Compare cards and earn Velocity points for travel rewards on your everyday spending.
Virgin Australia Velocity Flyer Card - Balance Transfer Offer
0% p.a. for 18 months on balance transfers with no BT fee
Offer ends 31 October 2017
Eligibility criteria, terms and conditions, fees and charges apply
Virgin Money Credit Card Offer
Earn 3 bonus Velocity Points on top of your standard earn rate per $1 spent in the first 3 months, combined with a $129 annual fee refund for the first year and a long-term balance transfer offer.
- $129 p.a. annual fee.
- 20.74% p.a. on purchases
- Cash advance rate of 20.99% p.a.
- Up to 44 days interest free
- Minimum income requirement of $35,000 p.a.
Velocity Rewards Credit Cards Comparison
The best* finder.com.au Velocity credit cards
Compare the bonus point offers and points per $1 spent available on the Velocity credit cards below.
| Credit Card | Bonus Points | Points Per $ |
|---|---|---|
| 50,000 | 1.5 | |
| 80,000 | 1 | |
| 0.5 | ||
| 0.5 |
How do Velocity Frequent Flyer credit cards work?
A Velocity Frequent Flyer credit card earns you Velocity Points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases. This includes most everyday purchases such as your supermarket shopping or petrol but usually excludes transactions such as balance transfers, cash advances, special promotions, interest charges, government charges, insurance, loan payments, business transactions and gambling transactions.
The points you earn on your credit card are then added to your Velocity account. Once you've earned enough Velocity Points, you can redeem them for a variety of rewards including flights and flight upgrades with Virgin Australia, accommodation and car rentals and a wide range of merchandise and gift cards.
How can I earn points with a Velocity credit card?
When you apply for a Velocity credit card, you will be asked to provide your frequent flyer membership details. If you don't already have Velocity Frequent Flyer account, you can sign up for free during this process. Once the card is approved and activated, you can start earning Velocity Points for your spending on the card.
The amount of points you'll earn per $1 is referred to as the "earn rate" and varies between different cards and transaction types. For example, a card may offer up to 2 Velocity Points per $1 spent with Virgin Australia and 1 point per $1 on all other eligible purchases.
If you want to earn Velocity Frequent Flyer Points with a credit card, there are two main options to consider:
- Direct earn Velocity Frequent Flyer Credit Cards. These cards allow you to earn Velocity Points that that will be automatically transferred to your frequent flyer account. Currently, Virgin Money, American Express and NAB are the only card issuers on the Australian market that offer direct earn Velocity Frequent Flyer credit cards.
- Indirect earn Velocity credit card options. Rather than earning points straight into your Velocity account, these cards give you the option of transferring points from a credit card rewards program into your Velocity account. You can also redeem points for other rewards with the credit card rewards program. Currently, American Express, Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, ANZ, HSBC, St.George, Bank of Melbourne, BankSA, Citi, Suncorp Bank, Card Services and Bank of Queensland all allow you to transfer credit card rewards points to Velocity Points.
How to transfer your credit card rewards points to your Velocity account
There are also some Velocity Frequent Flyer cards that come with both a Visa or Mastercard and an American Express card. These dual or companion card accounts earn a different amount of points per $1 depending on if you use the Visa/Mastercard option or the Amex option.
Usually, the Amex earns more points per $1, while the Visa or Mastercard has wider acceptance. This type of card can help you maximise your rewards based on when and where you use your card.
How to get bonus points with a Velocity credit card
Some Velocity Frequent Flyer credit cards offer bonus points if you're a new card member. These offers have specific requirements you need to meet before you can get the bonus Velocity Points. For example, you might have to successfully apply for the card and then spend $3,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months to receive 50,000 bonus Velocity Points.
How to compare Velocity Frequent Flyer credit cards
If you want a credit card that earns Velocity Points, looking at these features will help you find one that suits your needs.
- Earn rate. This is the amount of points you'll earn per $1 spent. Looking at how much you're likely to spend on the card and the amount of Velocity Points that will earn you can help you figure out the value of the card. Remember to check if a different earn rate applies for certain types of transactions or dual card accounts so that you can maximise your rewards.
- Bonus points. If you're applying for a new card, make sure you compare the bonus point offers available and what you need to do to get them. These offers can give you thousands of Velocity Points that add value to the card you choose. But remember to also look at the ongoing features of the card to decide if it's worth it.
- Annual fee. The value you get from the points you earn each year is offset by the annual fee you pay. Some cards may halve or waive the annual fee in the first year, but it's important to consider the standard annual fee.
