The Virgin Australia Newbie Questions Thread

[MEL_Traveller]

oh yes I didn't think of that, you are correct.

This is from someone who collects about 50 flybuy points a month. In total. And that’s all shopping at coles.

I appreciate there are others however who would well exceed that in a monthly shop for families.

 

[serfty]

Can they buy something small from 7-eleven? Or transfer points in from a credit card program?

7-Eleven. Get the 7-Eleven app (the Australian one), link to Velocity number and buy some petrol (when paying, the cashier scans the 7-11 member barcode in the app).

Yes, I used my 7-11 app for the first time yesterday early afternoon. 65 litres and was surprised this morning to see the points had already credited to my velocity account.

PS gotta love the "price lock'. Saved 41¢ per litre ...

 

[RooFlyer]

and was surprised this morning to see the points had already credited to my velocity account.

That's fast

 

[MelbFlyer]

Yes, I used my 7-11 app for the first time yesterday early afternoon. 65 litres and was surprised this morning to see the points had already credited to my velocity account.

PS gotta love the "price lock'. Saved 41¢ per litre ...

Yep, I remember about 1.5 years ago when I was focusing on accumulating VFF points (when I had my (now) cancelled AMEX card), the VFF points from 7/11 fuel purchases transferred within minutes after the transaction. Was pretty impressed.

I'll probably look to recommence accumulating VFF points (instead of QFF due to their reward seat changing issue - ie. cannot change online / must call them / they cannot see the seats I see online BS) now, I've cancelled my QFF opt-in with my CBA CC and will instead just transfer CBA awards points into VFF points and / or Asia Miles.

 

[marcojim]

Hi all, if I’m booked on a business ticket/fare but in economy class from CBR to SYD on Link Airways, do I get to access the lounge at CBR?

 

[gaz0303]

Hi all, my mother’s VFF points will expire at end of this month. If she transfers them to me, will they remain ‘alive’ in my active account? I know transferring points to her account won’t work. 7-11 not an option.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Hi all, my mother’s VFF points will expire at end of this month. If she transfers them to me, will they remain ‘alive’ in my active account? I know transferring points to her account won’t work. 7-11 not an option.

Log into the VFF store with your mum's card info, will need to set up and keep app open though, on the VFF website to the particular store, and buy something from there.
The points should be in her account by the end of the month.
You can also redeem points in the store, and her account will be considered to have activity.
FB can take too long, and needs 2000 FB points to get 1000 VFF points.
7 - eleven can work, if you just buy a small amount of fuel on her VFF card, the staff at 7eleven wouldn't check anyway (I don't think).
Transfer of points outside of FB might keep your account alive, but how many movements a year can you do, before they start asking questions.

 

[kerfuffle]

The points should be in her account by the end of the month.

Not true. Most of my purchases take 30 days from tracking before I get the points.

 

[aikman]

Hi all, my mother’s VFF points will expire at end of this month. If she transfers them to me, will they remain ‘alive’ in my active account? I know transferring points to her account won’t work. 7-11 not an option.

I read somewhere that a family transfer does not extend the points. To be safe I would probably do an earn/spend transaction after the family transfer has occurred.

7-11 worked really well for me so its a shame its not an option for you.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Gaz0303, is it because you live in SA?
Not meaning to pry, but in SA, 7 - eleven just does not exist.
So for me, FB is the only way.
If your mum has a lot of points, maybe just use the points for an item redemption.
Seeing what Kerfuffle has replied to above.
Or a booking at a hotel under VFF hotels bookings points earn.
===
Ah, just had a look, purchases at the VFF online store can take up to 37 days to process for points accumulation.
Ouch.

 

[gaz0303]

I live in a regional town without a 7-11. I’ve transferred the 10k points into an active account.

 

[bernardblack]

I have been Platinum in Velocity for the first time, for the year ending in a few weeks. I have already requalified so it should be renewed to early July 2024.

I'm looking at travelling to Europe in July 2024, and possibly flying with QR and/or EY. Obviously if I don't requalify again, I'll soft-land to Gold, and I'd be flying in J anyway, so I'll have some lounge access.

But I'd really like to try EY's AUH First Lounge, and possibly the Platinum Lounge in DOH, having previously used the standard J-level lounges in both airports.

If I don't requalify again, and my status year goes until say 10 July, but the card is labelled with "Card expiry 10 August" (presumably to allow time for late status credits, and mailing the new card) can I expect to exercise my Platinum privileges in late July? Or will the operating carrier cut me off at 10 July?

