Upcoming Velocity Frequent Flyer Program Changes

melbourne guy on 17/10/2024 - 11:51
Last edited 17/10/2024 - 12:02

Velocity Frequent Flyer have announced several upcoming changes to the program, most of which in my opinion leave members worse off. Here is a summary:

Changes to Points Earn and Reward Seats:

  • From 17 Oct 2024: Reduced points needed for domestic economy reward seats (starting from 5,900 points).
  • From 21 Jan 2025: Increased points required for both domestic and international flights, including partner airlines.
  • From 2 Apr 2025: Reduced points earned per dollar spent on Virgin Australia flights (from 5 points to 4 per dollar unless you have a Velocity Co-Branded Credit Card).

New Status Tiers:

  • Forever Gold: Lifetime Gold status starting 1 Oct 2025 after earning 12000 status credits, backdated to 2013.
  • Platinum Plus: New elite status tier launching 1 Oct 2025 for the most loyal travellers with added benefits.

Changes to Status Requirements:

  • Adjustments to status credit earning rates from flights. Will now be a flat 1 status credit per $12 spent (Lite fares 1 per $24 spent). This means the status run will be dead :(
  • Status qualification changes across Silver, Gold, and Platinum tiers.
  • New rules on maintaining status, with changes affecting both how status credits are earned and benefits per tier.

Curious to know how the changes may affect OzBargainers.

More info: https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.com/velocity-program-chang…

Poll Options

  • 96
    Worse off
  • 5
    Not a member / doesn't affect me / don't care
  • 3
    Better off
  • 3
    About the same
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Comments

  • Ocker on 17/10/2024 - 11:59
    +2

    "WORSER off"…….That's new one and not in my English dictionary

    • melbourne guy on 17/10/2024 - 12:00

      Re-enactment lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjpcLplkMUs

    • soan papdi on 17/10/2024 - 20:28

      Irregardless, you understood what he said

      • Ocker on 19/10/2024 - 15:14

        nah - once I saw such spelling thought I would not waste my time reading the rest of the post

        • soan papdi on 19/10/2024 - 15:15

          I was continuing the misspellingin a thread, clearly wasn;t funny enough. Should have thrown in more obvious ones like intensive purposes and pacifically.

  • Dollar General on 17/10/2024 - 11:59
    +3

    The virgins are getting screwed

    • boomramada on 17/10/2024 - 12:20
      +1

      Isn't that part of life ?

  • Miroslav on 17/10/2024 - 12:18

    I'm accumulating points for trips to Europe, so this is bad news. So much for cheaper flights once Qatar buys 25% stake in Virgin https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-01/qatar-airways-will-bu… …

  • bk1973 on 17/10/2024 - 12:22
    +4

    Have to love the way this works: make it cost more to earn miles, and devalue the ones you get. Double whammy.

    I've seen worse changes with United Airlines than this. This is actually not as bad as I thought it would be when I first saw this posted.

  • bdl on 17/10/2024 - 12:24
    +3

    Align with QFF in time for IPO :P

  • just-human on 17/10/2024 - 12:29
    +8

    For the flights I usually take I will be earning literally HALF the status credits I usually would. This is 100% worse for members. I can’t find anything beneficial from these new changes for the majority of people.

  • burningrage on 17/10/2024 - 12:58
    +7

    One thing that needs to be disclosed.

    The requirement to obtain/retain status now includes a minimum of 50% of the status credits earned via:
    1. VA marketed flights
    2. VA marketed flights but served by codeshared airlines (eg: Qatar/SingAir/ANA/United/etc)
    3. Special events such as 2x/3x bonus status credits on VA marketed flights or VA marketed flights but served by codeshared airlines.

    Given that from Oct25, each status credit is earned for every $12 spend (minimum Choice level class), that means to get gold, you need at least 250 status credits or $3k spend or 200 status credits or $2.4k spend on 1 to 3 above.

    Currently you only need to do 4 VA flights (which can be obtained cheaply like $119 to Syd - Choice) so under the new arrangement, you now have to spend at least $2.4k instead of $119 x 2 for return trip.

    This is the real devil in the detail that not even AFF is emphasizing.

