In the last year I have used points for a trip to Europe/UK in Etihad (F & J) and also multiple J's on VA to USA from SYD
I always book with some trepidation on Velocity as, unlike QF/SG (where you can cancel for say a penalty of 5000 points and get your total booking points back)
Previously in Velocity, if you cant make the trip, then there was no way to retreive your points.
All you could do was to reschdule another time on the same sectors and Velocity would apply the points towards the new booking to be used within 12 months of the original fly date and charge a rebooking fee of about $60
Last night I called the Velocity call centre about a trip SYD/AUH/MXP in F/J and they confirmed you can now cancel a points booking and be refunded the points at a fee of $50!
Now that brings them way into line with QF/SG in my book as to a good reward program to use.
Better still you get 15% more Velocity points at the moment to move them from your bank (20% uplift from Amex Ascent).
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ocity/15-bonus-points-offer-credit-43316.html
QF and SG dont offer that uplift promotion either
Another beneft is that my bank issued Amex points I generate stay at the bank rather than QF
Whereas my bank Amex points sends them straight to QF each month
If QF go broke I have no control of leaving the points at the bank they just go straight to QF
With Velocity, I can leave them at Westpac and move them when I need them
Much safer management of the reward wealth than the QF points generating system with Bank issued Amex cards
All we need is MAS Enrich to follow suit and we can get to fly their new A380 ex SYD in J/F (at good availabily/redemption rates) with no fear of losing points
I always book with some trepidation on Velocity as, unlike QF/SG (where you can cancel for say a penalty of 5000 points and get your total booking points back)
Previously in Velocity, if you cant make the trip, then there was no way to retreive your points.
All you could do was to reschdule another time on the same sectors and Velocity would apply the points towards the new booking to be used within 12 months of the original fly date and charge a rebooking fee of about $60
Last night I called the Velocity call centre about a trip SYD/AUH/MXP in F/J and they confirmed you can now cancel a points booking and be refunded the points at a fee of $50!
Now that brings them way into line with QF/SG in my book as to a good reward program to use.
Better still you get 15% more Velocity points at the moment to move them from your bank (20% uplift from Amex Ascent).
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ocity/15-bonus-points-offer-credit-43316.html
QF and SG dont offer that uplift promotion either
Another beneft is that my bank issued Amex points I generate stay at the bank rather than QF
Whereas my bank Amex points sends them straight to QF each month
If QF go broke I have no control of leaving the points at the bank they just go straight to QF
With Velocity, I can leave them at Westpac and move them when I need them
Much safer management of the reward wealth than the QF points generating system with Bank issued Amex cards
All we need is MAS Enrich to follow suit and we can get to fly their new A380 ex SYD in J/F (at good availabily/redemption rates) with no fear of losing points
