Virgin Australia Velocity Changes Analysed
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Love the updated Velocity Rewards Frequent Flyer Program unveiled Thursday by Virgin Australia. Already Qantas has responded with media advertisements promising exciting changes to their program. The competition in Australia is starting a new round.
I am currently a Gold flyer with Qantas and Virgin so my focus is on the Gold benefits. At the end of this post, I will paste a table comparing the two programs. Please let me know what I leave out.
The eight immediate features I like about Velocity Rewards:
The first comparison between Gold Qantas and Gold Virgin for me is how easy it is to get and keep Gold status. You gain status based on the number of status credits you earn. Every eligible flight gets you status credits. The longer your flight the more status credits you get. The higher your class you reserved your booking with, the more status credits you get. So a Sydney to London flight in business class will get you way more points than a discount economy seat from Sydney to Melbourne.
To get Gold with Qantas requires 700 status credits whereas Virgin gives it to you with 500 status credits. Of course how many you earn at each airline is different. Still its easier to get and keep Gold at Virgin than it is at Qantas.
For me to keep Gold with Qantas at the lowest earning rate possible (eg the Sydney -Melbourne) flight would mean 60 flights in a year. Virgin will give you gold after 40 Syd-Mel flights.
Likewise flying Melbourne to Los Angeles in Premium Economy would need 7 flights a year with Qantas to keep my Gold whereas I only need 4 with Virgin (or 3 plus a few SYD-Mel trips!)
Comparing Qantas Gold and Virgin Gold
I am currently a Gold flyer with Qantas and Virgin so my focus is on the Gold benefits. At the end of this post, I will paste a table comparing the two programs. Please let me know what I leave out.
The eight immediate features I like about Velocity Rewards:
- seemingly generous access to award seats
- Subject to space availability, Velocity Platinum and Gold members are welcome in the Virgin Australia lounge at any time, and do not require a boarding pass. This is a benefit Qantas took away from its Platinum fliers earlier in the year - and boy were we mad!
- A family can pool all of your family member’s Points into one account as well as transferring points between family members
- If you have a baby, you can pause your membership for up to six months-thats impressive
- For every 100 status credits, you get a free lounge pass
- Guaranteed Reward Seats for an annual family trip for up to four return Reward Seats for an annual family trip to any Australian destination, for Gold while Platinum members can also international destinations.
- Gold and Platinum members can take up to two children under the age of 12 into the lounge with them. (I wonder how many kids will now be screaming through lounges?)
- Free access to Sentinel who help you find lost keys etc
The first comparison between Gold Qantas and Gold Virgin for me is how easy it is to get and keep Gold status. You gain status based on the number of status credits you earn. Every eligible flight gets you status credits. The longer your flight the more status credits you get. The higher your class you reserved your booking with, the more status credits you get. So a Sydney to London flight in business class will get you way more points than a discount economy seat from Sydney to Melbourne.
| GOLD | Qantas | Virgin | |
| Gaining Status-status Credits | 700 | 500 | |
| Gaining Status-Sectors flown | 4 | 4 | |
| Keeping Status-status Credits | 600 | 400 | |
| Keeping Status-Sectors flown | 4 | 4 | |
| Number of SYD-MEL Discount Y to keep | 60 | 40 | |
| Number of MEL-AKL Discount Y to keep | 30 | 20 | |
| Number of MEL-LAX Discount Economy to keep | 13.33 | 10 | |
| Number of MEL-LAX Premium to keep | 6.67 | 3.3 |
To get Gold with Qantas requires 700 status credits whereas Virgin gives it to you with 500 status credits. Of course how many you earn at each airline is different. Still its easier to get and keep Gold at Virgin than it is at Qantas.
For me to keep Gold with Qantas at the lowest earning rate possible (eg the Sydney -Melbourne) flight would mean 60 flights in a year. Virgin will give you gold after 40 Syd-Mel flights.
Likewise flying Melbourne to Los Angeles in Premium Economy would need 7 flights a year with Qantas to keep my Gold whereas I only need 4 with Virgin (or 3 plus a few SYD-Mel trips!)
Comparing Qantas Gold and Virgin Gold
| GOLD | |||
| Before Travel | Qantas | Virgin | |
Priority Phone Service | YES | YES | |
Upgrade Using Points | YES | YES | |
| Advanced Seat Selection | YES | NO? | |
Seating Preferences | YES | Coming soon | |
| Secure Sentinel membership | NO | YES | |
| At Airport | Qantas | Virgin | |
Priority Check-in -Domestic | Premium Service Desks | Priority Counters | |
Priority Check-in -International | Business Counters | Business Counters | |
Priority Boarding – Domestic | NO | YES | |
Priority Boarding – Intl | YES | YES | |
Kerbside Check in | NO | Sydney only | |
Lounge-Domestic | Qantas Club | Virgin Lounge-anytime access | |
Lounge-International | One World | Virgin. Etihad, Air NZ, Delta | |
Priority Screening Lane | Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney Domestic Airports | Melbourne and Brisbane Domestic Airports | |
Fly Ahead | NO | YES | |
| Priority Waitlist | YES | NO | |
| Airport Upgrade | YES | NO | |
Baggage allowance-Domestic | 1 piece (maximum 32kg) Economy; 2 pieces (maximum 32kg each) Business | Allowance of 32kg | |
| Baggage Allowance-USA | 3 pieces: (maximum 23kg per piece) Economy/Premium Economy and 32kg per piece) Business/First | 3 pieces: (maximum 23kg per piece) Economy and 3 pieces 32kg per piece) Premium Economy/Business | |
| Baggage Allowance-Inernational | 32kg (70lb) in Economy/Premium Economy; 64kg (140lb) in Business/First | 33kg ) in Economy/ 42kg in Premium Economy/Business/ | |
Priority Waitlist (coming soon) | YES | ||
| Arrival | Qantas | Virgin | |
Priority Baggage | YES | coming soon | |
Complimentary Elite membership with IHG?s Priority Club® Rewards or Hilton HHonors? | NO | YES | |
Complimentary Elite membership with Europcar Privileges Program or Hertz #1 Club | NO | YES | |
| International airline partners | Qantas | Virgin | |
| One World Sapphire | Virgin. Etihad, Air NZ | ||
| FAMILY BENEFITS | Qantas | Virgin | |
Guaranteed Reward Seats for an annual family trip | NO | YES | |
Family Points and Status Credit Pooling | NO | Coming soon | |
Membership pause for Parental Leave | NO | Coming soon | |
Complimentary lounge pass for each 100 Status Credits earned | NO | Coming soon | |
| STATUS BENEFITS | Qantas | Virgin | |
| Points bonus- on Carrier | 75.00% | 75.00% | |
Points bonus -Air Partners | ? | 50% Etihad | |
| Points Bonus- Hotels/Car rental | NO | 75.00% | |
Personalised Baggage Tags | YES | YES | |
| Loyalty Bonus | 8,000 points for every 500 Status Credits earned in a single membership year | a free lounge pass for every 100 Status Credits |