 

[simmomelb]

I have been Platinum in Velocity for the first time, for the year ending in a few weeks. I have already requalified so it should be renewed to early July 2024.

I'm looking at travelling to Europe in July 2024, and possibly flying with QR and/or EY. Obviously if I don't requalify again, I'll soft-land to Gold, and I'd be flying in J anyway, so I'll have some lounge access.

But I'd really like to try EY's AUH First Lounge, and possibly the Platinum Lounge in DOH, having previously used the standard J-level lounges in both airports.

If I don't requalify again, and my status year goes until say 10 July, but the card is labelled with "Card expiry 10 August" (presumably to allow time for late status credits, and mailing the new card) can I expect to exercise my Platinum privileges in late July? Or will the operating carrier cut me off at 10 July?

You can use your Platinum benefits until the 10th of August in this case - as you said, there is a 1 month grace period to allow for late landing points, however, to retain Platinum, the status credits activity must have been earnt by the 10th of July (and land on your account by the 10th of August).
In other words, your review date is still the 10th of July, so you need to earn enough points by this date, even if they land up to 1 month later.

 

[MelbFlyer]

I was able to call up and get my flight changed due to that schedule change - all good now, thankyou!

I was able to get the flight changed by calling up, so I'm assuming that I didn't accept the change then.

An update on my Melbourne to Brisbane flights over the King's Birthday weekend, we were able to rock up to the airport a few hours early for both legs just to chance it if we could get earlier flights, they were able to get us onto an earlier flight on both occasions without any fuss at all.

Melbourne to Brisbane - originally 7:40pm, got a 6pm flight
Brisbane to Melbourne - originally 8:55pm, got a 5pm flight (exit row seats too!)

Quite happy with the service we got - I'll be starting to re-accumulate VFF points again.

I'm absolutely done with Qantas and their BS when trying to call up to change reward flights (the only way to change award flights) - they always come up with some lame excuse that whatever reward seats are showing online, are only available for new bookings and are unable to be used towards existing reward bookings. Called (literally) a hundred+ times, the same lame response each time.

 

[stm1sydney]

But I'd really like to try EY's AUH First Lounge, and possibly the Platinum Lounge in DOH, having previously used the standard J-level lounges in both airports.

Well, the EY AUH First Lounge is better than the standard QR J lounge in DOH which is better than the Plat Lounge in DOH.

 

[DaisyDays]

Hi all - thanks for the great content. Very useful. Couple of q’s I haven’t been able to find the answer to…

1. When United flight bookings open up do I need wait until 330 days before my return date to book or will it let me book the return leg once it’s reached 330 before the first flight?

2. I am hoping to be able to book 3 reward seats and pay for 1. Will the Virgin website let me do this in one transaction or will I need to pay for the 4th seat in a seperate transaction?

thanks again!

 

[serfty]

Hi all, my mother’s VFF points will expire at end of this month. If she transfers them to me, will they remain ‘alive’ in my active account? I know transferring points to her account won’t work. 7-11 not an option.

Transfer them, they take on the expiry of your active account immediately.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi all - thanks for the great content. Very useful. Couple of q’s I haven’t been able to find the answer to…

1. When United flight bookings open up do I need wait until 330 days before my return date to book or will it let me book the return leg once it’s reached 330 before the first flight?

2. I am hoping to be able to book 3 reward seats and pay for 1. Will the Virgin website let me do this in one transaction or will I need to pay for the 4th seat in a seperate transaction?

thanks again!

330 days for the return.

Separate transaction, unless going via the call centre and incurring a fee. You can however get the call centre to link the bookings, after ticketing, for whatever that’s worth.

 

[Lost Redditor]

I just got a mystery "Velocity Direct Earn 30,000 Bonus Pts" and I cannot figure out why I got this. It was deposited by the "Freqeunt Flyer Department". The points landed on the same day that I collected the 70,000 AMEX bonus, though I think that's a coincidence.

Anyone else seen something like this?

 

[RooFlyer]

I just got a mystery "Velocity Direct Earn 30,000 Bonus Pts" and I cannot figure out why I got this. It was deposited by the "Freqeunt Flyer Department". The points landed on the same day that I collected the 70,000 AMEX bonus, though I think that's a coincidence.

Anyone else seen something like this?

Send 'em over to me & I'll have a look and see what I can tell