AIRLINES & ALLIANCES

Velocity Frequent Flyer announces program changes with new Status Tiers and a one million Domestic Reward Seat sale

Velocity Frequent Flyer has today unveiled a series of program changes to be introduced over the next 12 months.

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Virgin Australia

Velocity Frequent Flyer has today unveiled a series of program changes to be introduced over the next 12 months.

The changes – which follow member feedback and extensive research – are designed to deliver on what is most valued by Velocity members: Domestic redemptions and being better recognised for their loyalty.   

Overview of Velocity Frequent Flyer program changes 

• Rewarding long term loyalty to Virgin Australia with the introduction of Velocity Forever Gold​ Status². 
• The recognition of loyalty beyond Platinum, with the introduction of Velocity Platinum Plus Status³. 
• Faster rewards with Virgin Australia Reward Seats now starting from an even lower base fare of just 5,900 Velocity Points for one-way Domestic economy fares (additional taxes, fees and carrier charges apply) #. Virgin Australia continues to have the lowest lead-in one-way Domestic economy Reward Seat base fare prices of any Australian airline~. 
• Changing other select Reward Seat pricing on Virgin Australia Domestic services and increasing Reward Seat pricing on Virgin Australia Short-Haul International services as well as select routes and cabins on International Partner Airlines⁴. 
• Simplifying the way members earn or maintain Status, including the removal of Eligible Sectors⁵ and awarding Status Credits based on total fare paid on eligible Virgin Australia flights⁶.   
• Reducing Status Credit earn rates on eligible International Partner Airline flights.  
• Maintaining the base earn rate of 5 Velocity Points per $1 spent on eligible Virgin Australia flights for Velocity Points earning credit card holders⁷, while reducing the current base earn rate for other members to 4 Velocity Points per $1 spent⁸. 
• Changes to Companion Platinum⁹, Companion Gold eligibility¹⁰ and Guaranteed Economy Reward Seat benefits¹¹.  
• Moving to one single Points price across Choice and Flex fares for UpgradeMe Points; increasing the minimum Points required to upgrade on an eligible fare (excluding Economy Lite fares)¹³. 

Velocity has also released one million additional Virgin Australia Domestic Reward Seats in a four-day sale, available to book here from today until Sunday 20 October 2024, for selected travel dates¹.   

Velocity Frequent Flyer CEO commentary  

Velocity Frequent Flyer CEO, Nick Rohrlach, said understanding the feedback and needs of Velocity members has been central to the program’s expansion.  

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“Today’s changes to the Velocity program represent our focus and investment in areas that matter most to our members, like great value Domestic redemptions and being better recognised for loyalty,” Mr Rohrlach said.  

“For the first time since 2011, the introduction of two exclusive new tiers – Forever Gold and Platinum Plus – demonstrates our commitment to rewarding the ongoing loyalty of our most frequent flyers.  

“We are also proud to be further reducing the lead-in Velocity Points required to redeem a one-way Domestic economy Virgin Australia Reward Seat, now starting from an even lower base fare of just 5,900 Points^# – a move that enables members to get to reward flights even faster.   

“We have more ways than ever before for members to earn and redeem Velocity Points and will soon have additional opportunities to be recognised for loyalty through the new tiers and benefits announced today.

“These new changes are balanced by adjustments to other areas of the program to ensure we continue to have a sustainable, competitive and valuable proposition for members. 

“We have made it a priority to give members plenty of advance notice on the program changes, understanding how crucial it is for them to stay informed to get the most out of Velocity now and into the future. 

“I want to thank our more than 12 million members for their ongoing loyalty. We look forward to continuing to deliver exceptional value and choice for Australians alongside our wonderful partners,” he said.  

More information on Velocity Frequent Flyer program changes 

Forever Gold 

From 1 October 2025, Velocity is introducing Forever Gold Status to celebrate and recognise members’ significant loyalty to Virgin Australia and its partners over many years2. Forever Gold members will be eligible for the highly sought after Gold Status benefits for a lifetime, which include access to Virgin Australia and select partner Lounges, priority check-in and boarding, preferential seating and more12.

In Velocity’s ‘Elite Flyer’ study surveying Platinum members*, Forever Gold was ranked as the ‘most attractive’ benefit out of nine potential new benefits (58 per cent ranked it as their top choice, 82% ranked it within their top three). 

To recognise the loyalty of Velocity members over the past decade, all Status Credits earned since 1 February 2013 will be counted when calculating eligibility for Forever Gold. For more information and eligibility, visit here.

