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

[kangarooflyer88]

Thanks RooFlyer
One more big winner: Videoconferencing and flying not at all.

Just to clarify, I'm KangarooFlyer88 (aka RooFlyer88). I am by no means associated with the real RooFlyer.

Just getting around to reading this as I am in Chile at the moment. I've never had status, all flights are points from Flybuys so relieved it's nothing drastic for me. My main use of VA is Pacific Islands, Bali, NZ moving forward.

I switched to Avios for QR to IST and not doing much long haul in the future. At worst I have to buy an extra box of 400 point biscuits at Coles!

I'm not sure what you are trying to say here. Do you mean to say that you switched the program you are crediting your flight to IST to Qatar from Virgin Australia? Fine. But remember those points will be stranded in that program until you use them. I'm not sure how buying something at Coles has anything to do with that.

As with most comments on here, to say that I'm disappointed with these upcoming changes would be an understatement. I'm currently a Velocity Platinum member but under the new accumulation rules, I might just make Gold - that's a mighty hit.

Would it make sense to credit future VA flights to one of their partners such as QR, SQ, or AC? I'm considering AC, mainly because SQ doesn't appear to have lifetime status and QR won't accumulate QPoints on VA domestic flights. (I did briefly look at UA but the lack of lounge access was a turn-off for me.)

Is this a strategy that others may consider?

Well there's two parts to status you need to consider. First, will you actually make use of the benefits on offer by the airline? If you don't fly too often, a case could be made to fly business when you do fly (either through point upgrades or straight award bookings into J). In that way you would have all the benefits (and then some) of status with an airline like lounge access, priority security, etc. Remember, for just about every frequent flyer program, you're gonna have to spend a lot of time and money on flights. Where it can make sense are those instances where you are flying regularly (perhaps in economy, funded by your employer). In which case, having access to extra baggage allowance or lounge can really be nice.

So with that out of the way, supposing you are looking for status the next question is which program to chase status for. You should familiarize yourself with the perks and requirements of each program as they might surprise you. For instance, with Air Canada to earn Aeroplan 50K (which gives similar perks to Virgin Gold), you need to spend $6,000 Canadian on Air Canada flights every calendar year, plus fly (approximately) 50,000 miles or take 50 flights with Air Canada and its partners (including Virgin Australia). For me that's a big ask, especially if you don't plan on setting foot on an Air Canada paid flight. You point out lifetime status but again it's not as simple as it looks. You need to fly 1 million miles on paid tickets with flights operated by Air Canada to earn lifetime 50K status. Again, I'm not sure how often you fly Air Canada but it's gonna have to be a lot to make it worthwhile. Contrast this with Qantas (the airline we all love to hate), where you simply need to accumulate 14,000 status credits over your lifetime for Gold status for life. And those status credits can be earned from flying partners like FinnAir or even activities like green tier status or loyalty bonuses. This is why I have "invested" more into programs like Qantas, because I know when I leave Australia I can keep earning status credits to chip away at that 14,000 status credit requirement (oh and it helps that the Qantas Group has flights in Asia meaning I don't even need to touch Australian soil to re-qualify for status)

One other point about United, you mention there is no lounge access but that's not the case at all. You can access Virgin Australia lounges with United Premier Gold status for yourself and one other passenger when flying Virgin. I know this for a fact as that is what I used back in January when I was travelling with my partner back to SYD from PER. Now it is true, you cannot access United Clubs when travelling on domestic itineraries within the US, but that's the only limitation there. In other words you could access Lufthansa Senator lounges when you're in Detroit or Frankfurt, Swiss lounges in Zurich, or ANA lounges in Japan to name but a few. United has a requirement though that you must take 4 flights with them every year to earn/retain status and you must earn a certain number of PQPs which when travelling on partners like Virgin or Air Canada would be mileage flown divided by a magic number.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

This logic would make sense if they got rid of the AMEX lounge benefits as well. Alas they have not.

I highly doubt the Virgin Australia lounge access would disappear for AmEx Platinum card holders considering the steep annual fee of $1,450/year making it one of the most expensive AmEx Platinum cards out there.

VA would do better by you know, actually investing in their lounges

Perhaps I haven't been visiting enough Virgin Australia lounges, but I haven't ever noticed them to be rammed with passengers (perhaps I've gone at the wrong time). At the same time, I've actually found the food and beverage selection to be better than what you can find at many Qantas domestic lounges at least in Sydney.

increasing their hours of operations for Premium Entry

That's annoying especially at Sydney where Terminal 2 can be rammed with passengers flying on $30 JQ flights down to MEL.

as well as implementing boarding groups, etc.

For me boarding groups is pretty meh. So long as I arrive before the flight departs, that's all that matters.

You know, stuff that would actually benefit loyalty.

If there is something that Virgin could improve it would be providing complimentary seat selection to its elites. Now some will point out that I'm mistaken here, Virgin already provides seat selection to its elites. But that's only if you are flying on a non-Lite fare. If you are travelling on a lite fare you only get access to seat selection at 3 hours prior to departure. Contrast this with Qantas where if I choose even the filthiest Qantas red e-deal fare, I still get complimentary seat selection as a World Platinum (for now at least).

