highflyer93]

So good, I just signed up for a velocity credit card a month ago and also never received the other targeted offer for extending gold status into 2023.

 

[Mattg]

This is a great offer!

 

[NoName]

Nice offer. Am about to cancel a CC so will give consideration to this. Virgin Money Flyer 100,000 points for the $64 annual fee looks a winner. Westpac Platinum with the reduced fee also although I’m not eligible due to a sit out period.

Choosing the extra 40,000pts is a no-brainer IMO.

 

[ejd711]

As a velocity red, but just switching strategies due to now being able to make use of family pooling, I was considering the Gold for 6 months but hadn't actually got out a spreadsheet to work out whether it would allow retention. Status matching is something I hadn't considered but would be good. Need to do some maths on that vs 40,000.

 

[Mr H]

I hadn’t thought of this as most people with a high end VA credit card are probably not far off getting gold which gives the same benefits.

I think it is very easy to imagine that everyone's situation closely matches ones own. My hunch would be that many well-paid Australians have high end credit cards, and many of them would be airline branded ones. But the number of people who fly frequently enough to get status would be quite limited - and some of them may not be terribly well paid. Therefore I suspect that many/most high end Velocity credit card holders would have little or no airline status.

 

[jboy90]

Will be participating. I figure 140,000 points for the cost of $69 is pretty good when that gets me one way to Europe or the US on Singapore airlines.

 

[Shinjetter]

Does anyone know what is the timeline between credit card applications for Citibank? I applied to Citigroup in Feb 2022 and Dec 2021 so I'm not sure if I should apply again. They might reject me for churning too many of their credit cards.

 

[aspro2]

Does anyone know what is the timeline between credit card applications for Citibank? I applied to Citigroup in Feb 2022 and Dec 2021 so I'm not sure if I should apply again. They might reject me for churning too many of their credit cards.

It of course also depends on what other applications you've made. Dec-Feb-Apr would be quite a high frequency for one credit provider (and would be a likely negative aspect of your credit record for any following applications).

In my experience, Citi (across the whole issuing portfolio, ie Coles/Virgin/Citi/...) is quite tolerant of frequent applications as long as not much is going on with other providers. On the other hand, I have found that HSBC, Macquarie and ANZ can be very intolerant of high-frequency applications with other providers in your credit record.

 

[Leroy87]

Great deal.

Note that if you're a Westpac customer (ie. open an online savings account and voila) you can get their Altitude Platinum level cards fee-free for the first year. You still cop the $50 rewards fee but it makes the bonus a lot better value.

I've just churned Westpac Altitude Qantas so I'm ruled out of that deal (the 12 month clock has started again ). Am also still holding an AMEX, so can't go there either.

Closed the Velocity Flyer literally a few weeks ago after the same deal but without the Velocity bonus (so just 4x25k points for 4 months) and I'm trying to find in the Ts&Cs whether that rules me ineligible to have another go. Anyone with a clear link or tips on an exclusion period? The best I can see is that it is for 'new customers only' and 'not available to existing card holders' which technically I'm not...

 

[dogbox220]

I'm silver and likely to hit gold later this year, halfway through my membership year or thereabouts. Is this trial gold worth considering? I can easily hit the requirements to get punted onto a full 12 month gold, I think, with a single holiday or a couple of business trips in the 6 month period. I just feel like there's a gotcha I haven't considered.

 

[PlutekPlutek]

I applied for a card ($64 for 100,000 points). I just noticed the offer, and selected the additional 40k points, as I already have gold status. The T&C mention you have to apply for a new card once you have chosen your benefit. Should I cancel, and re-apply, or hope they apply the bonus anyway ? I haven't activated the card, as I just literally received it in the mail 10 minutes ago.

 

[Mr H]

I applied for a card ($64 for 100,000 points). I just noticed the offer, and selected the additional 40k points, as I already have gold status. The T&C mention you have to apply for a new card once you have chosen your benefit. Should I cancel, and re-apply, or hope they apply the bonus anyway ? I haven't activated the card, as I just literally received it in the mail 10 minutes ago.

I suspect you are too late. Them's the breaks.

 

[Must...Fly!]

I applied for a card ($64 for 100,000 points). I just noticed the offer, and selected the additional 40k points, as I already have gold status. The T&C mention you have to apply for a new card once you have chosen your benefit. Should I cancel, and re-apply, or hope they apply the bonus anyway ? I haven't activated the card, as I just literally received it in the mail 10 minutes ago.

You never know, Velocity's systems aren't known to be the smartest. I would just keep the card, spend and see what happens

 

[HSB44]

Looking at it again.. It appears that if you pick 6 months gold, then you need 80 status to retain... By my calculations that's 3 x SYD-Mel return flights in standard economy.... Is that right?
Seems ridiculously easy....