This week's wrap for Qantas, Virgin Australia frequent flyers

As another week draws to a close, Virgin Australia Velocity members gain two new ways to earn frequent flyer points – the first while watching movies and TV shows via the Presto subscription service, and the second via a brand new ANZ Rewards credit card.

Branded the ‘Travel Adventures Card’ it also offers a free domestic return flight each year and two yearly Virgin Australia airport lounge passes, and if your business switches its energy provider to Lumo, your Velocity balance could be boosted by as many as 40,000 Velocity points.

Also in this week’s wrap, we look at American Airlines’ latest ‘buying miles’ deal and how it could have you flying in business class to Asia with Qantas or Cathay Pacific for under $3,000, and Woolworths’ reattachment to the Qantas Frequent Flyer scheme.

Woolworths to make it easier to earn Qantas Points?

Woolworths is looking to expand its range of Qantas Points-earning products ahead of the relaunch of the grocery giant's partnership with the Qantas Frequent Flyer scheme.

Under the revised alliance, Woolworths Dollars – earned when buying selected products marked with an orange ticket – can be converted into Qantas Points as an alternative to receiving a cash discount at the checkout, with 10 Woolworths Dollars netting you 870 Qantas Points.

Woolworths now plans to broaden the range of Woolworths Dollars products as part of a makeover for the loyalty scheme…

Read more: Woolworths making it easier to earn Qantas Points?

New ANZ Rewards Travel Adventures Cards

The new ANZ Rewards Travel Adventures credit card is loaded with features including a free domestic return flight each year with Virgin Australia, uncapped frequent flyer points and no overseas transaction fees on international purchases.

Served as an American Express and Platinum-grade Visa combo account, every dollar spent awards two ANZ Rewards points via the AMEX and one ANZ Rewards point using the Visa, which can be converted into Virgin Australia Velocity points on a 2:1 basis.

You can also ship those points to Cathay Pacific Asia Miles and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer on a 3:1 basis or swap 3,000 ANZ Rewards points for $15 in Air New Zealand Airpoints value…

Read more: New ANZ Rewards Travel Adventures Card

Earn up to 40,000 Velocity Points with Lumo Energy

Business owners can now take advantage of an offer from Lumo Energy to earn Velocity Frequent Flyer Points when paying for their electricity and gas bills.

To sweeten the deal, new customers will earn 10,000 bonus Velocity Points on signup (after the 10-day cooling-off period), as well as 2 Velocity points per dollar spent, up to a maximum of 40,000 Velocity Points per year.

Lumo also allows you to pay via credit card (including American Express) without incurring any payment fees or surcharges, so there's the potential to double dip on points when paying for your energy usage with a points-earning credit card.

Read more: Earn up to 40,000 points with Lumo Energy

Presto teams up with Virgin Australia Velocity

Online video streaming service Presto is now tempting movie fans with Virgin Australia Velocity points.

New customers who sign up to Presto, enjoy the standard 30-day free trial and keep their subscription active for at least one paid month can pocket 600 Velocity points, while every further month you subscribe nets 50 Velocity points.

Existing Presto users can simply earn 50 Velocity points on their monthly subscription payments by linking their Velocity number to their Presto account, although this excludes customers subscribed via Foxtel or Telstra, or Foxtel Platinum customers.

For more information or to subscribe, head to the Presto website.

Review: Suncorp Clear Options Platinum Visa card

With a reasonably low annual fee and the ability to earn frequent flyer points with four different airlines including Qantas, Virgin Australia, Emirates and Singapore Airlines, the Suncorp Clear Options Platinum Visa credit card is the bank's top-of-the-line personal product, issued on its behalf by Citibank.

But due to recent changes, the number of points you'll earn per dollar spent has been cut by up to 50%, now maxing out at one airline frequent flyer point for every $2 charged to the card, rather than earning in parity.

Here's what you need to know.

AusBT review: Suncorp Clear Options Platinum Visa credit card

Buying AA miles for discounted business class travel

Fancy flying from Australia’s east coast to the likes of Singapore, Hong Kong or Shanghai in business class with Qantas or Cathay Pacific for just $2,500 plus taxes?

Thanks to American Airlines’ latest ‘buying miles’ deal, that’s easily done with miles on the block both at a 10% discount and with a bonus of up to 100,000 miles on the side.

It’s a straightforward concept: rather than booking a flight in the usual way and at the full sticker price, you can actually buy frequent flyer points outright from American Airlines and use those points to book your next flight with any Oneworld airline – including Qantas and Cathay Pacific.

See how it’s done: Buy AA miles, save on travel

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Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.