Shop to fly faster with Velocity and flybuys

[AnnaB]

Fantastic news, I have already linked our cards. Now I just wish that our local Coles would bring in some other brands then their own.

 

[kalboy]

So am i reading that there is no status credit earn for Target or Shell Coles Express ?

 

[bbqwer]

FYI: Transfer between flybuys and velocity is an instant transfer. Amazing!

 

[Major]

I am also amazed at the instant transfer of points. Bonus points also appeared to be instant

 

[Falcs]

Re: Flybuys teams up with Velocity Rewards

As a OW flyer and with ordinary earnings of FB or WW points being equal then I still much prefer 870 QFF points for 1000 WW points to 870 V points for 2000 FB points.
At the present I am also getting better offers from WW compared to Coles for bonus points.

Pretty sure WW points convert @ 2000 WW to 870 QF

 

[Jurahn]

Re: Flybuys teams up with Velocity Rewards

Pretty sure WW points convert @ 2000 WW to 870 QF

Yes, that's correct - the earn rate is the same as the Flybuys/Velocity arrangement. From the Everyday Rewards FAQ:

If you choose this reward, each $10 Woolworths Dollar saving you've earned will be converted into 870 Qantas Points and transferred to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account on 15 December 2016. Every 2000 points you earn = $10 Woolworths Dollars = 870 Qantas Points. Please allow up to 7 days for your Qantas Points to appear in your account

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: Flybuys teams up with Velocity Rewards

While I patronise VA, my local Woolworths has reduced many of its prices such that it appears to be cheaper than Coles, so I shop far more at Woolies. The latter also appears to have the best quality house brands in Australia as I have always found the 'Select' brand to be at a minimum fit for purpose and mostly good to excellent.

Let's not lose sight of how if one is paying more at Coles, the rekindled Flybuys: VA arrangement is devalued compared to the Woolworths: QF deal.

Both supermarkets (and IGA) are however way preferable to Aldi (limited range, shockingly poor quality of fresh meat) and Costco (great if you are in a larger household but if not, multi-buys mean one ends up with goods one does not use at all, or use by 'use by' or - less importantly - 'best before' dates.

 

[Wingin..it]

Surely if people are not going to fly regularly they would still be keeping non velocity point scheme with FB .
More points and can be used for retail ,saving on shopping etc.Fly buys travel site is a welcome addition and can be used for any flights/any airline using FB points/or cash.
Booking VA flights through fly buys travel site also gives 5X points.If FB acc converted to Velocity the 5X will give the extra status (a flight $200 x 5 =1000)10 status points.
Cannot see the sense of converting fly buys into velocity to do retail or non flying?But frequent flying is certainly worth some more status and points from shopping/retail adding EXTRA .

I think the status points will help keep a silver tier more easily than higher tiers which will need a regular amount of flying or a lot of $$ spent FB points
Question still is how will this affect seat availability and the setting of expectations.......only so many seats on A/C everyone cannot be upgraded all the time etc .

One advantage of all the loyalty programs is transfer/pooling into one person or account if needed.

 

[Wingin..it]

I have found the opposite.I have better options at a Coles near me,fresher meat /better choice/Australian grown produce /customer service.
I mainly fly QF though so the family pooling is a big advantage for family(at same residence) that fly VA.Or if booking the occasional VA through flybuys will get 5x points.

I often shop at individual fruit and veg stores /butchers rather than the bigger supermarkets .

 

[exceladdict]

Surely if people are not going to fly regularly they would still be keeping non velocity point scheme with FB

Agree. Availability aside, the flybuys point value of 0.5 cents per point means your Velocity redemption needs to be worth at least [edit: 1.15] cents per point to be worth the conversion.

It takes a fair few flybuys points in order to redeem a J Velocity award ticket to achieve that.

I will certainly be parking mine until such a time that I have enough to get a good value award

 

[andye]

1.15c surely?

 

[exceladdict]

1.15c surely?

Yes. Maths. When I don't use excel, I get it wrong. Prior post edited

 

[Wingin..it]

The issue is fly faster with velocity which means VA .Nothing against this and it seems to provide the ultimate rewards for VA flyers.

In doing so however (as with Woolies too I guess )Where does this put loyal customers who fly other airlines?
Yes you can book flights through fly buys travel site at mostly cheaper prices than the airline site and still get FB and FF points.......but ?

I am now in a situation myself where I may not shop as much and will need to switch for QF benefits.
The ultimate would be converting FB to airline of choice ,or at least the major 2 .
Some people may not agree but is it backing some customers into a corner.
People may shop and fly both so it is not an issue .

 

[exceladdict]

Some people may not agree but is it backing some customers into a corner.

I think that's exactly what they've done and deliberately. The FB-EY tie up was probably a test before going all out with VA (and considering EY's stake in VA, it was probably a likely eventual occurrence anyway). Brands this big will make moves to deliberately exclude others to force a customer to make the choice, sure, some will say "no way I'm shopping at coles because I'm a QF WP", but similarly VA WP's may be far more likely to now be cemented to Coles and co.

 

[Wingin..it]

Yes exactly!Not the most flexible loyalty scheme for some but they have the bookings through their travel site in answer to this,I guess.So IT IS INFLEXIBLY FLEXIBLE STILL????
I have to weigh up my pros and cons.

 

[ozstamps]

So am i reading that there is no status credit earn for Target or Shell Coles Express ?

Yes I too would like to know re the Shell Coles Express.

If filling the tank gets me 4c a litre off AND a SC, I'm in for sure.

 

[andye]

No SC at Coles Express. I'm sure BP arent too happy with current offer

 

[ozstamps]

BP might pony up and join in. THAT I'd use for sure.

 

[kamchatsky]

With the new partnership with VA I am already in trying to commit buying at Coles compare to Woolies. With me starting to fly regularly for work I ended up picking VA over QF right now only because it is easier for me to get SCs to get to Gold. Sometimes I wonder whether it is worth it or not as QF has higher frequencies than VA. I will find out sometime next year .....

 

[blueythecat]

With the new partnership with VA I am already in trying to commit buying at Coles compare to Woolies. With me starting to fly regularly for work I ended up picking VA over QF right now only because it is easier for me to get SCs to get to Gold. Sometimes I wonder whether it is worth it or not as QF has higher frequencies than VA. I will find out sometime next year .....

The lesser fuel fines on VA redemptions make them hard to beat for me!! More money to spend on the remainder of the holiday!