Velocity Frequent Flyer Program Update

[GarrettM]

SQ doesn't release really any F space to it's partners but makes a decent amount available to KF, it is not just a VA situation. Though transfer to KF is easy, instantaneous and availability is pretty good.

I think going forward my trips will be any F booked via KF but most J on SQ via VFF due to the lower surcharges as the few routes I have checked so far the points difference is now only nominal.

EY is a different story but has been very good value especially when compared to EK using QF so I guess it could not have been expected to last.

Another 12 months would have been nice, but I see your point. Wonder if it will cause a rush on EY bookings before June. Can only assume so. Hoping to book something in May for Mar/Apr 2017 so availability could become a concern.

 

[SponsorSFC]

On the plus side booking in April will mean you avoid the rush of people trying to get their last AA bookings on EY before their devaluation.

I have an AA booking to make end of next week as will plenty of others, but from what I can see EY has pretty good availability in J I often see dates with up to 5 available award seats.

 

[bigfoot786]

Doesn't this mean anyone with a VA points earning CC will almost never have points expiring anyway, provided they spend at least $1 a year on it.

I imagine VA probably have a large number of "once off" or "occasional travel" members that earn points on the intermittently that they want to clean from their books.

 

[newmarket]

They're basically giving you 30 days notice to go and fill up at BP.

Maybe VA are getting a $0.04 per litre voucher from BP for each fill up!

 

[kamchatsky]

Of well, given the Reserve Bank of Velocity decided to print points via those super Amex bonuses (110k/80k), they have to compensate it with increased points table.

 

[Dannyism]

Thanks for all the feedback on booking SQ F. SG J booked via VA seems good value to me.

Sorry to hijack the thread... Back to the regular program..

 

[andye]

Although you could say that the EY J&F product is better than when the old tables were drawn up, I dont think this is true for Y. This is particularly rough on the average Joe who just wants to use their points to go to Europe

 

[Lemon_Party]

Secondly, transferring Points between family members or receiving Points from a Family Pooling relationship will no longer be considered eligible activity to prevent your Points expiring. This change will be applied retrospectively. This means, if on 1 June 2016 your only activity within the previous 36 months is Family Pooling or Points transfer between family members, you will be notified that you need to earn or redeem Points before 30 June 2016 in order to prevent your Points expiring.

We are set up so Mrs Lemon_Party's velocity account pools into my own. All points/SC's she earns auto transfer into my account.

Do I read this to mean that her account is technically inactive? And after 2 years those points, now in my account, will expire? Or have I mis-interpreted?

And if I am correct, the work around is to disable family pooling, purchase some petrol and then reactive pooling?

 

[jpk]

To answer the question about how the points price is calculated on an itinerary that crosses Table 1 and 2, it is calculated separately (option A). Calculate the points price of the portion flown on Table 1 airlines first. Repeat for the Table 2 portion. Then sum the two together for the final point price.

This is very disappointing for getting to Europe. Shifting EY into Table 2 has really hurt for those routes, and highlights how weak the VA "virtual network" is. Often times you can only find availability in conjunction with the VA SYD-AUH flight, or some people may just prefer it, especially once the 777 J seats are done.

Previously: SYD-LHR on EY or VA+EY = 125k
New system: SYD-LHR on EY = 139k or VA+EY = 148.5k

(VA SYD-AUH 95500 + EY AUH-LHR 53000 = 148500)

 

[jgm]

Maybe VA are getting a $0.04 per litre voucher from BP for each fill up!

There's no way I would EVER use BP - 25% more for diesel than Woolies!

 

[Cryptarcadian]

Previously: SYD-LHR on EY or VA+EY = 125k
New system: SYD-LHR on EY = 139k or VA+EY = 148.5k

(VA SYD-AUH 95500 + EY AUH-LHR 53000 = 148500)

The crazy thing about this is that it will encourage people to consistently redeem to Europe entirely on their partner, because it's cheaper than flying part of it on VA's own metal!

VA, how about you change the rule so that you just calculate the redemption cost from the higher of whichever table applies to the most expensive part of the journey, but never have to mix and match – i.e. have a VA + EY redemption (or VA + SQ for that matter, were it possible) be calculated entirely from table 2 for 139k?

 

[jcb12]

I'm planning to do a trip to New York on EY in F next year in June for our 10th wedding anniversary, currently I'd have enough points to book it, but with these changes I won't sadly. Would I be best to book flights now at the current redemption level, then change the flight dates at a later time? We're pretty flexible on the dates for travel.

 

[magicpies]

I'm planning to do a trip to New York on EY in F next year in June for our 10th wedding anniversary, currently I'd have enough points to book it, but with these changes I won't sadly. Would I be best to book flights now at the current redemption level, then change the flight dates at a later time? We're pretty flexible on the dates for travel.

I'm looking at something similar. What's the cost of an award change, 5000points?

 

[tania73]

Does the transfer to KF represent good value if looking at J flights to Asia. Have no idea about KF so just wondering if its worth thinking about VA credit card bonus to transfer straight to KF

SQ doesn't release really any F space to it's partners but makes a decent amount available to KF, it is not just a VA situation. Though transfer to KF is easy, instantaneous and availability is pretty good.

I think going forward my trips will be any F booked via KF but most J on SQ via VFF due to the lower surcharges as the few routes I have checked so far the points difference is now only nominal.

EY is a different story but has been very good value especially when compared to EK using QF so I guess it could not have been expected to last.

 

[anat0l]

I'm looking at something similar. What's the cost of an award change, 5000points?

7,500 points or $60, at least according to these rules here: https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.com/content/Info/internationalrewardseatfarerules/

 

[JohnK]

Changes look good if you plan on redeeming on SQ. Poor if you plan on redeeming with anyone else.

On the bright side, the value of my 1M QFF points has just increased.

I think they are both as bad as each other when it comes to award availability.

 

[Pleb Status]

Last few hours before the VA devaluation kicks in......

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Last few hours before the VA devaluation kicks in......

I'm counting down the minutes so I can re-price an SQ award at the lower rate

 

[Mattg]

I'm counting down the minutes so I can re-price an SQ award at the lower rate

Is SQ availability back online yet?

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Is SQ availability back online yet?

Seems to be. It's definitely patchy though. Doesn't match what SQ shows directly.