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

[justinbrett]

So I stand by...."not really a good thing". US lounges are weird at best with silly drink vouchers and stuff. Occasionally some AA are fine (flag) as BA Gold.

The drink vouchers are long gone.

 

[jakeseven7]

I don’t know if it’s been mentioned but the aff podcast did a reasonable job covering the Velocity devaluation and range of ‘enhancements’.

 

[AFF Editor]

Velocity Frequent Flyer CEO Nick Rohrlach joined us on the latest episode of the Travel Pointers podcast to discuss these changes, among other things.

Travel Pointers Episode 5 - Interview with Velocity CEO Nick Rohrlach & Mongolia

In episode 5 of the Travel Pointers podcast, Matt and Chris interview Velocity Frequent Flyer CEO Nick Rohrlach about the recent changes to Virgin Australia's loyalty program. Plus, find out why next year is a great time to visit Mongolia.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[oz61]

Sorry if these questions have been answered:
1) If I am on a Virgin flight in Australia, but purchased on an United ticket (or other partner), will this count under the new system as part of the 50% Virgin flights e.g. Gold Coast-Sydney-San Francisco and return, will the Gold Coast-Sydney return count towards the 50%?
2) If my Virgin flight was booked as part of a holiday package (domestic Australian e.g. to the Kimberleys, WA, so I am unaware of how much it actually cost, how will this be valued under the new system for status points? Will it be what the travel company paid?

Distance was so much easier to track! I really feel penalised for booking early and paying less for my airfares.

 

[henrus]

1) If I am on a Virgin flight in Australia, but purchased on an United ticket (or other partner), will this count under the new system as part of the 50% Virgin flights e.g. Gold Coast-Sydney-San Francisco and return, will the Gold Coast-Sydney return count towards the 50%?

If the flight is a VA flight number then yes it'll count towards the 50% (although earnings will be based on a fixed number of SCs like the old chart). If the VA domestic flight is a UA flight number then no it won't count and both points/SCs will be based on the partner earning table.

2) If my Virgin flight was booked as part of a holiday package (domestic Australian e.g. to the Kimberleys, WA, so I am unaware of how much it actually cost, how will this be valued under the new system for status points? Will it be what the travel company paid?

Every flight has an underlying cost in the system so if a tour company is packaging it up then yes it'll be based on the cost they paid. This is something you'd have to ask them prior to booking.

Distance was so much easier to track! I really feel penalised for booking early and paying less for my airfares.

On one hand yes but then I've had last minute work trips where a TSV-BNE booked as a flex was $900 oneway, under the existing system I earned 35 SCs but under the new system such flight would earn 75 SCs. This is nothing new as they switched points based earning to a dollar rate many years ago and ironically its back to the early velocity days as status back then was based on a dollar spend.

 

[serfty]

back to the early velocity days as status back then was based on a dollar spend.

Yes, but there was higher status earn for those with status. (Late 2007)

Post in thread 'Are you in the Know?? Email'

Aug 18, 2007

I had nothing else to do while watching footy... I found the cached paged... cached at 9.54am 18 Aug 07...

Status and Benefits

We're constantly looking for more ways to reward our Velocity Members, so we've introduced three Status Levels into the Program: Red, Silver and Gold.
To move from Red to Silver and upwards to Gold you need to collect Status Credits. Status Credits can be earned with Virgin Blue, Polynesian Blue or Pacific Blue.
Collect enough Status Credits within your 12 month Qualification Period and you'll immediately move up a Status Level. To keep your...

• wallacej

 

[oz61]

If the flight is a VA flight number then yes it'll count towards the 50% (although earnings will be based on a fixed number of SCs like the old chart). If the VA domestic flight is a UA flight number then no it won't count and both points/SCs will be based on the partner earning table.


Every flight has an underlying cost in the system so if a tour company is packaging it up then yes it'll be based on the cost they paid. This is something you'd have to ask them prior to booking.


On one hand yes but then I've had last minute work trips where a TSV-BNE booked as a flex was $900 oneway, under the existing system I earned 35 SCs but under the new system such flight would earn 75 SCs. This is nothing new as they switched points based earning to a dollar rate many years ago and ironically its back to the early velocity days as status back then was based on a dollar spend.

However, I booked a Business one way flight, economy back which is earning me 100 points (actually 200 as double status), but under the new system, this will be 40 points! Big difference.

 

[Stewey]

Does anyone know why I have this points deduction in my account?

Velocity FF Marketing Company19 Nov 24 - VFF191421 days ago
-5,500 Points

This is not related to my VFF number

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I must have been under a rock… or something!

I totally misread the start date for Platinum Plus… I naturally thought it would start 1 October 2024… not 2025!

How does it take them a year to get cabin crew to take first orders from a platinum plus? Or to route a call through to the Brisbane office?

This reminds me of Rex… their FF benefits were always… ‘coming’.