Will you still earn/retain Velocity status beyond 2025?

[AFF Editor]

I'm sure most people reading this are already familiar with the recent changes announced to Virgin Australia's Velocity Frequent Flyer program. In particular, from next year:

• You'll earn status credits for Virgin Australia flights based on the amount you spend,
• You'll earn fewer status credits on partner airlines, and
• To earn or retain any status level, you'll need to earn at least half of the required status credits from VA marketed flights you personally fly (i.e. not from family pooling, partner airlines, etc.)

Put simply, this will make Velocity status harder for most people to earn.

I've shared my thoughts about this, and how this has affected my decision on whether to continue renewing my own Velocity status, in this opinion piece:

Opinion: Is Velocity Status Still Worth It After 2025?

Virgin Australia Velocity status will be harder and more expensive to earn from 2025. For some flyers, it might not be worth keeping.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts as well on how these changes will affect you. Feel free to vote in the poll at the top of this thread, and let us know in this thread what you think of the changes to Velocity status.

 

[kamchatsky]

Yes I will retain my Velocity Red status next year and beyond.

 

[justinbrett]

Interesting article and yet didn’t bring up that VA is burning several of its partners? That in itself is a major factor for many to jump ship.

 

[Bagpuss]

Your article sums it up well. I'm now rarely flying domestically and now intentionally. VA's international code shares tend to be a joke with no seat selection and a lot more expensive.
I'm hoping SIA or DL/VS may run status match promotion directly targeting Velocity. I doubt Qantas would, whilst it makes great sense the flood gates would pour open.

 

[henrus]

The first thing about Platinum listed as something of value the Etihad First Class lounge is due to be scrapped. Assuming VA get their way with the QR agreement the partnership with EY will be dropped.

Etihad have also removed First Lounge access for their own Platinum's instead making it a choice benefit meaning the EY F lounge is going to be a very quite place!

I plan to get enough VA SCs to retain Platinum for another year which means I'll lock in Plat status to July 2026 and Gold through to July 2027.

 

[odysseus]

Interesting article and yet didn’t bring up that VA is burning several of its partners? That in itself is a major factor for many to jump ship.

Yes, the code share earning aspect neglects to mention that VA will discontinue most code shares with Singapore (except to Asia only from Australia), plus none with Etihad nor Virgin Atlantic, as part of its Qatar proposal.

The FF benefits have been shrunk since covid. Many accepted that, including myself. However, now that cost is being bumped up, it exceeds the value of those still reduced benefits, so I don't see value in the increased cost.

 

[AFF Editor]

Interesting article and yet didn’t bring up that VA is burning several of its partners? That in itself is a major factor for many to jump ship.

That's a good point. I've added a line about this.

 

[elanshin]

Your article sums it up well. I'm now rarely flying domestically and now intentionally. VA's international code shares tend to be a joke with no seat selection and a lot more expensive.
I'm hoping SIA or DL/VS may run status match promotion directly targeting Velocity. I doubt Qantas would, whilst it makes great sense the flood gates would pour open.

I don't think many places will run a status match. Challenges at best. DL naturally has a challenge I believe (although they just enhanced it over the last 12m) and SQ also has an off the books match which could see some more offers being made if VFF elites that regularly book SQ ask them for it.

QF at best would offer a challenge imho and probably a tier down VA WP > QF SG type thing.

 

[RooFlyer]

Will retain plat, 'down' from double plat this year (all domestic flying).

Article:

But are the program changes coming in 2025 an overcorrection? Will it still be worth chasing status with Virgin Australia Velocity?

Its only ever worth 'chasing status' if you are doing enough flying the following year to justify the chase/expense. I read of people doing status runs accumulating 1/2-2/3 or the required earn to get gold or plat (VA or QF). If they need to do that, Vs getting status from 'regular' flying, I question the need to chase the status.

 

[harryhv]

Don't forget the current "enhancements" to the fleet which will cut back future benefits of Platinum status. To cram in an extra row of Y seats, VA has been tearing out a row of the extra-legroom seats which Plat members could select for free if available. Also the business cabin (Plat members get free upgrade vouchers) is being enhanced by removing the partition and the rope-barrier. This creates a queue of interlopers from economy lining up to use what was the exclusive J toilet, buffeting the J aisle seats while they wait.

 

[oz_mark]

Generally use Virgin for domestic due to the general price premium of Qantas*. Unless that changes, and I end up flying more on Qantas, I would expect to stay about the same.

*On the routes and times I generally fly. Yes, I know there are exceptions, and I do sometimes fly Qantas, but overall Virgin does have a cost advantage not made up for by the Qantas inclusions.

 

[simmomelb]

The issue for me, I fly internationally a lot more now, the new status earn rates mean that I will likely drop from Platinum to Gold, even though I personally spend ~15k PA between VA and its current international partners.
Time to look around at other options after my next review date later in 2025.
I agree that they needed to review the ease of earning status, but this has pushed the needle so far in the other direction that it will likely push more to review my options a lot, and perhaps that's not a bad thing.