- Interest rates. If you regularly carry a balance, make sure you know what the standard interest rate is. There's no sense earning Velocity Points if the interest you'll accrue exceeds the monetary value of your rewards.
- Interest-free days. Most credit cards offer up to a certain number of days interest-free if you pay off your balance in full by the due date on your statement. This feature can help keep credit card costs to a minimum, but only if you fully repay the account each month.
- Complimentary travel insurance. If you have an overseas trip coming up, a credit card with complimentary travel insurance can help you save on costs. This perk is available on some Velocity credit cards, particularly more premium platinum options. The insurance usually covers you and your family for any medical expenses for illness and injury, lost or stolen luggage, legal liability and more. However, there are eligibility requirements, limits and exceptions involved, so make sure to read the terms and conditions before you apply.
- Exclusive flight offers. Some Velocity reward credit cards offer a complimentary domestic flight or flight voucher each year you have the card and meet the eligibility requirements. For example, the American Express Velocity Platinum offers a complimentary return domestic flight every year after your first card spend for that year. Similarly, the Virgin Flyer and High Flyer both offer a $129 Virgin Australia gift voucher every year when you make a retail purchase in the 2 months prior to requesting your voucher.
- Flying perks. Some Velocity credit cards also offer other flying perks, such as complimentary single entry passes to the Virgin Australia lounge or discounts on business class companion fares when you fly internationally with Virgin Australia. If you make use of these benefits, they can help offset the costs of the card.
Mistakes to avoid with Velocity Frequent Flyer credit cards
Here are a few things that you must keep in mind while using a Velocity credit card:
- Cash advances. These transactions, such as ATM cash withdrawals or foreign currency purchases, don't earn points and will accrue a fee and high cash advance interest immediately.
- Balance transfers. Balance transfers don't earn frequent flyer points and if you need to concentrate on paying down an existing debt, you probably shouldn't be using a rewards card that might tempt you to spend.
- High annual fees. Most frequent flyer credit cards come with high annual fees. Remember to make sure that the value of the rewards you'll earn will outweigh this cost.
- Capped points. Some frequent flyer credit cards have a cap on how many points you can earn. So if you reach a certain amount of points, you might earn a reduced rate or not be able to earn any more points. Based on how much you plan to spend, make sure it doesn't exceed the points cap or you could miss out on potential rewards value.
- Overspending. Make sure your frequent flyer card doesn't tempt you to spend just for the sake of earning more points. Remember that you have to repay everything you spend and the rewards won't be worth it if your balance starts collecting interest and you fall into debt.
How can I earn more points with a Velocity Frequent Flyer credit card?
A Velocity Frequent Flyer credit card gives you the opportunity to earn Velocity Points for everyday purchases. There are also strategies you can use to increase the number of points you earn as you spend.
- Shop with bonus points partners. Some credit cards will offer you bonus points when shopping with Virgin Australia and other partnered retailers. Make sure you know what bonuses are available to get more points for your money.
- Velocity status tiers. The more you fly with Virgin Australia and it's eligible partners, the more status credits you'll earn. These credits help you ascend the Velocity Status tiers. The higher the tier, the more benefits you'll get, including bonus points, advanced seat selection on flights, priority boarding, Virgin airport lounge entry and more. You'll need 250 Status Credits to move from Red to Silver status, 500 for Gold and 1,000 for Platinum.
- Pay for big ticket items on your card. If you have some major purchases to make, use your credit card for these to maximise the points you earn. Just make sure you can pay off the purchases before interest is charged, otherwise the value of the rewards could be offset by the interest you collect.
- Take advantage of bonus points offers. Some credit cards come with bonus points offers on signup, meaning you can boost your Velocity Points balance early on. You'll usually need to meet some terms and conditions, such as applying before a certain date and spending a particular amount of money in the first few months you have the card, so make sure you understand what you need to do to qualify.
- Spend with Velocity partners. As a Velocity Program member, you can also earn points on a daily basis when you shop with the program’s partners, including BP service stations, Jetts Fitness, Virgin Mobile, Lumo energy and a wide range of retailers on the Velocity eStore. Use your Velocity credit card with these partners, and you'll earn points twice: once through Velocity and once through your card.
How many points can I earn with a Velocity Frequent Flyer credit card?
