Major changes to Velocity Frequent Flyer announced 17/10/24

[Happy Dude]

I assume it's already been posted (I haven't had time to read the 18 pages!!), but I just had a look at my upcoming flight CBR-MEL-ADL for the cricket booked specifically in J and during a DSC offer. Leaving aside the DSC, I'll be getting 110 SCs for my $450 spend. In the future I'll get 37 or so. That's a nasty sacktap. It would be worthwhile in a TSC offer so I expect those to be even more popular going forward.

Other flights ex CBR, I generally get Choice fares for around $200-$230 to pretty much anywhere one hop, so the deval will be much smaller or maybe even an uplift for the more expensive, but-still-choice, last minute tickets I occasionally get.

 

[elanshin]

The reason being that there are many other ways ( credit card offers , flybuys , 7/11 ) to get velocity points at the same rate without having to rely solely on flying. The devaluation will not have a great deal of discussion as it does not having the same impact as culling of status holders.

The points devaluation isn't that bad. Worst hit is the long haul J awards to Europe but even then they're very similar points to Qantas. Some others haven't moved much at all - one would hope there's no further devaluations for at least 2-3 years which would make this a good deal.

Yes that's all true, but it is still a devaluation and there's minimal chatter about it.

So in otherwords they've been fairly successful at slipping in a devaluation on the points side which honestly is generally speaking more valuable than VFF status and affects a lot more people.

 

[SheikYerbouti]

Qantas Club in Sydney is significantly better than Virgin Sydney lounge.

My experience is the exact opposite. Brekky especially.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

And as for the regular whines about Virgin Domestic lounges being 'substandard', I suggest some of those folks fly around the USA for a week and come and report back with a reality check. For goodness sakes.

Depends on the airline I suppose and lounge situation. Delta SkyClubs do have a good selection of booze and food, at least based on my limited experience flying through MSP and JFK. United Clubs and Aadmirals lounges are quite mediocre in that regard but AA’s Flagship lounge are a cut above all Qantas domestic lounges aside from perhaps their First class lounges at some airports.

United Clubs generally offer only that dishwater weak BUD LIGHT free - anything stronger you'll PAY for - same with any brand name spirits. That is the REAL world. For many years, ALL booze was at guest cost, at all RCC. ALL of it.

In fairness they do offer house wine and spirits. Not that it’s any great. Then again I’m not a huge fan of the Australian champagne on offer at most Qantas lounges either!

I’m not sure if Bud Light is on offer at these lounges given how polarizing the brand is particularly amongst a particular political demographic. At the same time United being a Denver based airline would want to support the home team: Coors!

I agree that the lounges are very average, but I can get a cold beer on a hot day!

Yes but can you get a piping hot beer on a cold day?

 

[simmomelb]

My experience is the exact opposite. Brekky especially.

You should have tried breakfast in the VA BNE lounge last Sunday at 10am, scrambled eggs, baked beans and bread, that was it. I ended up strolling out of the lounge to get something else and brought it back in. Just had a flat white in the lounge, the only reasonable thing on offer.
Surely your QF Club experience wasn't worse than that?

 

[padders]

For people with status via family pooling, they will most likely stay VA as QF (and others) doesn't even offer this feature.

The VA lounges will be less busy though with all those Elite status via family pooling and/or partner airlines disappear ......

I have Platinum status via family pooling. I also fly for work, but it's a sole trader situation so I'm paying the $.
My household spend with Virgin is about 12k in the past 13 months.

Family pooling was the only reason I preferenced Virgin. Although I still haven't done my sums, I think it's likely that this change will mean I no longer prioritise booking with Virgin where there's a choice. Will I still fly them? Sure, if they're the best deal or most convenient time - but if it's close, I dunno. I fly east coast routes a lot, so it's unlikely they will ever be the BEST by much, if that makes sense.

Lounges? I have Amex for that.

 

[elanshin]

Actually @AFF Editor (or mods) perhaps a separate thread for Velocity Points changes might be in order given the information is quite buried in this thread for the changes.

 

[odysseus]

The points devaluation isn't that bad. Worst hit is the long haul J awards to Europe but even then they're very similar points to Qantas. Some others haven't moved much at all - one would hope there's no further devaluations for at least 2-3 years which would make this a good deal.

20% earning reduction, plus 5-15% redemption increase isn't bad?

<blinks>

 

[kamchatsky]

20% earning reduction, plus 5-15% redemption increase isn't bad?

<blinks>

They are bad, but not bad enough for everyone to move to QF.


..... And Rex for that matter

 

[BrianQQ]

They are bad, but not bad enough for everyone to move to QF.


..... And Rex for that matter

At that point, I'd cop the transfer fee to Krisflyer and redeem Reward Seats there, or pivot to QF or another OW carrier like Alaska, who recently just beefed up their Mileage Plan program.

 

[AFF Editor]

Actually @AFF Editor (or mods) perhaps a separate thread for Velocity Points changes might be in order given the information is quite buried in this thread for the changes.