    Note, status credits earned from Flybuys/FamilyTransfer/non-VA marketed international flights will NOT count towards this 50% requirement.

    • seanfoite on 17/10/2024 - 13:58
      +3

      Oof, the lack of Family transfer is going to kill it for me. Thats the only reason i hit Gold with virgin.

      • burningrage on 17/10/2024 - 21:52

        The Family Transfer would still be good but this would most likely end up be a situation where the benefit is diluted but still useful particularly as they have devalued international travel status credit earning rate as well.

        The only way to deal with this at the moment is to rack up as much as you can before October 2025. Didn't like it but still grateful the Family Transfer is still there.

        • seanfoite on 18/10/2024 - 07:56

          Makes sense. Our return trip for four to Fiji is what got me a good chunk of the way to Gold. But just have to give up much hope of maintaining it based on the current rules.

  • itslittfam on 17/10/2024 - 15:53
    +2

    Frequent flyer programs always get devalued over time and points hoarders get screwed over. The Airlines always takes care of their shareholders.

  • Davo1111 on 17/10/2024 - 17:53

    Not surprised really. When Fifo sites were able to negotiate automatic status with their workers, i knew it would be devalued.

  • tanksinatra on 17/10/2024 - 21:47
    +1

    Pretty significant earn reduction for economy fliers, especially those ~$60 ultra discount lite flights that will now earn just 2SC.
    You'll now have to spend $9600 to maintain Gold using economy lite flights.

  • Namespoofer on 17/10/2024 - 23:15
    +1

    Definitely significantly worse off.
    The program has been devalued on top of worsening credit card sign on bonuses.

  • Ryk on 18/10/2024 - 10:32
    +1

    I'm well past the point of considering reward points to have any value, anywhere. So pleasantly surprised whenever I can get something for nothing, using them

  • Charlie4242 on 21/10/2024 - 06:21

    This shouldn't really be surprising, it doesn't seem a good business model (or particularly fair) to base status on distances, legs and fair classes rather than spend. Sucks for people who were getting status through status runs off because they flew certain routes, but it's hard to argue that they are the people most deserving of VIP service over the people who spend the most

    • burningrage on 21/10/2024 - 17:35

      The problem is they are also devaluing the Partner Airlines status earn rate. If VA travels around the globe, this change would make sense but because VA hardly goes overseas (90% of routes are domestic - only Bali and Fiji after dropping Haneda), this doesn't make sense.

      Maybe they are wanting people to spend Business on every domestic trips people make but their Business isn't even great.

      • kerfuffle on 22/10/2024 - 13:44

        Virgin also fly to Queenstown I believe

  • pman54 on 30/10/2024 - 20:07
    +1

    With Qatar Airlines purchasing a 25% stake in Virgin Airlines, it seems Virgin is planning to cut ties with Singapore Airlines and Etihad A. This means you won't be able to book Singapore Airlines flights with Velocity points anymore, which is definitely a bummer since it was a great way to get cheaper reward seats.

    If you're a big fan of Singapore Airlines, it might be worth considering converting your Velocity points to Krisflyer points now. This way, you can still use them to book reward seats on Singapore Airlines flights.

    It's always a good idea to weigh your options and see if Krisflyer offers the same value and benefits that Velocity did. Have you thought about any other airlines or rewards programs that might be a good alternative?

    • burningrage on 31/10/2024 - 09:18

      The impact on Singapore Airline is not certain. Executivetraveller is the only one saying that and even the wording is not obvious either.

      I thought the Qatar deal is still waiting approval from FIRB?

      • pman54 on 31/10/2024 - 10:53

        They are pushing to get an approval by November end so they could start selling tickets.

        • burningrage on 31/10/2024 - 11:50

          Yes I saw. There is new article about it in Executive Traveller (https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/qatar-airways-more-f…). They clarified the SQ arrangement that you can still codeshare with SQ but restricted to Asia trip.

          So if your trips are mainly Japan/Korea/SG/Malaysia/Thailand/Indonesia/China, I think no impact to you.

  • bigbadaboom on 01/11/2024 - 12:03

    There should be laws in place preventing them from applying these 'changes' to members who already accumulated based on the 'old rules'.

    And the spin on that landing page copy… "We have listened to feedback…."

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