If you want to work out if a Velocity credit card is right for you, a simple option is to calculate how many points you'll earn each month based on your regular monthly card spending. You can use the table below for some examples of how to estimate the points you'll earn each statement period.
| American Express Velocity Platinum Card | Virgin Australia Velocity High Flyer Card | NAB Velocity Rewards Card | |
| Annual Fee | $375 p.a. | $289 p.a. | $95 p.a. |
| Points per $1 spent in Australia | 1.5 | Up to 1 | Up to 0.75 |
| Groceries – $500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Fuel – $200 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
| Utilities – $150 | 150 | 150 | 150 |
| Phone – $100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Entertainment – $450 | 450 | 450 | 450 |
| Virgin Australia – $350 | 1,050 (purchases with Virgin Australian earn up to 3 Velocity Points) | 350 | 350 |
| Miscellaneous – $100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Total Velocity Points earned per month | 2,550 | 1,850 | 1,850 |
As you can see, the number of points you'll earn largely depends on the earn rate of the card and how much you spend each month on eligible purchases. The more you spend and the higher the earn rate, the more Velocity Points you'll earn with your Velocity Frequent Flyer credit card. When making these calculations, you should factor in whether you can afford to pay off the balance before the statement period ends (to avoid collecting interest) and whether the value of the rewards will outweigh the yearly costs of the card.
Family perks you can enjoy with a Velocity Frequent Flyer Credit Card
As a member of the Velocity program, you will also be able to take advantage of the numerous family benefits that Virgin Airlines has added to its frequent flyer program.
- Additional cardholders. Velocity Frequent Flyer credit cards often allow you to include an additional cardholder on the account. This means your partner or other eligible family members would get their own card linked to the account to help maximise rewards. Note that you would still be responsible for all spending on the credit card account.
- Parental leave. If you are a Silver, Gold or Platinum Velocity member expecting a new baby, you can pause your membership for up to six months. You can then restart it without losing your membership status.
- Transferring points. If any of your relatives are enrolled in the Velocity program, you can transfer your points between members to help redeem points faster. See our guide on how to transfer your Velocity Points between family members for more information.
- Lounge access. If you have a higher tier Velocity Frequent Flyer credit card, you'll receive VIP airport lounge access for you and a guest. Gold and Platinum Velocity Frequent Flyers can bring additional guests and up to 2 children under 12 years old to the lounge, which could mean you and your family could wait for your flight in style before your next trip.
- Perks for Gold and Platinum members. If you're higher up the Velocity status tiers, you can take advantage of guaranteed Rewards Seats each year for family holidays. Gold members can redeem points for up to four return Rewards Seats for their family for any holiday destination in Australia. Platinum members can use their points for return Reward Seats for up to four family members to a selection of hundreds of international holiday locations.
Velocity Frequent Flyer may also add benefits for family members or run specials from time to time. You can compare more family benefits of the Velocity Frequent Flyer program with our guide. While Velocity Frequent Flyer credit cards can be a smart way to pick up frequent flyer points on your everyday purchases, there are many options to choose from on the market. As they all come with different costs, earn rates and rewards potential, it's important to compare these cards to make sure you will get the most value for your money before you apply.
Pictures: Shutterstock.
Back to topFrequently asked questions
How long are Velocity points valid?
Can you claim missing Velocity point?
Yes. You can use the claim form on the Velocity website to file a claim for missing Velocity Points. All you have to is log into your account and select Claim Missing Points. You will have up to six months to claim your points with Virgin Australia, V Australia, Pacific Blue, Polynesian Blue and other partner flights. For accommodation, car hire and other partner companies, you only have three months to make your claim. Note that you may not be able to make claims for certain partner promotions if you have not given your Velocity number beforehand.
Will the Velocity program benefit my family?
Virgin Australia has added a number of family benefits for its frequent flyers. One such benefit is the ability to pool points together as a family to afford rewards earlier.
What is considered an eligible purchase?
Most everyday purchases will earn points on your card. However, eligible purchases generally exclude cash advances, balance transfers, gambling transactions and government purchases.
I am about to do major home renovations and would like to know which card would be my best option to gain Frequent Flyers whilst purchasing electrical goods and paying labour costs.
Hi Karen,
Thanks for your question. Unfortunately, we can’t actually recommend one specific card to our users as the best option depends entirely on your own financial situation.
We can, however, provide you a streamlined comparison to help you in deciding. You can check your options for frequent flyer credit cards on this page. Moreover, this page lists the eligible purchases that will let you earn reward or frequent flyer points.
I hope this has helped.
Cheers,
Liezl
What exactly qualifies as retail purchases to unlock the bonus points in the first three months, and what qualifies in general to earn points? i.e can you have your mortgage debited from the card to earn points?
Thanks,
Wendy
Hi Wendy,
Thank you for your inquiry.
Most everyday purchases will earn points on your card. However, eligible purchases generally exclude cash advances, balance transfers, gambling transactions and government purchases.
I hope this information has helped.