Here you go:

Thread 'Changes to Velocity reward seat pricing from 21 January 2025'

Oct 18, 2024

At the suggestion of @elanshin, this thread is specifically for discussing the changes to Velocity reward seat pricing that were announced this week as part of the broader program changes.

Yesterday, Velocity decreased the minimum points required on some domestic Economy redemptions. But on 21 January 2025, the maximum points required for these redemptions will go up. The points needed for some international partner airline redemptions will also go up.

Velocity is also splitting off its reward charts into separate charts for:

• VA domestic
• VA international
• United &...

• AFF Editor
• Replies: 8
• Forum: Virgin Australia | Velocity

 

[lovestotravel]

For me the loss of

20% earning reduction, plus 5-15% redemption increase isn't bad?

<blinks>

Yep my biggest issue is the point earning reduction on flights, that's pretty bad!

Anything else doesn't worry me TBH

 

[luckypierre]

For me the loss of


Yep my biggest issue is the point earning reduction on flights, that's pretty bad!

Anything else doesn't worry me TBH

My Data point for SQ reward flight redemption. ADL-SIN or vice versa was 57k for J , after Jan 2025 changes will be 74k , by my math about 30% increase in points required. Noticed that Y redemption stays at 27k. I guess at the end of the day up till now it still seems easier to redeem the VA points .

 

[Seat0B]

This pretty much says VA isn’t in an alliance and if you want that, go elsewhere. This very much makes Velocity a program for domestic pax or the occasional straightforward international trip. Forget about RTW or foreign domestic flying.

Yes, I’m an averagely disgruntled QF WP and LTG who had been seriously looking at transferring over to Virgin as soon as I drop from annual requal as WP as I only have 32.5k SC towards QF LTP - but I don’t think I will do that now, despite my initial interest sparking us after the QR code share tie up.

 

[Seat0B]

Maintain QF Platinum = $32k spend

Just as a data point, I am QF WP. I’m on this thread because I was seriously looking at transferring over to VA.

I will maintain QF WP with a $10k SYS-DXB-MAD-DXB-SYD paid discount business trip in DSC, and a Y award flight connecting to the international legs CBR-SYD-CBR (not on DSC) plus 2 award flights CBR-MEL-CBR in J also on DSC , and 1 award flight CBR-BNE (not on DSC), and the associated loyalty bonuses taken as SC. I get SC on the award flights because I’m a Points Club member. The taxes etc on the award flights I don’t have to hand but I’d be surprised if it was more than $1000 all up. Thus, I will retain QF WP for about $11,000 on carefully selected flights and DSC. So not everyone will need to spend your estimated $32k to maintain QF platinum. Of course your, and other people’s mileage (and spend, and SC) may vary!

edit: oh I forgot that it’s actual SYD-BKK-DXB-MAD-DXB-SIN-SYD as of course the EK metal QF code share legs are only single SC not eligible of DSC.

 

[muppet]

..

I will maintain QF WP with a $10k SYS-DXB-MAD-DXB-SYD paid discount business trip in DSC, ..

Interesting. I thought the latest DSC excluded QF codeshares?

 

[jase05]

Just as a data point, I am QF WP. I’m on this thread because I was seriously looking at transferring over to VA.

I will maintain QF WP with a $10k SYS-DXB-MAD-DXB-SYD paid discount business trip in DSC, and a Y award flight connecting to the international legs CBR-SYD-CBR (not on DSC) plus 2 award flights CBR-MEL-CBR in J also on DSC , and 1 award flight CBR-BNE (not on DSC), and the associated loyalty bonuses taken as SC. I get SC on the award flights because I’m a Points Club member. The taxes etc on the award flights I don’t have to hand but I’d be surprised if it was more than $1000 all up. Thus, I will retain QF WP for about $11,000 on carefully selected flights and DSC. So not everyone will need to spend your estimated $32k to maintain QF platinum. Of course your, and other people’s mileage (and spend, and SC) may vary!

Yes, I was using that as an example for pure domestic only.
Every domestic flight I’ve been on this year I’ve compared prices and I reckon QF has only come close to even a couple of times. VA is usually close to half price at the time I’ve booked

 

[Seat0B]

Interesting. I thought the latest DSC excluded QF codeshares?

Yes you are totally right - I’ve just edited To clarify that we have DSC SYD-BKK and SIN-SYD and all the rest is just single SC. So it would be even easier to maintain QF WP if I didn’t insist on going to DXB to see Seat Son

 

[SheikYerbouti]

Surely your QF Club experience wasn't worse than that?

Toasties at OOL. Nothing but Toasties.

 

[lovestotravel]

I have Platinum status via family pooling. I also fly for work, but it's a sole trader situation so I'm paying the $.
My household spend with Virgin is about 12k in the past 13 months.

Family pooling was the only reason I preferenced Virgin. Although I still haven't done my sums, I think it's likely that this change will mean I no longer prioritise booking with Virgin where there's a choice. Will I still fly them? Sure, if they're the best deal or most convenient time - but if it's close, I dunno. I fly east coast routes a lot, so it's unlikely they will ever be the BEST by much, if that makes sense.

Lounges? I have Amex for that.

Total sense, similar situation here - I despise QF so doubt I'll go back to them.