Virgin Money credit cards (linked to Velocity rewards)

[skywalkerLAX]

Question: Are balance transfers eligible for miles?

In that case I would not pay off my HSBC Card right away but rather first do a balance transfer over to my Virgin Card.

 

[Flashback]

Question: Are balance transfers eligible for miles?

In that case I would not pay off my HSBC Card right away but rather first do a balance transfer over to my Virgin Card.

I've never seen balance transfers earn miles on a card before, check the T&C there's usually a clause in there about it.

 

[Major]

I've never seen balance transfers earn miles on a card before, check the T&C there's usually a clause in there about it.

And you won't earn points on the annual fee either

 

[hobo]

How picky are they on the 21 days prior thing?

I don't understand why it's an issue for them?

 

[Fruitcake]

How picky are they on the 21 days prior thing?

I don't understand why it's an issue for them?

Very picky. Most business travel is booked less than three weeks prior to travel, and presumably they don't want to offer 2-for-1 for people who would otherwise be expected to cough up substantially more for travel at short notice.

 

[jas]

On my last statement there was a notice that the annual fee is increasing from $99 to $129.
Anyone had any luck negotiating this fee back down?

 

[robd]

Quickest application to receipt of new card today.

Having said that, in fact my endeavour to update my credit cards started months ago here:-

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....platinum-edge-rejection-letter-10k-39289.html

So I waited almost 6 months after my rejection from Platinum Edge to apply for the Virgin Flyer CC. The current promotion is 10,000 Velocity points on application, with a further 10,000 after a spend of $5K over the first 3 months.

I applied online on Saturday 20th October, thinking I really should wait the extra 12 days until the 6 months is officially up just for the sake of the credit file, but I did it anyway. Faxed thru 2 payslips and copy of my licence on Monday 22nd October from work. Got a phone call on Tuesday 23rd to confirm that I actually work where I said I do, cancelled my Westpac CC's on Wednesday the 24th (I have been using my EDR CC, pretty much exclusively) and today the 25th October, I received the Virgin Flyer CC in the mail.

That was easy!

 

[VC10]

Warning - beginning of rant.

After the third call in three days from a call centre chasing up documents for verification, I finally told Virgin Money (Citbank) to cancel the application for a Virgin Australia Velocity VISA Flyer Card. I have been a Citibank Platinum member for 10 years, had (until recently) a Virgin Platinum Amex (switched to zero fee Amex Qantas lined card), am a long standing Velocity member, have a Virgin Mobile plan but still was required to go through a convoluted verification process. My switch of Amex cards was seamless - took five minutes online and car arrived within 3 days. I know its a different issuer. The point is that for all Richard Branson's wonderful positioning and feel good fluff, cross marketing of Virgin products is a failure. His business model depends on creating the expectation of a better experience for the customer whenever the Virgin name is involved - in this case it just didn't work. Given the overlap of existing and potential customers between Virgin Australia, Virgin Money, Virgin Mobile etc they are missing out on a good opportunity. So if you want one of these cards be prepared for a painful experience. This all happened in a week when I had another problem with trying to book rewards flights on line - the web site just doesn't work. I sent an email to John Borghetti and this problem was at least dealt with properly.
End of rant.

 

[VC10]

took five minutes online and car arrived within 3 days. That is the CARD arrived in three days. Amex aren't that generous.

 

[Supersonic Swinger]

Warning - beginning of rant.

After the third call in three days from a call centre chasing up documents for verification, I finally told Virgin Money (Citbank) to cancel the application for a Virgin Australia Velocity VISA Flyer Card. I have been a Citibank Platinum member for 10 years, had (until recently) a Virgin Platinum Amex (switched to zero fee Amex Qantas lined card), am a long standing Velocity member, have a Virgin Mobile plan but still was required to go through a convoluted verification process. My switch of Amex cards was seamless - took five minutes online and car arrived within 3 days. I know its a different issuer. The point is that for all Richard Branson's wonderful positioning and feel good fluff, cross marketing of Virgin products is a failure. His business model depends on creating the expectation of a better experience for the customer whenever the Virgin name is involved - in this case it just didn't work. Given the overlap of existing and potential customers between Virgin Australia, Virgin Money, Virgin Mobile etc they are missing out on a good opportunity. So if you want one of these cards be prepared for a painful experience. This all happened in a week when I had another problem with trying to book rewards flights on line - the web site just doesn't work. I sent an email to John Borghetti and this problem was at least dealt with properly.
End of rant.

