Questions about redeeming awards with Velocity

[anat0l]

Got a few questions for either the experienced or the insiders about redeeming awards (i.e. flight awards or rewards, whatever the preferred lingo is in the Velocity group):

• I don't suppose there is a table or a logical arrangement of the points cost levels for redeeming awards? Even if it is airline based, i.e. one for DJ, one for VA, one for DL etc. I don't mind that there's the interactive route map, points calculator and semi-comprehensive tables for the partners, but having a few tables makes it easier for planning.
• What are the fees for changing and cancelling reward flights (in terms of $ or points)? I realise this might be different for Virgin Group of Australia flights vs. Other Partner flights.
• The different cancellation rules for different airlines is a bit confusing. If I think I read it all correctly, you get a "credit" (cash or points?) for cancelling a redemption booking on the Virgin Group of Australia, but for other airline partners you forfeit all your points. Is this right?
  • Are there similar rules in place for changing a booking?
• Perhaps a bit of a doozy, but IIRC EY and EK (definitely the latter) offer complimentary departure and arrival chauffeur service for J and F customers. Does this also apply for reward bookings? (I'm not sure about the similar situation with redemption bookings in J or F for those members of Etihad Guest or Skywards)
• For almost all partner reward bookings, you need to call Velocity. Is the Guest Contact Centre fee waived if you make a booking this way? I can't find the fee in the fee schedule, so perhaps the answer is 'yes' (i.e. there is no fee).

Also, there's a couple of lines that keep popping around when I read the points tables on the Velocity website, which says:

* 'Reward' seats have limited availability and are exclusive to Velocity Members.

** 'Any Seat' allows you to purchase any available seat on the plane. 'Any Seat' prices vary based on the fares available at the time of booking. Prices quoted above are for the lowest fare available to the general public.

I don't get it: "'Reward' seats ... are exclusive to Velocity Members" - but you need to be a member of the Velocity program to hold a points balance, and hence be able to use those points for Reward seats? (i.e. anyone who is not a member of Velocity cannot redeem any kind of reward seat?)

It also says that the lowest Any Seat points prices shown are the lowest "available to the general public". So does this mean that they can be lower, or Velocity members can get lower Any Seat award prices, or Velocity elites (Silver, Gold) can get lower Any Seat award prices?

Thanks in advance for all the help.

 

[wallacej]

Got a few questions for either the experienced or the insiders about redeeming awards (i.e. flight awards or rewards, whatever the preferred lingo is in the Velocity group):

Somewhat relevant, but probably not at all helpful. I started to put together my own spreadsheet to work out where the best value $1000 Myer gift card caould be purchased from. I needed a base, and it seemed Altitude, Qantas & Velocity all had that same product (kind of like the Big Mac benchmark on an international basis). Well it became bigger than you now who, and the permutations involved to work out, how did I earn the point what was it from spend or flight, did I get bonus points etc etc... the whole dam thing just became really complicated.
What you ask is reasonable, and if someone were to put a website together that could do the calcs, that would be worth subscribing to...

Good luck with that one, and sorry I could not have been more help, but I do agree with your request.

 

[medhead]

I'm happy to do some comparisons of what a Velocity gold can see for award cost vs what you can see, if that helps. Otherwise I don't know.

 

[Egg]

Wow. Alot of questions.

I can help you with a few...

[*]The different cancellation rules for different airlines is a bit confusing. If I think I read it all correctly, you get a "credit" (cash or points?) for cancelling a redemption booking on the Virgin Group of Australia, but for other airline partners you forfeit all your points. Is this right?

I can confirm that with partner redemptions if you cancel, you lose all the points. Very unfair - there is another thread about this. You can change the date though for no charge.

[*]Perhaps a bit of a doozy, but IIRC EY and EK (definitely the latter) offer complimentary departure and arrival chauffeur service for J and F customers. Does this also apply for reward bookings? (I'm not sure about the similar situation with redemption bookings in J or F for those members of Etihad Guest or Skywards)

I redeemed on EK in J via Velocity and yes, they did send the limo - they only offer it one way (even to paying customers - well, that was the deal at the time). Really hard to redeem on EK though. EY is much easier but don't know the deal re limos.

[*]For almost all partner reward bookings, you need to call Velocity. Is the Guest Contact Centre fee waived if you make a booking this way? I can't find the fee in the fee schedule, so perhaps the answer is 'yes' (i.e. there is no fee).

There is no fee - it's the only way you can book the partner awards.

I don't get it: "'Reward' seats ... are exclusive to Velocity Members" - but you need to be a member of the Velocity program to hold a points balance, and hence be able to use those points for Reward seats? (i.e. anyone who is not a member of Velocity cannot redeem any kind of reward seat?)

It also says that the lowest Any Seat points prices shown are the lowest "available to the general public". So does this mean that they can be lower, or Velocity members can get lower Any Seat award prices, or Velocity elites (Silver, Gold) can get lower Any Seat award prices?

As I understand it, what they are trying to describe is the same setup that Qantas has with classic and any seat awards. The Reward seats are like classic - a small number of seats are made available to Velocity and require fewer points. I think what they are saying is simply that the ASA option allows you to choose any seat that is available for sale (as opposed to the limited seats set aside for Velocity). The number of points required depends on the fare-type of the available seat - cheapest ones offered first.

I have never seen a points table. I dunno how they calculate it. Sometimes they tell you on the line at the call centre - and sometimes they have to look into it and call you back, which makes me think it's not easily calculable.

I'm interested to find out the answers to your other questions...