Virgin Australia offers status credits on credit card points
By Chris C., September 30 2014
For a short time, Virgin Australia is offering a side serve of status credits to selected travellers when transferring points across from a handful of credit cards to Velocity Frequent Flyer.
Velocity members will only find the details of the promotion in their inbox if they’ve been invited to participate – you won’t find a peep on the Velocity website, as it’s a little ‘hush hush’.
Until October 6, Chosen Ones can pocket 75 status credits when transferring 75,000 Velocity points, 100 status credits for 100,000 points, 150 status credits for 150,000 points, or 200 status credits for 200,000 points...
While offering status credits to Velocity members who haven't left their living room is a great concept, the deal isn't as good as that offered by the airline in June.
At the top end of the scale, transferring at least 75,000 Velocity points across from eligible credit cards earned the full 200 status credits, whereas this offer only begins at 75,000 points.
Further, the previous deal gave selected Platinum members the option of transferring 100,000 Velocity points across for an impressive 300 status credits, which has this time been limited to 100 status credits for the same transfer.
Unlike points, status credits are used to determine your frequent flyer tier within Velocity, and are normally earned only when flying with Virgin Australia or one of its partner airlines.
The fine print
To qualify for the 'free' status credits, you'll need to transfer your bounty across in one single transaction from one of participating bank.
You also can’t pool your points from more than one financial institution to reach the target, so unless you’re already sitting on a pile of gold, you’re out.
While Velocity has a number of credit card partners, the promotion only awards status credits when transferring from American Express Membership Rewards, Commonwealth Awards, ANZ Rewards and ANZ Business One Rewards.
In practical terms, an eligible Velocity member could reach the minimum target of 75,000 Velocity points by sending across at least:
- 75,000 AMEX Membership Rewards (MR) points (Ascent or Ascent Premium); or
- 112,500 AMEX MR points for Business Ascent users; or
- 150,000 David Jones American Express points; or
- 187,500 Commonwealth Awards points for Awards and Gold Awards members; or
- 150,000 Commonwealth Awards points for Platinum and Diamond cardholders; or
- 168,750 ANZ Rewards or ANZ Business One Rewards points.
All other banks and credit card types are excluded from the deal, including direct-earn cards such as Velocity Escape and Westpac's Altitude Rewards Platinum and Altitude Black cards, among others.
The promotion runs through October 6 2014 for eligible members of Velocity Frequent Flyer – if you're unsure if this offer is available to you, check your inbox.
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Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
Very creative of VA! I wonder what they gain, I can understand that VA would offer bonus points on transfers, but status credits is unique. Seems like a decent deal if you have an AMEX consumer card and are targetted.
05 May 2012
Total posts 32
I love it - post a query in the Q and A and AusBT oblige with an article - many thanks Chris!
Concur on the creativity of the deal - nice to be targeted, annoyed not to hold any relevant points in any of those programs. Feels like the days of double status promotions are over.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
Interestingly enough I got a QF mail offering double SC's. Very short time window though, as is the same with the VA promo. Basically only possible if you already have an existing stash of points with your cc provider (unless you are a very high spender and can rack up the amount within two weeks!).
VA
17 Jun 2014
Total posts 17
As someone who has 75,000 CBA awards points ready to transfer to VA, it is a shame this isn't available to everyone as that would easily up my status from silver to gold!
17 Jun 2014
Total posts 43
Great offer, but the targeting seems erratic (I guess that's the purpose of targeting).
My partner holds velocity gold with 600SCs. I hold red with 20SCs.
I usually pool my points to her as we usually fly together.
I got an invite to earn 100SCs for 25K points.
She didn't get an invite.
We had transferred 150,000 velocity points when they had the recent 10% offer so perhaps her large points balance meant she wasn't targeted and the fact I am so far away from even silver meant I was. Will be interesting to see who gets the points under family pooling if I transfer 25K across!
17 Jun 2014
Total posts 43
edit to the above post - I meant to say it will be interesting to see who gets the status credits under family pooling. They usually get transferred to the transferee.
Also managed to get enough points together under commbank. I've paid our credit card bills early and I think that by requesting an early statement this will get the points to post, then you can do a family transfer and then I will transfer them across. Will see how we go.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Jan 2013
Total posts 698
I think, like daveozsydney highlights, that most people with AMEX and other credit card point schemes eligible likely emptied their CC points balances during the very recent May 2014 10% bonus points transfer promotion and therefore many won't meet the conditions of this targeted "Points with Status Credits" promotion.
Seems to me that this promotion is really targeted at sweeping up those people who don't really give their CC points to Velocity, even when the 15% and 10% bonus promos were running.
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
29 Jan 2011
Total posts 157
The question I have, is if I have already requalified for my Platinum Status for which the review date is next month, is there any benefit in transferring points across from my AMEX card? I presume the 300 SC's wouldn't count towards next year's qualifying requirement.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
It would actually help you! VA has a rolling system (daily calculation), if you log on online to your Velocity profile and go to your status credit earn and click "show detail" , it will show you how many credits are needed to maintain your platinum next year and it takes into accoutn the extra creedits earned this year.
from the VA Velocity website:
Your Status Credit balance is calculated daily based on the number of Status Credits earned in the previous 12 months. Every Status Credit you earn is valid for 12 months, which means your Status Credit balance will not be reset to zero at your review date.
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
29 Jan 2011
Total posts 157
KG, let me see if I've got this right.
To requalify for platinum I need 800 SC's.
My review date is July 20, 2014 and the number of SC's earned since July 20, 2013 is 910.
Therefore, based on what you've said I already have 110 SC's towards requalifying for July 20, 2015 and with the offer of 300 SC's I would then only need to accrue a further 490 SC's by my next review date of July 20, 2015.
Am I right??
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
CSSAU, this is somewhat correct. However, you need to keep in mind when you earned the sc's. Is for instance you earned that extra 110 SC oon July 3rd 2014, these 110 will expire on July 3rd 2015 (so you cannot "use" them until July 20th).The validity is a year exactly. If you earn another 490 before July3rd and you take up the 300sc offer, you'll stay plat, however, if you fail to make this your 110 sc's will expire on July 3rd and you will need to earn those extra prior to July 20th to remain plat. Sounds confusing, but it is really not. The easiest way to look at how many sc's you need ot earn is to check the detail online, it will show a little calendar with how many sc's you will have to earn to maintain plat prior to which date.
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
29 Jan 2011
Total posts 157
I ended up getting a confirmation from Velocity.
The fact that I have already requalified for Platinum leading up to my July 2014 review date, my 110 excess SC's earned in May 2014 wouldn't carry forward to count towards any requalification for my 2015 review date.
Likewise, since the Amex promo period is 16-30 June 2014, Velocity have said that it's most likel, the Status Credits that would be earned will earn will not be counted towards my next benefit period for the July 2015 review dated.
As a result of above, I will not be taking up the promotion.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
22 Apr 2013
Total posts 143
Correct. Any SC earned between requalification and your annual review date don't carry forward - in effect, they're empty (or wasted!) SCs.
The only thing they do count towards is the 500 SCs required in attaining a complimentary gold membership for someone you may nominate (ie: 500 SCs over and above the 800 required to retain).
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
22 Aug 2013
Total posts 171
No email here. Platinum and huge points total already.
17 Jun 2014
Total posts 43
Me neither. I got one last time but my wife didn't. Would be interesting to see what the logic behind the offers are.
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