The other issue I see is the partner benefits are really scattered. For instance, with United as a Virgin Gold member you get priority check-in, security, boarding, extra checked bag and lounge access. Meanwhile with Air Canada it's just lounge access. But even for something as simple as lounge access there are differences. Air Canada lounge access is basically all Air Canada lounges so long as you're on an AC marketed and operated flight. However, for United it's limited only to international itineraries operated by United.

 

[jase05]

But that's only if you are flying on a non-Lite fare. If you are travelling on a lite fare you only get access to seat selection at 3 hours prior to departure. Contrast this with Qantas where if I choose even the filthiest Qantas red e-deal fare, I still get complimentary seat selection as a World Platinum (for now at least).

As a Plat I just did a dummy booking on a Lite fare and was able to choose any Y seat available

 

[MG1]

Lifetime miles on Aeroplan only apply to flights flown on AC.

That's a pity (I thought that there'd be a catch like that somewhere).

I could reconsider UA and use other means of getting lounge access (such as Amex)?

 

[BrianQQ]

I could reconsider UA and use other means of getting lounge access (such as Amex)?

Do you fly domestically in the US often?

 

[kangarooflyer88]

As a Plat I just did a dummy booking on a Lite fare and was able to choose any Y seat available

You're right that as a Platinum you could choose any seat on a lite fare. However, for elites who attain Gold or below, there is that restriction of being able to select a seat on a lite fare just 3 hours prior to departure.

That's a pity (I thought that there'd be a catch like that somewhere).

I could reconsider UA and use other means of getting lounge access (such as Amex)?

As mentioned earlier if you manage to get United Premier Gold status (which requires taking 4 United operated flights per year plus flying so many miles with Virgin Australia, United, Star Alliance and other partner airlines) , you'd have access to Virgin Australia lounges. United does offer lifetime status but again, it requires flying a million miles with them.

Credit card is certainly an option, although then the question would be which card to get. One card to consider if you travel a lot and don't want to have allegiance to one airline or hotel chain is AmEx Platinum. The annual fee is steep ($1,450/year) but if you use all the benefits can be worth while which are to summarize:

• Extensive lounge network offering free access for you and a guest to:
  • Lufthansa, Virgin Australia or Delta Airlines lounges when flying with them
  • Over 1,000 priority pass affiliated lounges which you can access flying just about any airline
  • American Express operated lounges which you can access flying just about any airline
• $450 annual travel credit to spend on flights and hotels booked with AmEx travel
• $400 annual dining credit to use at select restaurants ($200 in Australia and $200 overseas)
• Accor+ Membership offering a free night at Accor hotels in Asia Pacific + deep discounts on Accor hotels in the region
• Hotel Elite statuses: Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, Accor Silver, Radisson Rewards Premium
• International Airline Program that discounts flights in premium cabin (Premium Economy, Business and First class) by between 5-10% on average IME on select flights booked through AmEx travel
• Comprehensive travel insurance
• Ability to earn points on the card which can be transferred to 16 different travel partners like British Airways, Virgin Australia and Emirates, to name but a few
• The ability to add 4 additional card members to the account for free, which would allow them to enjoy the same lounge benefits when they're not travelling with you

There are some minor stuff too like the Amazon Prime credit, but it's certainly a card worth considering if you take enough flights.

-RooFlyer88

 

[odysseus]

As is EVERY business, people that think a business does things out of the goodness of their hearts may be delusional.
A business is there to look after their bottom line for investors/shareholders, whether that be VA/Bain, Qantas or any other airline.
Every party wants a return on their investment.

Except they were currently getting a return on their investment.

And the Velocity business unit was at the more profitable end.

 

[MooTime]

There's $403 J cabin MEL-OOL
Currently an 80 SC trip.
Soon to be a 33 SC trip.

If VA management listened to it's customers, I'm sure they didn't ask them what they think of dynamic pricing & listed few examples, like the above.
Oh could list some Flex fares examples too which are rarely purchased.

 

[kamchatsky]

There's $403 J cabin MEL-OOL
Currently an 80 SC trip.
Soon to be a 33 SC trip.

If VA management listened to it's customers, I'm sure they didn't ask them what they think of dynamic pricing & listed few examples, like the above.
Oh could list some Flex fares examples too which are rarely purchased.

I think these fares are the ones that the management wants to avoid giving too many SCs at the first place.

 

[MooTime]

I think these fares are the ones that the management wants to avoid giving too many SCs at the first place.

Maybe.

But then I'd say these fares are few & far between and if so also just lift the fares to $600 or so.
It's all in full control of VA to determine the fares.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So VA have made status harder to obtain.

This thing is, unlike some other things that are elusive… this one’s not even worth it!

Far better off for the same money to get QF gold with access to lounges and privileges worldwide, than a motley handful of benefits through selected partners on VA.

The only worthwhile benefit of VA platinum was access to the First lounge of Etihad.

Per an earlier thread above it might be that Bain is looking to reduce costs, if status costs them money. But no number of enhancements will make platinum plus worthwhile if the staff don’t get on board… that’s the head office, call centres, airport staff, lounge staff and cabin crew. When the CM has proactively circled 2 platinum members travelling in J, but deliberately offers them last choice of meal… what’s the point? The new platinum plus will allegedly lead to priority at every stage of travel… but it really shouldn’t take a new level to get that level of engagement or service improvement.