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A Velocity credit card gives you a way to earn frequent flyer points for every $1 you spend on eligible purchases with your card. When you factor in Velocity Everyday Partners and regular transfer bonuses, a credit card that earns Velocity Points could get you the trip, rewards, or status you're looking for sooner.
Use this guide to compare Velocity Frequent Flyer credit cards and learn more so that you can choose the best card for you.
Many Velocity Frequent Flyer cards boast thousands of bonus points on sign up, which is an easy way to boost your balance. Be sure to compare these offers and their spend requirements.
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How do Velocity Frequent Flyer credit cards work?
G'day, I'm Angus Kidman from finder and I'm here to talk to you about frequent flyer credit card bonus points offers.
These are the offers that you see where it says "hey sign up for this credit card and we'll give you 100,000 bonus frequent flyer points" and that's a really tempting offer. You know, that many points could get you on a return trip to London.
And this can be a great way to top up your reward point balance but you do have to be aware of the traps. Now the biggest trap is this: very often these cards will have some kind of spend requirement where you have to spend a certain amount of money within a given period of time in order to qualify for the full set of points.
So let's say that I saw an offer that promised 50,000 Qantas Frequent Flyer Reward Points. Great I think, but then when I actually look at the conditions it turns out that I have to spend $5,000 on that card within the first three months in order to get those bonus points.
Now you probably could do that with your everyday spending, but there's something else you need to be aware of and that's that you can only spend on what are known as eligible transactions.
So normal regular purchases like groceries or petrol or Hawaiian shirts are totally covered by that but there are some things that aren't. Usually you'll find that payments to Bpay, payments to the ATO or cash advances will not be included as eligible transactions so make sure you're aware of what the rules are and what the time period is where you have to make those purchases.
Every single card is going to have a slightly different kind of offer so it's really important to understand all the details before you sign up for it.
Now if you compare frequent flyer credit cards at finder as well as showing you all those terms and conditions we'll also tell you about the key features of the card. Things like the annual fee and the interest rate on purchases, and that way you can pick a card that not only helps you maximise your points total but is also a great card for everyday spending.
How can I earn points with a Velocity credit card?
When you apply for a Velocity credit card, you'll be asked to link it to your frequent flyer account. You'll automatically earn Velocity Points as you make eligible purchases and they're usually credited to your account at the end of each statement period. If you have a credit card with a bank rewards program that's partnered with Velocity (Amex Membership Rewards, for example), usually you need to transfer your reward points to Velocity points through the card issuer's website.
What is an eligible purchase on a Velocity frequent flyer credit card?
You can earn Velocity Points on most everyday spending with your frequent flyer credit card. This could include grocery shopping, travel bookings and overseas spending. Eligible purchases vary by card issuer but usually exclude cash advances, balance transfers, gambling transactions and government purchases.
Types of credit cards that earn Velocity points
When you're comparing Velocity credit cards, there are two main options to consider:
Direct earn Velocity Frequent Flyer credit cards. These cards allow you to earn Velocity Points that are automatically transferred to your frequent flyer account. Currently, Virgin Money and American Express are the only card issuers in Australia that offer direct earn Velocity Frequent Flyer credit cards.
Velocity Point transfers from rewards credit cards. 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. Currently, American Express, Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, ANZ, HSBC, St.George, Bank of Melbourne, BankSA, Citi, Suncorp Bank, Card Services and Bank of Queensland give you the option of transferring credit card rewards points to Velocity Points. You can also redeem points for other rewards offered directly through the credit card rewards program.
Information about ANZ Rewards and Velocity Points
Due to changes to the Velocity Frequent Flyer program in 2020 – including limited ways to use points – ANZ has removed the option to transfer ANZ Rewards points to your Velocity account. According to the ANZ Rewards website, it will follow updates on the Velocity Frequent Flyer program, with the"hope to bring this option back to you soon". We will update this page as new information becomes available. You can also check the ANZ Rewards website for further information on point transfers and other reward options.
How to find the best credit card for earning Velocity Frequent Flyer points
If you want a rewards credit card that earns Velocity Points, looking at these features will help you find one that suits your needs:
Earn rate. This is the number of points you'll earn per $1 spent and, generally, 1 Velocity Point per $1 is a competitive earn rate for a direct earn card. Make sure you also check for any points caps or spend thresholds in your comparison.
Bonus points. When you sign up for a new Velocity credit card you can usually take advantage of bonus point offers ranging from 40,000 - 120,000 points depending on the card.
Annual fee. Although some Velocity Frequent Flyer cards charge $0 annual fees, you can usually expect more competitive earn rates and extra features if a card has a higher annual fee.
Interest rates. This will usually hover around 20% p.a. If you regularly carry a balance between statement periods, the interest costs you'll accrue can easily outweigh the value of your Velocity Points. So, rewards cards are best suited to cardholders who regularly pay their account in full.
Complimentary travel insurance. A Velocity credit card that offers complimentary travel insurance can help you save on the cost of buying cover outright. While complimentary credit card travel insurance conditions vary between providers, usually you and eligible family members travelling with you will get cover for medical expenses, lost or stolen luggage and legal liability.
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 Virgin Australia Velocity Flyer and High Flyer credit cards 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.