Cheers,
Harold
I have a NAB velocity American Express Card, does this entitle me to access Virgin Lounges ??
Hi Deb,
Thanks for your question.
If you are referring to NAB Velocity Rewards Credit Card, unfortunately, this card does not come with complimentary lounge access.
You can check this page to find out how to get Free Access to Virgin Australia Airport Lounges.
Cheers,
Anndy
Hi,
I’m looking for a new credit card and not sure where to start.
i travel with Virgin for work and catch approximately 20 flights per year.
Expenses on the credit card would be 10k-20k per year.
Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated. Velocity flyer card is what i was looking at.
All repayments are made before due dates so interest inst an issue.
Cheers,
Hi Brody,
Thank you for your inquiry. As finder.com.au is a comparison website, I’m afraid we can’t recommend one specific card to you.
Nonetheless, if you are interested in applying for a credit card that would let you earn Velocity points, you may compare the credit cards listed above. Please review the criteria by clicking the name of the card and once you’ve found a card you’re eligible for and you want to apply for, you can click “Go to Site” to head over to the card issuer’s website.
Cheers,
May
Can I transfer my qantas frequent flier points to velocity points
Hi Ivan,
Thanks for your comment.
Unfortunately, you can’t transfer your Qantas frequent flyer points to Velocity points. However, you can redeem Qantas points for flight rewards, travel perks and merchandise on the Qantas Store
Cheers,
Anndy
Application for credit cards that have a minimum annual income of $50,000
however, am only currently working part time by choice so that criteria in not achievable just yet. Is this factored into the application or is it very black and white that the minimum annual income must be met.
Hi Simon, thanks for your inquiry!
Unfortunately the minimum annual income is an application requirement and requires supporting documentation. You may like to compare low interest rate credit cards on this page, which have lower minimum income requirements.
Cheers,
Jonathan
Do you gain status credits on your companion fares purchased on your credit card? Visa Virgin money cards and AMEX platinum velocity card companion to business ? Also the free flight on offer on the AMEX do you gain status credits?
Hi Macca9988, thanks for your inquiry!
Companion membership fares will earn status credits to your account if Family Pooling is activated. Family Pooling allows you to group your family members’ Points or Points and Status Credits into one Account. Discount Economy fares/ Saver fares are ineligible for earning status credits. As a result the free flight would not qualify for this credits earning.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jonathan
I am looking at applying for a Velocity Escape Card but special offer of 15,000 points is for those applying before 30 June will those points be credited to me in good faith if I apply today?
Hi Darren,
Thanks for your question.
If the 15,000 bonus points are only available to new applicants who apply before 30 June, then you will not receive the bonus points if you apply after that date.
I hope this has answered your question.
Thanks,
Sally
With A Virgin Credit Card how do they go world wide is it recognised in a lot of countries?
Also when they say “balance transfer” can you please explain a little further to help me understand which card is better for me?
Hi Sandra,
Thanks for your question.
Depending on which of the Velocity Frequent Flyer Rewards credit cards you choose, the card will either be a Visa, MasterCard or American Express. As each of these credit card types are widely accepted around the world, you will be able to use your card and access your funds internationally.
Velocity rewards credit cards can also be used to earn and redeem points with Virgin Airways and their international airline partners, allowing you to earn and use the rewards points you receive on your card internationally.
A balance transfer refers to the process of transferring a balance from an existing account to a new credit card account with another credit card company. Balance transfers are usually done to move your balance to a card with a lower interest rate in an attempt to better manage existing debt.
If a balance transfer sounds of interest, you may wish to compare some of your credit card options here.
I hope this has helped.
Thanks,
Sally
I have recently started using the velocity frequent flyer card and have notched up a few points but as my permanent card crossed in the post was unable to claim the points on a recent flight. I attempted to add my points for the flight which was about just over 2 weeks ago. When the add lost points page comes up it keeps telling me there is an error. In tried to ring but was told I would have a considerable wait, I tried the contact us page on the velocity web site that will not download the form so this is the only way I can contact you, please let me know how I can sort this out..
Hi Tuck,
Thanks for your question.
Just to confirm, you have come through to finder.com.au, not Velocity.
As stated on the Velocity Frequent Flyer website, you can claim points for travel completed on Virgin Australia or with Virgin’s airline partners up to 30 days prior to joining Velocity Frequent Flyer.
To claim your missing points, you will need to email your Velocity membership number and a copy of your electronic ticket and boarding pass to Velocity. I’ve emailed you their email address directly.
If your claim is successful, your points will be credited to your account between two and six weeks of submission.
I hope this has answered your question.
Thanks,
Sally