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We may sign up for frequent flyer memberships on our own, but there are times when these loyalty accounts can help the whole family – and boost rewards in the process. It’s this area of service that sets Virgin’s Velocity Frequent Flyer program apart from many others, with a dedicated range of Family Benefits that make it easier for members to include their loved ones.
Velocity provides members with various ways to share perks with family members, whether in the form of sharing and pooling points, booking airfares for one another, or inviting guests to the airport lounge. To ensure you and your family get the most out of your Velocity Points, here are the key family benefits you can enjoy.
There are four main Family Benefits categories that any Velocity member can use. These are focused on earning and sharing points, but also offer some key features for new parents or parents-to-be. Here’s a breakdown of each feature and how or when you can use them to your (and your family’s) advantage.
Family Pooling lets you combine Velocity Frequent Flyer points and Status Credits with other family members that live at the same home address. You can add up to six family members to a pool – including a nominated beneficiary – with a maximum of two adults and four children under 18 years of age.
Pooled points and Status Credits are then available to a nominated Velocity member within the family, known as the beneficiary. The beneficiary can then use them for any rewards redemption such as flights, or to upgrade to a higher membership level. It’s great for families that travel a lot, as it means everyone can earn points individually, but then share the points for future bookings.
You can set up Family Pooling in a few simple steps:
When you pool your points and Status Credits, the beneficiary is the one that gets access to any new points or Status Credits you earn. That also means you’ll only have access to the points and Status Credits you had before signing up (until they expire). So if you’re a few Status Credits off a higher membership level (Silver, Gold or Platinum), it might be better to wait until you reach that membership level before signing up to pool both points and Status Credits.
You can also update your Family Pooling to go to a different beneficiary following the same steps above. This is a handy option if you want someone else to be able to reach a higher Status Level or earn points for a particular rewards goal.
When you are a Silver, Gold or Platinum Velocity member, you usually have to maintain this status by earning a set amount of Status Credits every year. If you are expecting a new addition to your family, travel could be less frequent for a while. That’s where Membership Pause can be useful – it lets you maintain your current membership level for a six-month period. Then, when the Membership Pause period ends, you will resume your membership at the same level for another 12 months.
When you’re approved for Membership Pause, you can also continue to earn and redeem points and Status Credits. Your existing Status Credits also expire as usual (but your membership level stays the same). A membership pause can be used once for every child under the age of two, and it’s available for both parents of the same child.
These terms give you a great amount of flexibility to choose the right time to pause your membership, whether that’s just before or after pregnancy, or in the first two years of your child’s life. You can set up a membership pause by calling the Membership Centre and requesting it.
Keep in mind that you may also be asked to provide documentation for the child, whether it’s related to pregnancy, recent or future childbirth or adoption of a child.
Velocity recommends any of the following as supporting documentation:
It’s a good idea to have these details handy before you call so that you can refer to it as necessary. That way the Membership Pause can be set up as quickly as possible and you can get on with things.
As the name suggests, this feature gives you the option of transferring points from your account to that of another family member. All you have to do is login to your account, select “Points Transfer – Family”, fill out their details, and tick the terms and conditions boxes. You can even send a message with the points if you want. We've highlighted the steps here.
It’s also important to note that the way you choose to transfer points can make a difference. While it’s free to do a family points transfer online, it will cost $20 if you call the Membership Centre and request the transfer that way.
Pets are a part of the family for many people, so Velocity has made it possible to earn points for your pets travel and care needs in three different ways:
These pet options have set Virgin apart from the competition in Australia when it comes to earning reward points. Plus, it makes it easier to include your pets in the family travel plans, whatever and wherever they may be.
Back to topIf you are a Gold or Platinum Velocity member, you get access to a number of additional Family Benefits options when it comes to booking flights, lounge access and membership levels.
Velocity will help you find the Economy Rewards Seats you want when booking a family trip for up to four people. This guarantees the rewards seat price, and applies to any destination in Australia for Gold members, as well as hundreds of worldwide destinations for Platinum members. This is a great option if your family wants to travel at a peak time, such as Easter, school holidays or the Christmas period.
It’s also good to know that while the Guaranteed Reward Seats option will expire if it’s not redeemed before the Gold or Platinum Membership review date, the travel dates for flights can be outside of that. So if you were a Gold member when you booked, but don’t earn enough Status Credits to maintain in a few months later, you’ll still get the benefit of your pre-booked, Guaranteed Reward Seats. You can also make bookings while on a Membership Pause for Parental Leave, and while the points used for these bookings have to come out of the Gold or Platinum member’s account, you may be able to use a combination of points-plus-pay if you don’t have enough points for all four Reward Seats.
Gold Velocity members can invite one additional guest into the Virgin Australia, and Platinum members can invite up to three additional guests. Both Gold and Platinum members can also be accompanied in the lounge by up to two children under the age of 12. To access a Virgin Australia Lounge, you will have to show your membership card and travel itinerary or boarding pass. You may also need to sign your guest or guests in, or show they are travelling with you. So make sure you have all these details handy when you get to the airport lounge.
Platinum members can gift a Gold or Platinum membership to a family member or friend using additional Status Credits. To gift a Gold membership, you need to earn an extra 500 Status Credits and for Platinum you need to earn 1,000.
It’s worth noting these credits are only available for gifting a membership once you earn enough to maintain your own Platinum status. Otherwise it’s a great opportunity to share the perks with a loved one when you are a frequent flyer.
With all of these family benefits available through Velocity, you have a greater range of opportunities to earn and use points, book family trips, take care of your pets and get more out of being a frequent flyer member. The program is also updated on a regular basis, so keep an eye out for updates throughout the year to stay on top of all the ways you and your family can reap these rewards.
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I will be paying for my grandchild to travel with me overseas. We do not live at same address but we do have same surname. How can I get status credits & ff points added to my frequent flyer number?
Hello Gina,
Thank you for your inquiry.
As per Family Pooling Terms and Conditions 14.9 The Beneficiary Account and Contributing Accounts must be held by Members of a family living at the same residential address.
This is an eligibility requirement for the additional status credits/points to be earned.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jonathan