What could you get for 250,000 or 500,000 Velocity Points?

1. We looked at Velocity Frequent Flyer Rewards Store on 1 August, 2023, and searched for ‘gift cards’, and then selected a brand (there are many more available than represented in the list above).
2. We minused the Points cost of the highest dollar value gift card available for that brand from 500,000.
3. Then, with the leftover points, we worked out how many extra cards could be redeemed, for the various denominations available. For each example, there were Points left over.

1. We went to the Velocity Frequent Flyer Rewards Store (on 1 August, 2023).
2. We created a shopping cart with products, which added up close to, but less than, 500,000 points.

Keep in mind that the store’s points totals, and products, could change. Velocity says shipping is included in the Points total.

Redeeming Points for flights: 

1. We looked at the Virgin Australia flight booking website, to find locations to which Virgin and its partner airlines fly direct (that is, with no change in flights or stop overs, as this can impact the Points needed).  To keep it simple, we based this on a one-way adult Economy fare. We used flight dates for September (our theoretical travel time).
2. We then used the Velocity Mileage estimator to calculate the mileage to fly from main cities in Australia to those destinations (as the number of Points needed to redeem a flight depends on the mileage to that destination, among other things).
3. We then looked at the mileage/rewards tables provided by Velocity (also on the Mileage page) to find an estimate of how many Points would be required to book that flight. When there were upgrades available, we selected the lowest Points option.
4. We multiplied that number of Points by two (for return flight) and then again by two (for the extra passenger).

Redeeming Points for accommodation: 

1. We subtracted the flight points from the points balance (either 250,000 or 500,000 points, in the above examples), to find out how many points we had left to use for a hotel stay.
2. We then used the Velocity + Rocket Travel website to find a five-day stay at the star rating indicated, at the location that matched the airport location. Transfers may be required to accommodation.

Keep in mind that these are estimations only and provided as a general example. Check the Velocity website for details and Points costs. Extra fees and charges could apply, particularly if travelling overseas. Bookings for hotels and flights are impacted by availability, so it could be helpful to be flexible when it comes to your holiday plans.

You can redeem Velocity points to help with a range of travel costs, such as for flights, accommodation and car hire. We’ve rounded up some examples below.

Velocity Points for flights and upgrades

Redeem points for seats on flights, via the Velocity website. This includes domestic and international travel, including partner airlines.

There are also ‘Reward Seats’, which are certain “all-inclusive” seats available on flights for Velocity members, offering complimentary checked baggage allowance, seat selection and in-flight entertainment.

How does it work?

Explore flights with Virgin Australia and its partner airlines, to get an idea of what’s involved in your planned travel, such as stop overs and which partner airlines offer which legs of the flight (for international trips). It can help if you are a little flexible on your timeframe, as rewards seat availability could be limited on flights depending on demand.

Then, go to Velocity’s mileage calculator. This can help you to work out an estimate of how many points you’ll need to travel to your destination. (Keep in mind that extra fees may be charged in addition to points, and extra points may be added to the cost if there is a stopover or a change in airline. Check the cost before booking.)

Once you’ve worked out what flights you want to book, and have a rough estimate of the points it will cost, you can then redeem your points via the Velocity website or the app. You can also typically contribute cash to help cover the cost of a seat, if you don’t have enough points. This is called Points + Pay.

How many Velocity points do I need to fly for free on Virgin?

This depends on where you want to go, and when you are going. Plus, there could be fees and charges (such as carrier charges and tax) which you may have to pay out-of-pocket, as they are not covered by points.

For example, Velocity states (at the time of writing) that the minimum Reward points required for a one-way Economy flight:

Domestic travel

• Melbourne to Sunshine Coast – between 9,400 and 14,900 points
• Brisbane to Perth – between 14,100 and 21,900 points

Trans Tasman and ‘Short Haul’ routes by Virgin Australia

• Trans-Tasman: Flights between Australia and New Zealand & Fiji.
  • Brisbane to Auckland, New Zealand, for 1427miles/2283km – 17,800 points
  • Sydney to Nadi, Fiji, for 1971 miles/3153km – 17,800 points
• Short-Haul International to: Flights between Australia and Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Indonesia & Japan.
  • Sydney to Tokyo, Japan, for 4,863 miles/7,780km – 34,800 points
  • Melbourne to Bali, Indonesia (Denpasar), for 2,725 miles/4,360km – 22,300 points

Partner airlines, for selected international travel routes

Partner airlines Include United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic, plus Etihad Airways, Air Canada, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Hawaiian Airlines and South African Airways. Please note: Points needed may be higher depending on route, stops and other variables.

• Sydney to San Francisco, USA (United Airlines, direct), for 7,417 miles/11,867km – 44,800 points
• Brisbane to Doha, Qatar (Qatar Airlines, direct), for 7,662 miles/ 12,259 kms – 56,000 points

The amount of points required depends on availability of and demand for seats on a particular flight and time, according to Velocity. Other fees, charges and taxes apply in addition to the points.

You can also use points to upgrade your seat to Business Class on Virgin Australia Domestic flights.

Velocity Points for Hotels

There are more than 400,000 hotels, all over the world, where you can book accommodation using Velocity Points. You can also contribute funds towards your stay, if you don’t have enough points. (This service is facilitated by Rocket Travel.)

For example (indicative only, based on rates for 24-29 Sept):

Five nights in one room for two guests, staying at:

• Sunshine Coast, The Sebel Maroochydore (5 Stars): 438,500 points
• Seminyak (Bali), Indonesia, at FuramaXclusive Ocean Beach Hotel Seminyak (4 star): 210,600 points
• San Francisco, Hotel Caza Fisherman’s Wharf (4 stars): 337,900 points

Velocity Points for Car Hire

You can use points to pay for car hire (via Rocket Travel), with Velocity partner brands, such as Europcar, Hertz, Sixt, Thrifty and Dollar Car Rental. You can also use Points + Pay, so if you don’t have enough points you can contribute funds towards the cost.

Velocity Points for buying products

You can use Velocity Points to purchase goods via the Velocity Rewards Store. The ‘value’ that you can redeem for your points varies between products.

For example:

• Apple – iPhone 14 Pro Max 512 GB: 471,584 points
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 512GB (Purple): 346,700 points
• Dyson 360 Vis Nav Robot Vac: 430,515 points
• Weber – Q Black (Q2000) LP Only BBQ – Black: 104,761 points
• Breville – The Barista Express Coffee Machine: 157,270 points
• Victorinox Classic Round Tip Wavy Knife 24 Piece Set: 56,378 points

Swap Velocity Points for gift cards

You can also purchase gift cards via the Velocity Rewards Store. (Limits may apply.) The cards come in various denominations, from $25 up to $1,000 for some brands (such as Apple).

Brands include:

• Apple
• Coles
• Myer
• David Jones
• Ikea
• BCF
• Bonds
• Bunnings
• The Iconic
• Ebay
• EB Games
• Freedom
• And many more.