Lounge passes. Many Velocity Frequent Flyer cards also offer complimentary single entry passes to Virgin Australia lounges, where you can enjoy complimentary food and beverages, high-speed Wi-Fi, dedicated check-in, bathrooms and shower facilities as well as meeting rooms and working spaces. If you have an American Express Velocity card, you may also receive passes to visit the American Express lounges at Sydney and Melbourne airport.
How can I earn more points with a Velocity Frequent Flyer credit card?
Here are some of the ways you could maximise the Velocity Points you earn with a frequent flyer credit card:
Shop with bonus points partners. Some Velocity frequent flyer credit cards offer bonus points for spending with specific partners. For example, you may be able to earn bonus Velocity Points when shopping with Virgin Australia, another retail partner or when you spend money overseas. Make sure you know what bonuses are available so you can get more Velocity Points with your credit card. The complete list of Velocity everyday partners is available on the Velocity website.
Pay for big ticket items on your card. Booking travel, buying furniture or going to a major event, paying with your Velocity credit card can help you earn more points for these big-ticket expenses. Just make sure you can pay off the purchases before interest is charged, otherwise the cost could outweigh the value of the Velocity Points you earned.
Take advantage of bonus points offers. Many Velocity credit cards offer bonus points when you first sign up for a card, which will help boost your frequent flyer balance. You'll usually need to meet some conditions to take advantage, such as spending a particular amount of money in the first few months you have the card.
Spend with Velocity partners. As a Velocity member, you can also earn points when you spend with program partners such as Virgin Australia, Coles, BP service stations, Jetts Fitness, Virgin Mobile and a wide range of retailers on the Velocity eStore. If you use your Velocity credit card with these partners, you'll earn points twice: once through Velocity and once through your card. See our guide to earning Velocity Points to get started.
Additional cardholders. Many Velocity Frequent Flyer credit cards allow you to link additional cardholders to the single account. All of the points earned on the additional card are pooled within the one Velocity account. This can be an easy way to boost your Velocity Points if you request an additional card for your partner or for employees if you're using a business card.
Score more perks with Velocity Status Credits
Occasionally, Velocity Frequent Flyer credit cards offer Status Credits when cardholders meet spend requirements. Outside of these promotional offers, you can also earn Status Credits on flights and with Coles Flybuys. You'll also earn 1 Status Credit per $100 spent at Coles, Coles Online, Liquorland or First Choice Liquor when you've linked your Flybuys card to your Velocity account.
Unlike points, you can use the Status Credits to ascend the Velocity membership tiers. You need 250 Status Credits to move from Red to Silver status, 500 for Gold and 1,000 for Platinum. The specific perks vary between the Status levels, but you can look forward to bonus earn rates and travel perks like priority boarding and check-in, Virgin Australia airport lounge passes, additional baggage allowances and more.
It's not common to find a Velocity credit card that also offers Status Credits, so this is considered a competitive extra feature.
How many points can I earn with a Velocity Frequent Flyer credit card?
The maximum number of Velocity Points you can earn with your credit card will depend on the card's bonus points offer and earn rate as well as how much you spend. While you're comparing Velocity Frequent Flyer credit cards, you can calculate how many points you'll earn each month based on these factors and your regular monthly card spend.
You can use the table below for some examples of how to estimate the points you'll earn each statement period.
Card costs and monthly spend
American Express Velocity Platinum Card
Virgin Australia Velocity High Flyer Card
Annual Fee
$375 p.a.
$289 p.a.
Points per $1 spent on eligible purchases
1.25 points per $1 (0.5 points per $1 with government bodies in Australia).
Plus 1 additional point per $1 for eligible Virgin Australia purchases.
1 point per $1 up to 8,000 points per month, then 0.5 points per $1 for the remainder of that statement period.
Groceries – $500
625
500
Fuel – $200
250
200
Streaming/subscriptions – $40
50
40
Phone – $100
125
100
Dining out – $200
250
200
Virgin Australia – $500
1,125
500
Entertainment – $100
125
100
Total Velocity Points earned per month
2,550
1,640
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.
Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer credit cards can be a smart way to get more frequent flyer rewards from your everyday purchases. With so many different costs, earn rates and other perks available, comparing a range of Velocity credit cards and offers will help you apply for one that suits your needs.
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Amy Bradney-George has been writing about personal finance for more than 13 years – including over 600 articles as a senior writer for Finder. Her work has also appeared in publications including Money Magazine, The Sydney Morning Herald, Financy, ABC News Australia and Equity Magazine. Amy has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Drama from Griffith University.
This card offers 0% interest on balance transfers for 36 months, a discounted $29 first year annual fee and platinum benefits including airport lounge passes and complimentary insurance covers.
The American Express Velocity Business Card earns points per $1 spent and offers complimentary travel insurance and two complimentary Virgin Australia lounge passes each year.
The Amex Qantas Business Rewards Card offers 150,000 bonus Qantas Points, no pre-set spending limit and platinum perks including complimentary insurances.
Enjoy an introductory 90,000 bonus Citi reward Points, a $100 Coles eGift card, plus a reduced first-year annual fee with this Citi Rewards Card offer.
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