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’.

 

[ferntree]

Can somebody confidently (with certainty even!) be able to answer for me this question please?

Is this interpretation of the rules correct? I've received non-committal answers elsewhere and no sense from the Virgin guest centre.

If between 1st Oct 2024 and 30 Sept 2025 I will have earnt at least 2,000 SCs, including at least 1,500 from VA flights, then regardless of it not being my renewal date I will nevertheless be awarded Platinum Plus status from 1st October 2025.

Is that so? Thanks in advance!

 

[henrus]

If between 1st Oct 2024 and 30 Sept 2025 I will have earnt at least 2,000 SCs, including at least 1,500 from VA flights, then regardless of it not being my renewal date I will nevertheless be awarded Platinum Plus status from 1st October 2025.

This is correct you’ll be upgraded, the website does provide a clear enough explanation of it. Noting that the 1500 must be earned by you (family pooling doesn’t count).

“From 1 October 2025, Platinum Plus will be Velocity Frequent Flyer’s highest published Status level. To be eligible to upgrade into Platinum Plus Status, Velocity members must have a total of 2,000 Status Credits in their Status Credit balance earned during the previous 365 days, with at least 1,500 Status Credits in their balance earned on Virgin Australia marketed flights flown by the member”

 

[ferntree]

This is correct you’ll be upgraded, the website does provide a clear enough explanation of it. Noting that the 1500 must be earned by you (family pooling doesn’t count).

Thank you!

Navigating the Velocity web site is at times like navigating a treacle maze.

 

[nutwood]

This is correct you’ll be upgraded, the website does provide a clear enough explanation of it. Noting that the 1500 must be earned by you (family pooling doesn’t count).

Thanks for this explanation. I had missed this point and it's very relevant.
Doing the sums, I'm currently at 2680 SC's for the last 12 months. Looking at my statement I can see that I earned 1315 SC's between 9th March and 30th September last year. If I deduct the 680 that's over the 2000 point, that leaves me needing 635 between now and end of September. A lot more doable than starting from my renewal date in February!

 

[dapianoman]

"To be eligible to upgrade into Silver, Gold, and Platinum Status, Velocity members must have the required number of Status Credits in their Status Credit balance earned during the previous 365 days, with at least 50% of the Status Credits in their balance earned on Virgin Australia marketed flights flown by the member. To be eligible to maintain Silver, Gold, and Platinum Status, Velocity members must have the required Status Credits in their Status Credit balance earned during their Benefit Period, with at least 50% of the Status Credits in their balance earned on Virgin Australia marketed flights flown by the member."

Ok, so I'm not sure if this wording has been snuck in quietly or if it was there the whole time, but the new status requirements in the fine print are saying that for any status to be granted, you need at least 50% of the status credits in your balance to have come from VA coded flights ie if someone has 2600 status credits and earned 1600 from other partners, but only 1000 from VA flights, they wouldn't be eligible for any status at all?
Am I understanding this correctly? And has this been snuck in or did I just miss it originally?

 

[PERLHR]

"To be eligible to upgrade into Silver, Gold, and Platinum Status, Velocity members must have the required number of Status Credits in their Status Credit balance earned during the previous 365 days, with at least 50% of the Status Credits in their balance earned on Virgin Australia marketed flights flown by the member. To be eligible to maintain Silver, Gold, and Platinum Status, Velocity members must have the required Status Credits in their Status Credit balance earned during their Benefit Period, with at least 50% of the Status Credits in their balance earned on Virgin Australia marketed flights flown by the member."

Ok, so I'm not sure if this wording has been snuck in quietly or if it was there the whole time, but the new status requirements in the fine print are saying that for any status to be granted, you need at least 50% of the status credits in your balance to have come from VA coded flights ie if someone has 2600 status credits and earned 1600 from other partners, but only 1000 from VA flights, they wouldn't be eligible for any status at all?
Am I understanding this correctly? And has this been snuck in or did I just miss it originally?

I think so yes. Looking at the redemption levels of the partners....probably find not many VA elites will have status going forward. The status earned on Singapore Airlines certainly in Y class ...they may as well offer nothing!! Massive reduction

 

[dapianoman]

I think so yes. Looking at the redemption levels of the partners....probably find not many VA elites will have status going forward. The status earned on Singapore Airlines certainly in Y class ...they may as well offer nothing!! Massive reduction

They're certainly trying their best to disincentivize people from using status credits earning partners because the moment you earn 1SC more on partners than VA, you're now worthless in the program. People will even have to watch that they don't over family pool, or have a status credit earning credit card suddenly tip them down a tier despite the fact they might have spent thousands with VA themselves over the year

 

[vitagen]

The 50% only applies from 1st Oct right?

 

[dapianoman]

The 50% only applies from 1st Oct right?

Correct. So for any status reviews or upgrades from Oct 1st. Mines in Dec and think I should be ok to renew Platinum for another year but this threw me a curve ball so might need to keep an eye on those non-VA SCs

 

[vitagen]

I'm slightly confused my review date is 4th Nov

I'm working towards the 800 SC and 8 Sectors by Sep, would this apply? I hope I'm right as I'm on 650 SC and 4 Sectors atm

 

[dapianoman]

I'm slightly confused my review date is 4th Nov

I'm working towards the 800 SC and 8 Sectors by Sep, would this apply? I hope I'm right as I'm on 650 SC and 4 Sectors atm

Because your review date is after Oct 1st, the new rules will apply to your renewal. So you'll need 800SC and over half of your SC's having been earned on VA coded flights over the year. No number of sectors requirement any more so you can ignore that.