Virgin Australia Velocity frequent flyers get Delta fast-track
By John Walton, October 11 2012
Virgin Australia's Gold and Platinum Velocity frequent flyers can speed through the airport with new fast-track reciprocal benefits with partner airline Delta.
Golds and Platinums can join the Sky Priority line whenever flying Delta, which means they can avoid most of the worst queues in the airport.
In a real boon for business travellers, that includes the "Frequent Traveler" TSA security queues at over 75 airports where Delta has made arrangements -- including Los Angeles LAX, Atlanta, San Francisco and all airports in Chicago, Washington DC and New York.
The full list of Delta Sky Priority benefits for Velocity frequent flyers is:
- Priority check-in
- Priority baggage
- Priority security screening
- Lounge access
- Priority boarding
Look out for the clearly marked "SkyPriority" signs and lanes when flying Delta to take advantage of your new fast-track options.
(Note that we've heard tales of the occasional Delta staffer still working off information that has "Virgin Blue" instead of "Virgin Australia", and looking askance at cards printed with the newer name. If there are any queries, we suggest asking them to enter your Velocity number into their systems as a "DJ" number, since Virgin's two-letter airline code hasn't changed...yet.)
If you need to check what benefits you get on which Virgin Australia partner airline, Velocity has a handy table of perks for you.
These priority perks come on top of a similar set for Virgin America announced last week – click here for the details on that deal.
Want more news like this on Twitter? We're there too. Follow us: @AusBT.
Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.
09 May 2011
Total posts 294
Somewhat disappointingly, this deal doesn't include free checked baggage on Delta domestic flights (which is something they offer to their own Gold/Platinum members).
Getting priority tags is a nice touch though, and it'll certainly make the baggage claim scrum at e.g. JFK a bit more tolerable.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
Best part of the deal is lounge access, which in the USA normally requires a membership (their own Elite members only get free access when they hold Medallion "Diamond" status ). The lounge will make layovers more bearable.
09 May 2011
Total posts 294
Of course, the lounge access deal has been in place for more than a year now – it's just all the priority trimmings *weren't* made available.
21 Feb 2012
Total posts 40
Lounge access is good, but the lack of free checked baggage is ridiculous.
Considering I'm a Qantas Platinum, I have no reason to fly anyone but AA in the USA, especially considering that VA will not interline baggage if its not on the same booking (whereas Qantas is happy to).
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
Interesting that they do not interline baggage when not on the same PNR. Is it perhaps the check in person's (in)competence? Not a dealbreaker for me, as you would have to clear customs and re-check bags coming from outside of the states anyway. Having said that, I do enjoy flying AA as the amount of SC's you rack up on F class booking is phenominal!
09 Nov 2011
Total posts 10
Actually, I flew SYD - LAX with VA and then LAX - PHX on DL on 2 separate itineraries just 2 days ago. They were happy to check my baggage through to PHX and checked me in for my DL flight. I was booked in Y but was treated extremely well. I was given an exit row seat with the other 2 seats blocked off and they pre-order my meal choices and brought them out with the special requests.
24 Oct 2011
Total posts 159
i still cant work out why airports in the USA are so slow.
If Hong Kong, Changhi and sometimes Heathrow can do it, why can't LAX.
Last year I was transiting from T3 to T5 at Heathrow, arrived from NYC, cleared immigration, collected luggage, cleared customs, made my way to T5, check-in BA flight for continental EU flight, all within 40 minutes! I couldn't believe it!
Last time I arrived at LAX on a Qantas flight on the way to NYC, it took almost 2 hours. Clearing immigration took at least 40mins, luggage collection was only 2 minutes because the luggage was wating for me since ive been at the immigration queue, and then through 3 security checkpoints, each taking 15-20minutes or so.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
I am with you, it is ridiculous! I think the process is slow as the USA authorities are paranoid and consider every foreigner a potential terrorist. I flew in two weeks ago after a holiday in Panama and Colombia (ok, I understand that might set off some alarm bells). Even though I got my ESTA confirmation number on paper in Colombia (they searched it in the computer system), when arriving in Miami they could not find it. I gave the paper and still they were not able to locate it, resulting in me having to go to the second line check in a backroom, resulting in a 2.5 hour "excercise" to clear immigration. In Colombia and Panama no issues enetering, let alone Europe (ok, I hold a EU passport) but it struck me that in Europe you do not even have to fill out any immigration / custom clearing forms on the plane. It does not only save time but also money and trees.
15 Mar 2011
Total posts 19
Lounge access is only valid when flying internationally. Domestic only itineraries cannot access Sky clubs as VA Gold. Just worth remembering if you are booking Delta anytime soon.
Sky priority is a great service though...
09 May 2011
Total posts 294
Nope, that's wrong. Velocity Gold/Platinum members can use Delta lounges on ANY Delta flight (including domestic).
So Velocity Members get a better deal than SkyTeam velocity members (e.g. Air France).
See https://www.velocityrewards.com.au/content/Status/InternationalLoungeAccess/index.htm
09 May 2011
Total posts 294
Nope, that's wrong. Velocity Gold/Platinum members can use Delta lounges on ANY Delta flight (including domestic).
So Velocity Members get a better deal than SkyTeam velocity members (e.g. Air France).
15 Mar 2011
Total posts 19
Well someone needs to tell this to the SFO and ATL SkyClub lounges. I was flying through and was declined at both locations using my VA Gold. I am Flying Blue Gold and even that got denied because my domestic legs that day weren't part of an international itinerary... just seems to be the way they do it.
09 Nov 2011
Total posts 10
I was denied about a year ago at JFK but never had any problems at ATL. I did write a mail to Virgin so it's disappointing that this is still happening.
15 Mar 2011
Total posts 19
Well someone needs to tell this to the SFO and ATL SkyClub lounges. I was flying through and was declined at both locations using my VA Gold. I am Flying Blue Gold and even that got denied because my domestic legs that day weren't part of an international itinerary... just seems to be the way they do it.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
As per T&C of Velocity rewards program:
You and a guest on presentation of membership card and boarding pass for same day travel on a Virgin Australia International Long Haul flight or Delta Air Lines.
I assume that the Delta part references to any (domestic) Delta Airlines flight. The fact that you were denied access has probably to do with the fact that the lounge dragon thought of velocity as a Skyteam program and Skyteam FF do NOT have access when flying domestic only. This is the problem with alliances and agreements. However, a print out of the T&C's and showing these normally grants access.
15 Mar 2011
Total posts 19
Well someone needs to tell this to the SFO and ATL SkyClub lounges. I was flying through and was declined at both locations using my VA Gold. I am Flying Blue Gold and even that got denied because my domestic legs that day weren't part of an international itinerary... just seems to be the way they do it.
15 Mar 2011
Total posts 19
Well someone needs to tell this to the SFO and ATL SkyClub lounges. I was flying through and was declined at both locations using my VA Gold. I am Flying Blue Gold and even that got denied because my domestic legs that day weren't part of an international itinerary... just seems to be the way they do it.
15 Mar 2011
Total posts 19
Well someone needs to tell this to the SFO and ATL SkyClub lounges. I was flying through and was declined at both locations using my VA Gold. I am Flying Blue Gold and even that got denied because my domestic legs that day weren't part of an international itinerary... just seems to be the way they do it.
15 Mar 2011
Total posts 19
That was the first thing I checked too...
I'll try as you suggest and let you know how I get on at MSY on Saturday morning.
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