Soar higher with Virgin Australia’s 2019 double status credits offer

Got your sights set on Velocity Gold or Velocity Platinum status? Virgin Australia's latest double status credits offer will bring that shiny card within easy reach, whether you're aiming to get to Gold or lock in Platinum for another year.

Unlike Virgin's previous double status credits deals, which have been offered only to some frequent flyers or restricted to certain eligible routes, this promotion is wide open to every Velocity member and covers the entire Virgin Australia network.

Here’s everything you need to know to take advantage of the deal and fast-track your Velocity status.

The clock is ticking: Virgin Australia's 2019 double status credits offer is valid for bookings made from 1 February 2019 until 12 February 2019 – specifically 11:59pm AEST on 12 February – although those bookings can be as far ahead as 28 December 2019 (so plan out all your business trips and holidays to make the most of this offer). 

You have to register: before booking any flight, head to the Velocity Double Status credits registration page and enter your Velocity membership number to activate this offer. If multiple people are travelling on your booking, everyone has to register individually to get their own serve of double status credits.

Only new bookings count: if you've recently made a Virgin Australia booking, it won't be eligible for earning double status credits unless you registered for this promotion. Changes to an existing booking won't qualify it for double status credits.

Book anywhere: It doesn't matter if your Virgin Australia flights are booked through the airline's website or via a travel agent,

Domestic and international flights are included: whether you’re flying to Byron Bay or Los Angeles, you’ll earn double status credits on all Virgin Australia flights.

Only Virgin Australia flights count: your booking has to carry a VA flight number and be flown on a Virgin Australia aircraft. Codeshares and other partnerships such as Singapore Airlines, Etihad and Delta Air Lines don't qualify and will earn you status credits only at the usual rate.

Family Pooling is eligible: If you’re travelling with a partner and/or children who live at the same address as you, their extra status credits can be funnelled into your account under Velocity's Family Pooling system (assuming they register individually as well). This could well be your secret weapon to rocketing up the status ladder.

Also read: Family Pooling is your shortcut to Velocity Gold status

Take fare types into account: Virgin's different fare categories each status credits at a different rate, so make sure you base your calculations on the correct fare type. Then head to the Mileage Calculator to check the distance of your intended flight, and use the Status Earn Tables to see what the normal status credit bounty is – then multiply it by two to get your double haul.

Crunching the numbers: Virgin Australia double status credits

As a reminder, here are the milestones you need to attain or keep Velocity status:

• Velocity Silver: 250 status credits and two eligible sectors (200 SCs to maintain)
• Velocity Gold: 500 status credits and four eligible sectors (400 SCs to maintain)
• Velocity Platinum: 1000 status credits and eight eligible sectors (800 SCs to maintain)

An east-west return flight in business class (such as from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane to Perth and back) will net you at least 180 status credits depending on the type of fare booked – that doubles to 360 status credits, which is more than enough to reach Silver even if you're starting from scratch.

If you're bound for Los Angeles on a return business class ticket, you can count on 640 status credits: enough for Velocity Gold in a single trip, and if you travelled with your partner and used Family Pooling, the resulting 1280 status credits would have you well above the threshold for Platinum membership.

Don't overlook the need for 'eligible sectors'

However, achieving Velocity status isn't just about earning the appropriate number of status credits: you also need to make a certain number of flights, or what are called 'eligible sectors'.

Simply put, these are VA-marketed flights that would normally earn points and status credits (meaning that reward bookings and free tickets are excluded).

Even if you flew business class to Los Angeles and back, you wouldn't automatically receive Velocity Gold status because you made only two flights – and Velocity Gold requires four 'eligible sectors'.

This means you’d need to fly another two eligible VA-marketed flights before your status credits expire. This could be as simple as a Sydney-Melbourne return trip.

(Fortunately, although partner flights with a VA number are not valid for double status credits, they do count as eligible sectors, which gives you another option such as a codeshared Singapore Airlines flight.)

For domestic travellers, Virgin's double status credits offer means that you could earn Gold outright from nine economy return Sydney-Melbourne flights booked at the mid-tier Elevate fare (30 SCs each), or five of the same flights booked at the flexible Freedom fare (50 SCs each).

If flying business class between Sydney and Melbourne you’ll earn at least 100 status credits for each one-way flight which equates to five flights to reach Gold or ten flights to reach Platinum for the first time, while also satisfying the eligible sector criteria.

Brandon Loo

Based in Perth, Brandon enjoys tucking into local delicacies, discovering new cocktails, and making aeroplane food look good on camera.