A large number of Velocity Frequent Flyer members are set to lose their points if they don’t take any action by the 30th of June.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Virgin Australia’s Velocity program paused all expiration of frequent flyer points. This was a very generous policy and the right thing to do. But the extension on the validity of Velocity Points will shortly come to an end.
From 1 July 2023, Velocity Frequent Flyer points will resume expiring if there has been no activity on a member’s account for two years. This was the airline’s pre-COVID policy, and is still more generous than Qantas Frequent Flyer’s policy where points expire after 18 months of account inactivity.
How Velocity members can ensure their points don’t expire
Velocity Frequent Flyer members who haven’t earned or used any points for more than two years must take action now to avoid losing their hard-earned points balance.
The good news is that Velocity Frequent Flyer makes it very easy to keep your points alive. All that members need to do is earn or redeem at least one Velocity Point by 30 June, 2023. Every time someone earns or uses Velocity Points, this extends the life of their entire points balance for another two years.
Australian Frequent Flyer editor Matt Graham said that the easiest way for Australians to earn Velocity Points is by shopping at 7-Eleven.
“All you need to do is scan your Velocity card when buying a $2 coffee or a bar of chocolate from 7-Eleven. You’ll earn 2 points per dollar spent, which may not sound like much, but that activity will extend the life of your entire Velocity Points balance for another two years,” Mr Graham said.
“You can even earn 250 bonus Velocity Points by downloading the ‘My 7-Eleven’ app, linking your Velocity account and scanning your digital card in-store by 30 June. Points from 7-Eleven will generally credit to your Velocity Frequent Flyer account within a day or two – perfect for people who need to earn some points quickly.”
Flybuys members can also transfer some points into Velocity Frequent Flyer, with 1,000 Flybuys points netting 500 Velocity Points. Most Australian credit card reward programs and hotel loyalty programs also let their members transfer points into Velocity Frequent Flyer.
Velocity members can even earn points for free by recycling bottles or cans with Envirobank.
Redeeming Velocity Points will also count as immediate activity that resets the expiration date of your points. For example, you could redeem for a Virgin Australia flight from Sydney to Melbourne from as little as 6,200 Velocity Points, plus $34.39 in taxes & carrier charges.
“If you’ve been saving up your Velocity Points for a holiday, now would be a great time to use them,” Graham said.
The cheapest thing you can buy with Velocity Points is a $25 ‘Ultimate’ gift card for 4,903 points on the Velocity Rewards Store.
Australian Frequent Flyer’s guide to preventing Velocity Points from expiring has lots more helpful tips and ideas.
Some things to look out for
There can be a delay before points earned from some types of activities are credited to a member’s frequent flyer account. For example, points earned from Velocity eStore purchases or credit card sign-up bonuses could take up to a few months to arrive. Velocity members with points expiring on 30 June should they receive new points by that date.
Also, beware that transferring points from a family member, including through Family Pooling, as well as earning status credits, does not count as activity that extends the validity of Velocity Points.
Points expiration policies of other airlines
Singapore Airlines’ KrisFlyer program also extended the validity of its members’ KrisFlyer miles until 30 June 2023, due to COVID-19. From next month, Singapore Airlines’ usual policy where KrisFlyer miles expire after a fixed term of three years will continue to apply.
Qantas Frequent Flyer points continue to expire if members don’t have any account activity for 18 months. This policy has not changed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. But it’s very easy to earn Qantas Points regularly – even by simply walking or sleeping.
All good things must come to an end
“Velocity Frequent Flyer’s decision not to let any points expire during the pandemic was a very welcome one. It shows that Velocity cares about its members,” Mr Graham said.
“Sadly, all good things must come to an end. If you know someone who hasn’t used their Velocity Frequent Flyer account for a while, make sure they earn or redeem at least one point by the end of this month!”
More details are available on the Australian Frequent Flyer website at: https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/inactive-velocity-accounts-points-expire/
Key Facts:
- Velocity Frequent Flyer will resume its normal policy where points expire after two years of account inactivity on 30 June 2023
- Velocity members with inactive accounts can ensure their existing points don't expire by earning or redeeming at least one Velocity Point by 30 June
- It's very easy to earn and use Velocity Points, for example, by buying a $2 coffee from 7-Eleven and scanning your Velocity Frequent Flyer card at the checkout.
About us:
Australian Frequent Flyer is Australia's largest online frequent flyer community since 1998, and an advocate for travellers and members of loyalty programs. We provide independent analysis and are not affiliated with any airlines or loyalty programs.
Contact details:
Matt Graham - Editor, Australian Frequent Flyer
