Have Velocity's reward charts become overly complicated?

[Mattg]

Until not long ago, Velocity had just three reward seat tables:

• VA domestic
• VA short-haul international, VS & UA
• All other partner airlines

Has anyone else noticed now how much more complicated Velocity's reward charts have become?

There's now:

• VA domestic
• VA short-haul international
• VA long-haul international to Middle East/Europe
• VA long-haul international to Africa, North America & other destinations
• VS & UA
• SQ, EY & QR
• All other partner airlines

With reward seat prices changing on 21 January 2025, there's also now two versions of every chart - but that's only a temporary thing.

For reference, you can see all the tables on this page of the Velocity website:

Using Points For Flights

Use your Velocity Points to fly to over 500 destinations. Check out our flight reward options and turn your Points into a flight for your next trip or dream holiday today

www.velocityfrequentflyer.com

Is VA having its own "simpler and fairer" moment?

 

[HeavyElectricity]

They asked their customers, and it's what they wanted... /s

 

[drron]

It's even more complicated than that. I looked up BNE-SIN awards in oct/nov 2925 tonight. They have different award costs for the VA codeshares or the SQ flight number. But no way anyone in their right mind would get the award with the VA codeshare.
For same flights in Y SQ-29000 points. VA-102400 points.
In J-SQ-67000 points VA- 642000 points.

 

[Clayton]

• VA long-haul international to Middle East/Europe
• VA long-haul international to Africa, North America & other destinations

I wonder if these award charts will ever be used with the 30 days between QR releasing award seats and Velocity being able to book them, there seems little chance any Velocity users will ever grab a J seat between Aust. and Doha.

 

[WilsonM]

I wonder if these award charts will ever be used with the 30 days between QR releasing award seats and Velocity being able to book them, there seems little chance any Velocity users will ever grab a J seat between Aust. and Doha.

VA controls inventory for these flights - I don't think its possible for the seats to be available on the VA operated flights before VA's booking window opens, as the inventory wouldn't be loaded in.

 

[WilsonM]

Also, I didn't even catch this - they've added fixed status credit earn on the VA flights to DOH. But say you're flying from Canberra - how would the status credit earn be calculated? If fares are calculated as a simple add-on to the base fare, so CBR-MEL-DOH is simply the sum of CBR-MEL and MEL-DOH, then it'd be easy. But if its not, then how is anyone going to be able to figure out what they actually will earn?

 

[henrus]

It's even more complicated than that. I looked up BNE-SIN awards in oct/nov 2925 tonight. They have different award costs for the VA codeshares or the SQ flight number. But no way anyone in their right mind would get the award with the VA codeshare.
For same flights in Y SQ-29000 points. VA-102400 points.
In J-SQ-67000 points VA- 642000 points.

That's normal, it's showing the points plus pay option which is the VA code.

 

[Mattg]

Also, I didn't even catch this - they've added fixed status credit earn on the VA flights to DOH. But say you're flying from Canberra - how would the status credit earn be calculated? If fares are calculated as a simple add-on to the base fare, so CBR-MEL-DOH is simply the sum of CBR-MEL and MEL-DOH, then it'd be easy. But if its not, then how is anyone going to be able to figure out what they actually will earn?

I look at this stuff for a living and I’m confused

It’s at this point that I think you risk losing people.

 

[drron]

That's normal, it's showing the points plus pay option which is the VA code.

Except that it has never been shown before and I search that route regularly as we get 3-4 trips and always get J awards. I have been searching on VA for the last 18 months as my KF miles have all gone.

 

[MarkD]

The whole program has gone from easy to understand and benfitial to a complete headf$&@#. Agree they had to lose a few status holders as it was very easy to obtain, but FFS they need to put the pipe down sometime and actually listen to their customers. I know this group is a very small cross section of their customer base but probably the section they dont want to piss off. Or maybe they do

 

[clifford]

I know this group is a very small cross section of their customer base but probably the section they dont want to piss off. Or maybe they do

Well it will come back to bite them.

 

[bcworld]

Except that it has never been shown before

It has been shown for years. It's not a reward seat.

 

[SydneySwan]

It's even more complicated than that. I looked up BNE-SIN awards in oct/nov 2925 tonight.

That's confidence for you but I am have my doubts that Virgin still be around then.

 

[drron]

It has been shown for years. It's not a reward seat.

Never been shown on the awards available page before. Which is what I stated I was looking at.

 

[bcworld]

Never been shown on the awards available page before. Which is what I stated I was looking at.

There is no "awards available" page. There is a single results page that has for years shown both rewards seats AND cash fares converted to points (the VA codes ones in the case of partners).

 

[KingHuang]

Is there any benefit (or just easier) of just going with the privilege club program instead of through the velocity program? Reading through all the comments it seems like it’s so complex !

 

[aus_flyer]

Is there any benefit (or just easier) of just going with the privilege club program instead of through the velocity program? Reading through all the comments it seems like it’s so complex !

Can’t earn status credits flying Virgin

 

[KingHuang]

Can’t earn status credits flying Virgin

As in can’t earn privilege status credit when flying virgin but can earn virgin status credit if flying Qatar? What if I don’t fly virgin at all, then may as well go with privilege club instead right?

 

[aus_flyer]

As in can’t earn privilege status credit when flying virgin but can earn virgin status credit if flying Qatar? What if I don’t fly virgin at all, then may as well go with privilege club instead right?

Correct

 

[justinbrett]

As in can’t earn privilege status credit when flying virgin but can earn virgin status credit if flying Qatar? What if I don’t fly virgin at all, then may as well go with privilege club instead right?

It would actually be much more valuable as you’d get oneworld status.