Earning Velocity Status Credits isn’t limited to the skies; it’s a golden opportunity for Velocity frequent flyers to climb the membership ladder from Red to Platinum without boarding a plane. These Status Credits, valid for 12 months, play a crucial role in maintaining or upgrading your Velocity Frequent Flyer membership, ensuring that every journey with Virgin and its partners is rewarding.
This article explores ingenious ways to earn Status Credits beyond flights, through shopping at partner retailers, leveraging co-branded credit cards, engaging in family pooling, and capitalising on exclusive promotions and offers. For Velocity frequent flyers, these strategies open up a world of possibilities to accumulate points and enjoy the benefits of higher membership tiers.
Shop at Partner Retailers
Velocity Frequent Flyer members have a fantastic opportunity to earn Status Credits without even setting foot on a plane, simply by shopping at their favourite stores. Here’s how:
- Partner Retailers:
- Earn one Status Credit for every $100 spent at Coles, Liquorland, and First Choice Liquor. This is achievable by using a Flybuys card linked to your Velocity account.
- A maximum of 10 Status Credits can be earned per month, with a yearly cap of 120.
- Spending Thresholds:
- Spending $1,000 AUD at the specified retailers earns you 10 Status Credits. This can be further maximised through family pooling options.
- Broad Range of Retailers:
- Beyond grocery shopping, Velocity partners with a wide array of retailers across different categories including airlines, banking, insurance, shopping (both in-store and online), everyday essentials, cars, hotels, and holiday & travel. Some notable partners include Virgin Australia, United Airlines, American Express, Virgin Money, Snooze, and the Velocity e-Store, where shopping can also contribute towards your Status Credits.
By strategically shopping with these partners and taking advantage of the Velocity e-Store, members can significantly boost their Status Credits, moving closer to higher tiers of membership without needing to travel.
Use Co-Branded Credit Cards
Velocity Frequent Flyers can significantly enhance their Status Credit balance by leveraging co-branded credit cards, a strategy that doesn’t require stepping onto a plane. Here’s a breakdown of the options and benefits available:
- American Express Velocity Platinum Card:
- Earn 100 Status Credits by spending a minimum of $50,000 on eligible purchases within a membership year.
- Exclusive offer: 100,000 bonus Points + choose between 30,000 bonus Points or 200 Status Credits by 31 March 2024.
- ANZ Rewards Platinum Velocity:
- Secure 30 Status Credits after meeting the spend criteria.
- Special Offers:
- Virgin Australia Velocity High Flyer Card: Up to 80,000 bonus Velocity Points and the choice between 30,000 bonus Points or 200 Status Credits by 31 March 2024.
- Westpac Altitude Black Credit Card with Velocity Points: Offers up to 120,000 bonus Velocity Points plus a choice between 30,000 bonus Points or 200 Status Credits by 31 March 2024.
These cards not only offer a path to earning Status Credits but also provide an array of benefits like bonus points, travel perks, and exclusive offers, making them an attractive option for Velocity members aiming to boost their frequent flyer status.
Engage in Family Pooling
Velocity’s Family Pooling feature stands as a beacon for members aiming to consolidate their efforts towards achieving higher membership tiers. Here’s a straightforward guide on how to leverage this feature:
- Setting Up Family Pooling:
- Log into your Velocity account and navigate to ‘Link & Transfer’ > ‘Family Points Pooling’.
- Choose ‘Set up Family Pool’, selecting either Points only or both Points and Status Credits.
- Enter the details of up to six family members (two adults and four children under 18) living at the same address.
- Confirm the beneficiary’s details. Pooling starts the following day.
- Managing Your Family Pool:
- Contributors can join or leave the Family Pool anytime, but only the Points and Status Credits earned post-setup are pooled.
- Changing the beneficiary is allowed twice a year, facilitating strategic planning for status upgrades.
- To cease pooling, navigate to the ‘Family Points Pooling’ page and select ‘Stop Pooling’ next to the beneficiary’s name.
- Benefits of Family Pooling:
- Accelerates the accumulation of Points and Status Credits in one account, propelling a family member towards Gold or Platinum status.
- Ideal for families and couples, offering a unified approach to enjoy benefits like lounge access and priority services.
- Ensures that every travel and eligible purchase by family members contributes to reaching redemption goals and status milestones.
This feature not only simplifies the process of collecting Points and Status Credits but also underscores the value of family collaboration in the journey towards enjoying the full spectrum of Velocity Frequent Flyer benefits.
Take Advantage of Promotions and Offers
Velocity Frequent Flyer members can significantly boost their Status Credits through various promotions and offers, making the journey to higher membership tiers faster and more rewarding. Here are some notable opportunities:
- Bonus Status Credits on Eligible Flights:
- Earn 100% bonus Status Credits on eligible Virgin Australia flights during specific promotional periods. For example, from 1st October 2021 to 30th June 2022, members enjoyed double the Status Credits on certain flights.
- Reward Seat bookings on Virgin Australia during promotional periods also qualify for Status Credits, with Economy Reward Seats earning at the Economy Lite level, and Business Reward Seats at the Economy Choice level.
- Special Promotions:
- Activate special offers to earn up to 125 bonus Status Credits when booking and flying on 2+ eligible Virgin Australia flights by 28th March 2024.
- Transfer promotions, such as converting 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to Velocity for 5,000 bonus Points, or joining the Virgin Wines Discovery Club for an additional 2,000 bonus Velocity Points.
- Everyday Earning Opportunities:
- Engage with Velocity partners for daily earning potential, like earning 750 Points for your first survey with e-Rewards, or enjoying 30% off when buying Points before 19th March 2024.
- Fuel and convenience store purchases offer up to 22 Points per litre and 500 bonus points on specific transactions until 29th April 2024.
Leveraging these promotions and offers allows Velocity members to accumulate Status Credits and Points effectively, enhancing their travel experience without the need for additional flights. Check out our Velocity Frequent Flyer guide for 2024 here.
Conclusion
Through exploring various avenues beyond boarding flights, this article illuminated the multitude of options available to Velocity Frequent Flyers aiming to increase their Status Credits and ascend through membership tiers. From shopping with partner retailers and utilising co-branded credit cards to engaging in family pooling and capitalising on promotions, each strategy offers a unique path to rewards without the necessity of air travel. These methods not only facilitate a seamless journey to elevated statuses but also enrich the overall Velocity membership experience.
The implications of these strategies extend beyond mere accumulation of Status Credits; they signify the vast potential for Velocity members to maximise their rewards and access enhanced privileges. As members utilise these avenues to boost their Status Credit balance, they pave the way for greater travel experiences, showcasing the value of strategic engagement with the Velocity program. For those looking to fully exploit the benefits of their Velocity Frequent Flyer status, embracing these alternatives to flight-based earning could potentially transform their approach to achieving and enjoying membership perks.
