The best ways to spend 100,000 Virgin Australia Velocity points

Virgin Australia Velocity frequent flyer points are your ticket to great-value flights across the globe and upgrades to business class – but with so many options available, which should you consider for your next trip?

Australian Business Traveller takes a look at the five best ways you could spend a cool 100,000 Velocity points, such as you’d earn by applying for a new American Express Platinum Charge Card.

1. Fly business class to Los Angeles, one-way

A business class sojourn to Los Angeles from Sydney, Brisbane, and soon, Melbourne, sets you back just 95,500 Velocity points, one-way: excellent value for Virgin Australia’s latest ‘The Business’ business class seats and service.

That’s also your ticket to Virgin Australia’s revamped inflight cocktail bar and lounge area where the cabin crew are on-hand to mix your favourite drinks, or even pour a simple Nespresso coffee.

The same number of points could also get you to Los Angeles in business class with Virgin’s partner Delta Air Lines, as flights booked on Delta require no more points than booking flights of the same length with Virgin Australia.

(If you happen to be a Velocity Gold or Platinum frequent flyer, you can also use points to upgrade from flexible economy or premium economy to business class on the same routes, with 25,000-45,000 points required per flight, depending on your ticket type. This applies only on Virgin Australia flights, not those served by Delta.)

AusBT review: Virgin Australia Boeing 777 'The Business', Sydney-Los Angeles

2. Upgrade to business class on Virgin Australia domestic flights

Planning a trip between Perth and Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane? Book flexible economy Freedom fares and you could upgrade each way for just 9,900 Velocity points – with 100,000 points enough to upgrade 10 one-way flights or five return trips!

That includes flights served with Virgin Australia’s Airbus A330 aircraft fitted again with ‘The Business’ – but even on shorter domestic flights, there’s still value to be had.

For example, a mere 4,900 Velocity points can swap your flexible economy ticket for a business class seat on routes like Sydney-Melbourne: allowing you to upgrade to business class on 20 individual flights, or 10 round trips, using your 100,000-point bounty.

3. Fly Alitalia business class from Abu Dhabi to Italy

Already visiting the Middle East on business? Then why not extend your trip with some holiday time in Italy, with 99,000 Velocity points getting you a return flight from Abu Dhabi to either Rome or Milan with Virgin Australia partner Alitalia.

You could also fly into one city and out of another with each individual business class flight priced at 49,500 Velocity points between Italy and Abu Dhabi: you’d just need to make your own way between Rome and Milan during your stay.

4. Take a return trip in Virgin Atlantic ‘Upper Class’ between the US and London

Similarly, if you find yourself in New York or even Boston on business, you can use your location to your advantage and take a return trip from there to London for 99,000 Velocity points in Virgin Atlantic’s ‘Upper Class’ cabin.

Along with the typical business class experience, Virgin Atlantic also features an inflight bar on these flights which you can visit after take-off for a quick drink or a longer stay.

A similar 99,000 Velocity points could also take you from Los Angeles to New York and back in Delta One business class or in Virgin America ‘first class’, but frequent flyer reward bookings on this highly popular route can be incredibly difficult to secure at the pointy end.

5. Upgrade to business class on Virgin Australia’s Bali flights

Book an economy Go Plus or Getaway fare from Sydney or Brisbane to Bali and you could move forward into business class for just 24,000 Velocity points per flight or 48,000 Velocity points round-trip.

At those rates, you could also bring a partner along for the journey and upgrade the both of you for the full return trip: or book a higher-priced Freedom fare and the upgrade cost drops to only 14,900 Velocity points per flight.

That would give you enough points for six one-way business class upgrades or to upgrade three return trips, with 10,600 Velocity points to spare.

Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.