I think the biggest problem is that the cards are issued and credit provided by Citibank, all Virgin does is add their branding and your other Virgin relationships don't count one iota from Citibank's perspective. To top it off, from my experience with Citi in three different countries, they couldn't organise their way out of a paper bag if their life depended on it so your experience is not a surprise...

 

[burmans]

Warning - beginning of rant.

After the third call in three days from a call centre chasing up documents for verification, I finally told Virgin Money (Citbank) to cancel the application for a Virgin Australia Velocity VISA Flyer Card. I have been a Citibank Platinum member for 10 years, had (until recently) a Virgin Platinum Amex (switched to zero fee Amex Qantas lined card), am a long standing Velocity member, have a Virgin Mobile plan but still was required to go through a convoluted verification process. My switch of Amex cards was seamless - took five minutes online and car arrived within 3 days. I know its a different issuer. The point is that for all Richard Branson's wonderful positioning and feel good fluff, cross marketing of Virgin products is a failure. His business model depends on creating the expectation of a better experience for the customer whenever the Virgin name is involved - in this case it just didn't work. Given the overlap of existing and potential customers between Virgin Australia, Virgin Money, Virgin Mobile etc they are missing out on a good opportunity. So if you want one of these cards be prepared for a painful experience. This all happened in a week when I had another problem with trying to book rewards flights on line - the web site just doesn't work. I sent an email to John Borghetti and this problem was at least dealt with properly.
End of rant.

As noted by the Supersonic Swinger the Virgin CC are really just rebadged Citibank cards. Cross marketing is one thing, real integration and a common customer view is quite another.

 

[robd]

Quickest application to receipt of new card today.

Having said that, in fact my endeavour to update my credit cards started months ago here:-

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....platinum-edge-rejection-letter-10k-39289.html

So I waited almost 6 months after my rejection from Platinum Edge to apply for the Virgin Flyer CC. The current promotion is 10,000 Velocity points on application, with a further 10,000 after a spend of $5K over the first 3 months.

I applied online on Saturday 20th October, thinking I really should wait the extra 12 days until the 6 months is officially up just for the sake of the credit file, but I did it anyway. Faxed thru 2 payslips and copy of my licence on Monday 22nd October from work. Got a phone call on Tuesday 23rd to confirm that I actually work where I said I do, cancelled my Westpac CC's on Wednesday the 24th (I have been using my EDR CC, pretty much exclusively) and today the 25th October, I received the Virgin Flyer CC in the mail.

That was easy!

Update - it's now 6 months since I received this card, spent the required $5k in the first 3 months, sent several emails to Virgin Money regarding the additional 10,000 points which have still not posted, and have been contacted by 2 very helpful staff members who have assured me each time, that my points would post on my next statement. Still waiting.....

 

[Brettska]

Keep chasing it robd. You will get there. When I got my Virgin Money Card with the 20k bonus the points appeared very quickly. Lots of others have needed to chase their bonuses down. Good luck.

 

[eastwest101]

Keep chasing it robd. You will get there. When I got my Virgin Money Card with the 20k bonus the points appeared very quickly. Lots of others have needed to chase their bonuses down. Good luck.

Could I just ask Brettska - when you got the 20K bonus points credited after a $5K or $6K spend on the card, did the points appear at the end of that statement period once you had hit the spend requirement? (I assuming you pay your balance each cycle).

Here is the fine print of the current Virgin Australia Velocity Flyer Card - Points Offer here (I have bolded the 60 day period):

^10,000 bonus Velocity Points offer is provided to new approved Virgin Australia Velocity Flyer Card account holders who apply by 30 June 2013 and make a Retail Purchase with the card within 3 months of card approval date. Additional 10,000 bonus Velocity Points offer is provided to new approved Virgin Australia Velocity Flyer Card account holders who apply by 30 June 2013 and spend $5,000 on Retail Purchases on the card within 3 months of card approval date. Retail purchases are for valid goods and services purchases only. Charge backs, refunds or fraudulent transactions do not count towards Retail Purchase eligibility. Credit Card application must be submitted through this page or by calling 13 37 39 and indicating that you would like the 20,000 Velocity Points offer. There must be an active Velocity Membership linked to the Virgin Australia Velocity Flyer Card account. This offer is valid until 30 June 2013 and is subject to change at the discretion of Virgin Money. Points will be credited to the Primary Cardholders Velocity Account up to 60 days after the qualifying purchases. This offer is not redeemable for cash, is non transferrable and can’t be used in conjunction with other Virgin Flyer Point promotions or offers. Offer is not available to existing Virgin Credit Card holders (including upgrades).


