New Amex Velocity Platinum Card with Virgin Australia Lounge Access

American Express has added new benefits to its Velocity Platinum credit card, including unlimited Virgin Australia Lounge access.

The Amex Velocity Platinum card remains the highest-earning credit card in Australia for Velocity Points. It also comes with a complimentary annual return Virgin Australia domestic flight, as well as two annual VA lounge guest passes, making this card a keeper for Virgin Australia flyers!

Here’s an overview of what you need to know about the refreshed American Express Velocity Platinum card…

What’s changed with the Amex Velocity Platinum card?

As part of the refresh, American Express has increased the annual fee on the Velocity Platinum credit card from $375 to $440. However, the new Virgin Australia Lounge benefit more than offsets this modest fee increase.

You can now use any of Virgin Australia’s domestic airport lounges when flying with Virgin Australia, as often as you like. This is in addition to the two annual single-entry Virgin Australia Guest Lounge passes, which you can use to guest other people into the lounge who are travelling with you on the same flight.

There’s also an improvement to the way you earn Velocity status credits with this card. Previously, you’d earn 100 Velocity status credits when spending at least $50,000 per year on this card. Now, you’ll earn 50 status credits at $25,000 of annual spend, plus another 50 status credits when you hit $50,000 in annual spend.

Unfortunately, after 24 April 2025, cardholders will no longer receive two annual visits to the Amex Centurion Lounges in the international terminals at Sydney or Melbourne Airports.

There are no changes to the earn rates, travel insurance or free annual flight that you get with this card. You’ll continue to earn an uncapped 1.25 Velocity Points per $1 spent on the card, plus an extra point per dollar spent with Virgin Australia.

How lounge access works for Amex Velocity Platinum cardholders

As an Amex Velocity Platinum cardholder, you can now enjoy access to Virgin Australia Lounges prior to Virgin Australia domestic flights.

This benefit is available at the seven airports where Virgin Australia operates domestic lounges:

• Adelaide (ADL)
• Brisbane (BNE)
• Canberra (CBR)
• Gold Coast (OOL)
• Melbourne (MEL)
• Perth (PER)
• Sydney (SYD)

There’s no limit to the number of times you can use this benefit. You just need to show your Amex Velocity Platinum card in conjunction with a same-day Virgin Australia boarding pass. There’s no guest allowance, but you do get the two annual guest passes that you can use to bring friends or family members with you into the lounge who are travelling with you on the same Virgin Australia flight.

Purchased separately, a Virgin Australia Lounge membership would cost $450 per year (plus a $99 joining fee). That’s more than the annual fee on the new American Express Velocity Platinum card!

However, one difference is that paid-up lounge members are entitled to bring one guest within them into the lounge (as are Velocity Gold members).

The free annual return flight

Cardholders continue to receive a free annual return Virgin Australia flight each year. This benefit is available to use on selected domestic routes, depending on your departure city.

See our guide to using the Amex Velocity Platinum free flight for full details.

This is a great card for Virgin Australia flyers

If you’re looking for a great value credit card packed full of Virgin Australia perks, the newly refreshed Amex Velocity Platinum card is a seriously good option.

To sum up: For just $440/year, you’ll get unlimited Virgin Australia Lounge access, two annual lounge passes to give to friends or family, a complimentary annual return domestic flight, international travel insurance, and more. It’s also Australia’s highest-earning Velocity points credit card, and if you apply by 21 January 2025 you’ll get an extra 60,000 bonus Velocity Points as well!

See our American Express Velocity Platinum credit card guide for full details.

Matt Graham

The editor of Australian Frequent Flyer, Matt's passion for travel has taken him to over 90 countries… with the help of frequent flyer points, of course!
Matt's favourite destinations (so far) are Germany, Brazil & Kazakhstan. His interests include aviation, economics & foreign languages, and he has a soft spot for good food and red wine.

You can connect with Matt by posting on the Australian Frequent Flyer community forum and tagging @AFF Editor.