Trying to find a way to use your hotel reward points? Here's how they could boost your Velocity account balance.
If you've been hoarding hotel reward points, you could trade them in for Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer points to redeem for anything from flights to upgrades and more. This guide explains how you can exchange points from partnered hotel loyalty programs (such as Starwood Preferred Guest and Hilton Honors) to your Velocity account.
CURRENT OFFER
There's currently a 20% bonus for transfers made from some hotel rewards programs to the Velocity program until 31 May 2019. The bonus is being offered for transfers made from Marriott Bonvoy, Le Club Accor Hotels, Shangri-La, Hilton Honors and IHG Rewards Club.
There's also a 15% bonus when transferring from flybuys, and bonuses for transferring from some credit card rewards programs. Minimum transfer amounts apply.
Which hotel points can you transfer to your Velocity account?
The following table displays which hotel loyalty programs are available for transfers as well as their conversion rate to Velocity Points:
| Hotel loyalty program | Exchange rate | Transfer limits |
|---|---|---|
| Starwood Preferred Guest | 1 Starpoint = 1 Velocity Point | Minimum transfer requirement of 2,500 Starpoints for Preferred Guests and 1,500 Starpoints for Gold Preferred Guests applies. |
| Le Club AccorHotels | 1 Le Club AccorHotels = 1 Velocity Point | A minimum transfer of 4,000 Le Club AccorHotels Points per transaction. |
| Choice Privileges | 20,000 Choice Privileges points = 3,000 Velocity Points | The minimum transfer amount is 20,000 Choice Privileges points per conversion. |
| Hilton Honors | 10,000 Honors = 1,500 Velocity Points | Exchanges are in increments of 10,000 points. |
| IHG Rewards club | 10,000 IHG Rewards Club = 2,000 Velocity Points | No limits. |
| Shangri-La Golden Circle | 1 Golden Circle Award = 1 Velocity Point | A minimum transfer amount of 2,500 GC Award Points, with subsequent 500 point increments. |
How can you transfer points from your hotel account to your Velocity account?
- Starwood Preferred Guest. You can call Starwood to request a points transfer to your Velocity account. If you are a Preferred Guest phone 1800 450 010. Gold Preferred Guests can call 1800 072 525, and Platinum Preferred Guests can call 1800 450 020.
- Le Club AccorHotels. To transfer points, members must log into their Le Club AccorHotels account at the Le Club website.
- Choice Privileges. You can transfer your Choice Privileges points online at choiceprivileges.com or by calling the Choice Service Center on 132 400 and providing your Velocity membership number.
- Hilton Honors. To convert your Honors Points into Velocity Points, contact your local Hilton Reservations on 1800 449 4155 or go to the exchange section of your Honors account.
- IHG Rewards club. To transfer your points, call the IHG Rewards Club on 02 9935 8362.
- Shangri-La Golden Circle. To transfer your GC Points to your Velocity Points account, log into your Golden Circle account and select transfer Points to Miles.
What limitations and restrictions do you need to consider?
- Points available. In most cases, it will take up to six weeks for the points to be allocated to your Velocity Account.
- Same name. Your Starwood Preferred Guest account and Velocity Account must have an identical member name in order to complete this request. Different names will cause the transfer to reject.
- Reverse transfer. Once you have transferred your points from one account to the other, they cannot be returned to the original account.
The partnership between these hotel loyalty programs and Virgin Australia opens up more opportunities for you to earn and redeem points. If you’re considering transferring points between accounts, check out the comparison rates to confirm which offers better value.
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