Have we seen people get the 20K bonus points within the 60 days reliably, or a bit hit and miss.

I got the initial 10K points credited correctly in the first month of activity on the card but will be coming up the the 6K spend sometime soon....




[h=2][/h]

 

[Brettska]

Eastwest101 I got my card 18 months ago when they had a 20k bonus after your first purchase. Different deal. I do remember that some people had to chase down their points. Mine came through pretty quick. Persistence will be required in making sure you get the points under the current deal.

 

[robd]

Update - it's now 6 months since I received this card, spent the required $5k in the first 3 months, sent several emails to Virgin Money regarding the additional 10,000 points which have still not posted, and have been contacted by 2 very helpful staff members who have assured me each time, that my points would post on my next statement. Still waiting.....

I waited for the 23rd April, which was my next statement date and the date that I was assured my 10,000 points would post. Nada.

Phoned Virgin Money again yesterday and was assured (yeah, right) that definately post on my next statement on the 23rd May. I was pleasant to the staff member, but did voice my disappointment given the offers that VA have at the moment (15% off reward redemptions) blah, blah, blah. She then offered me an additional 2,000 points as compensation, which I thankfully accepted, theoretically, of course :|

Nothing to do but wait to the 23rd May....

 

[robd]

I waited for the 23rd April, which was my next statement date and the date that I was assured my 10,000 points would post. Nada.

Phoned Virgin Money again yesterday and was assured (yeah, right) that definately post on my next statement on the 23rd May. I was pleasant to the staff member, but did voice my disappointment given the offers that VA have at the moment (15% off reward redemptions) blah, blah, blah. She then offered me an additional 2,000 points as compensation, which I thankfully accepted, theoretically, of course :|

Nothing to do but wait to the 23rd May....

Well the 23rd May has come and gone and, you guessed it, still no 10,000 points. I did however get the 2000 compensation points. Apparently, there was a delay of something or other regarding the points.

I have once again been assured that the 10,000 points will post on my next statement on the 22nd June.

No doubt I'll be typing out the same thing here next month. :evil:

 

[eastwest101]

I feel for you robd, my 3 month anniversary is coming up this month so will probably be joining you in this thread for a while! If I do have any luck I will post back here.

By the way - went back to the website to check my old statements and isn't the OTP and website a total discrace! :shock:

I commenced transactions on the 13th March so the battles will begin in earnest in June for me.

 

[robd]

I feel for you robd, my 3 month anniversary is coming up this month so will probably be joining you in this thread for a while! If I do have any luck I will post back here.

By the way - went back to the website to check my old statements and isn't the OTP and website a total discrace! :shock:

I commenced transactions on the 13th March so the battles will begin in earnest in June for me.

Each time I phone Virgin Money, I get a reference number and the name of the person I am dealing with. It doesn't make any difference. They have all still gone back to my first 3 statements and added up the total to check it's over $5K. Each time they tell me that the points will DEFINITELY post on the next statement and that they will continue to check and phone me back on the next statement date. The last guy said that he can see the 10K points on my account which were added on the 29th April. He offered some lame excuse about there being a delay on them posting to my statement, or something. The additional 2K compensation points posted, so it doesn't make any sense.

Agree that the website is horrible. Almost need a magnifying glass when logging into it, and hate the OTP.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that your points post without hassle.

 

[quokka77]

Agreed. The site is a dog and the operators although pleasant do not have authority to sort issues out. My first 10k posted ok,now waiting on 20k tranche next month. Will post back if unsuccessful. Can't wait to ditch this thing in favour of something better. Still, citi / virgin are one of the only alternatives with reasonable Mastercard and visa earn rates so I might be stuck there for a while.