Platinum Plus  

From 1 October 2025, Velocity will expand its Status tiers for the first time since 2011 to include Platinum Plus. In what is expected to be a highly sought after Status level, Platinum Plus is designed to recognise Velocity’s most frequent flyers who will be classified as a ‘VIP’ across all stages of their travel journey3. 

Platinum Plus members will have access to the current range of Platinum benefits plus new exclusive benefits, including access to an Australian-based VIP phone service13, the highest priority recognition when booking and flying, the ability to gift a Companion Platinum Membership (now exclusive to Platinum Plus)9, four complimentary Business Class Upgrades that can be used on both Flex and Choice fares14 (compared to use on Flex fares only for Platinum members) and access to Fly Later15.  

Additional benefits will be announced prior to launch next year. For more information and eligibility, visit here.

Getting to Reward Seats faster  

From today, Velocity is further reducing the lead-in Velocity Points base fare prices required to redeem a one-way Domestic economy Virgin Australia Reward Seat, starting from just 5,900 Points (additional taxes, fees and carrier charges apply), enabling members to get to reward flights even faster#. Virgin Australia continues to have the lowest lead-in one-way Domestic economy Reward Seat base fare prices of any Australian airline ~. 

From 21 January 2025, the range of Domestic one-way economy Virgin Australia Reward Seat Points prices, as well as the Points price for one-way Short-Haul International Virgin Australia Reward Seats, will be expanded and increased. For more information, visi there.

A simpler way to earn and maintain Status  

Earning Status Credits on eligible Virgin Australia flights   

From 2 April 2025, Status Credits earned on eligible Virgin Australia marketed and operated flights will no longer be calculated based on route and fare type6. Instead, members will earn Status Credits based on fare type and the total fare price. For Choice, Flex and Business Class fares, members will earn 1 Status Credit per $12 spent, and for Lite Fares, members will earn 1 Status Credit per $24 spent6. For more information, visit here.  

Removing Eligible Sectors  

From 1 October 2025, the number of Status Credits required to upgrade or maintain Status membership will stay the same, however Eligible Sectors will no longer be used5. Instead, to upgrade or maintain to Silver, Gold, and Platinum Status, members will be required to earn at least 50 per cent of their Status Credits on Virgin Australia marketed flights.  

The move aims to streamline upgrading or maintaining Status, with Velocity’s monthly member feedback survey recently revealing that less than half of members agree that they ‘mostly’ or ‘fully’ understand the Eligible Sector requirements^. For more information, visit here.

Changes to redeeming Points and earning Status Credits with Velocity’s Airline Partners 

From 21 January 2025, the number of Velocity Points required to redeem Airline Partner Reward Seats will increase on a select number of cabins and routes¹⁶. The update represents the first material change in eight years to Velocity Points required to redeem Airline Partner Reward Seats. For more information, visithere. 

From 1 October 2025, the number of Status Credits earned when flying with Velocity’s Airline Partners will reduce. For more information, visit here.

Earning Velocity Points on Virgin Australia  

For bookings made from 2 April 2025, members will earn 4 Velocity Points per $1 spent on eligible Virgin Australia flights⁸. Any eligible Virgin Australia flights booked prior to 2 April 2025 will continue to earn 5 Points per $1 spent.   

For bookings made from 2 April 2025, members who hold an eligible Velocity Points earning Credit Card and have earned Velocity Points on that card within 12 months of their travel date, will continue to earn 5 Velocity Points per $1 spent on eligible Virgin Australia flights^7. For more information, visit here.

Changes to the current Status membership benefits  

From 1 October 2025, the Guaranteed Economy Reward Seat benefit – which was used by less than 100 eligible members in the 12 months to June 2024** – will no longer be available to members with Gold Status. 

From 1 October 2025, Companion Platinum Status will be transitioned from Platinum to be an exclusive benefit for Platinum Plus, which will see a number of Platinum members who qualify for the new tier continue to receive this benefit⁹.  

From 1 October 2025, for a Platinum member to earn Companion Gold, 650 Status Credits of the current 1,300 Status Credit threshold earned in their 12-month Benefit Period, will need to be earned on Virgin Australia marketed flights flown by the member¹⁰. 

For more information and eligibility on gifting Companion Gold for Platinum members, visit here. 

Changes to UpgradeMe 

From 18 November 2024, the different pricing for Choice and Flex fares using UpgradeMe Points will transition to a single Points price ¹⁷. The minimum Points required to upgrade on an eligible fare (excluding Economy Lite fares) will increase; upgrade requests will now start from 10,000 Velocity Points for Virgin Australia Domestic routes and 8,000 Velocity Points for Virgin Australia Trans-Tasman and Short-Haul International routes. 

Source: Vrgin Australia