Velocity Status Benefits on Partner Airlines

[AFF Editor]

Priority check-in isn't listed in the guide for SQ but according to the Velocity website it is a benefit for both Gold and Platinum passengers.

Velocity Frequent Flyer | The loyalty program of Virgin Australia

Explore the benefits available to Velocity Platinum members.

www.velocityfrequentflyer.com

I checked with Velocity, and they say priority baggage is indeed still offered to Gold frequent flyers travelling with Etihad. They've said they'll update their website.

I've updated the AFF article with the correct info.

 

[Thibault]

Etihad has moved to branded fares as below :

https://www.etihadhub.com/content/dam/eag/etihadairways/etihadhub/assets/documents/Branded%20Fares%20FAQs.pdf

Would anyone has credited a new EY branded fare to Velocity recently ?

Still on a fare class basis or a branded fare class basis?

If I buy a current Q fare in Value - looks like it will translate to the old EY / Velocity Economy standards earning rate ?

 

[Sydneyh0!]

Complete Guide to Velocity Status Benefits on Partner Airlines is an article written by the AFF editorial team:

Complete Guide to Velocity Status Benefits on Partner Airlines

Velocity Silver, Gold & Platinum members of Virgin Australia's frequent flyer program receive selected benefits when flying partner airlines.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

Is it still the case when traveling domestic with United that Velocity Gold get 1st Checked Bag for free?

 

[muppet]

I thought I’d provide a data point on travelling South African Airways (SA) as a VA SG in Y:

- priority checkin and priority baggage denied
- lounge access granted.

Oddly, the online checkin page showed VA Gold status but the printed boarding pass didn’t.

It was at JNB so not some outstation. For the record:

 

[henrus]

I thought I’d provide a data point on travelling South African Airways (SA) as a VA SG in Y:

- priority checkin and priority baggage denied
- lounge access granted.

Oddly, the online checkin page showed VA Gold status but the printed boarding pass didn’t.

It was at JNB so not some outstation. For the record:

This is somewhat surprising, often these things are the other way around where priority check in is granted but lounge access denied.

 

[AFF Editor]

I thought I’d provide a data point on travelling South African Airways (SA) as a VA SG in Y:

- priority checkin and priority baggage denied
- lounge access granted.

Oddly, the online checkin page showed VA Gold status but the printed boarding pass didn’t.

It was at JNB so not some outstation. For the record:
View attachment 444647

Thanks for providing this feedback. We got in touch with Virgin Australia about this, and they say they'll ensure the South African Airways teams are reminded of the partnership details.

Velocity Gold Member Denied Benefits on South African Airways

South African Airways has refused to provide advertised status benefits including priority check-in at its home airport to a Velocity Gold member.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[Brittany239]

I had the same thing happen when flying SAA in December last year. Arrived in Johannesburg and was flying SAA to Durban. Staff refused to allow me my extra baggage allowance as a velocity platinum member. I had just flown from Australia so had extra luggage that I was now not able to check in. Asked to speak to a manager who said she had never heard of any partner benefits for virgin australia/velocity frequent flyers. In the end I had to pay for an additional bag

 

[pauly7]

I thought I’d provide a data point on travelling South African Airways (SA) as a VA SG in Y:

- priority checkin and priority baggage denied
- lounge access granted.

Oddly, the online checkin page showed VA Gold status but the printed boarding pass didn’t.

It was at JNB so not some outstation. For the record:
View attachment 444647

Disappointing but not surprising.

 

[pabloako]

Try flying United.
What you can and can't get is pretty confusing and when you can get lounge access, the lounge staff don't even know what Velocity is. I have been turned away 4 times now, so have given up trying.

 

[HS-TQE]

Had reports from a former work colleague that the NZ/VA double dipping on points/SCs (putting NZ FF on the NZ PNR provided by VA) still work.

As for lounge access in AKL, as long as you're holding a Star Gold card on a VA codeshare, they should let you in the NZ lounge per *A rules.

 

[muppet]

I thought I’d provide a data point on travelling South African Airways (SA) as a VA SG in Y:

- priority checkin and priority baggage denied
- lounge access granted.

Oddly, the online checkin page showed VA Gold status but the printed boarding pass didn’t.

It was at JNB so not some outstation. For the record:

And just to close this out for the return flight, I specifically asked for priority baggage at Victoria Falls and was told no as the system doesn’t show Gold status.

No SAA Lounge at VFA so nothing to report there.

My online / print at home boarding pass did note VA Gold but not the version printed at the airport.

 

[Bolthead]

"Earn bonus Velocity points on selected partner airlines​

You can earn Velocity points and status credits when flying any of Virgin Australia’s partner airlines, regardless of your status tier. Tiered Velocity frequent flyers can also earn bonus points – 50% for Silver members, 75% for Gold members or 100% for Platinum members – when flying with:

• Air Canada
• All Nippon Airways (ANA)
• Qatar Airways
• Singapore Airlines
• United Airlines"

My understanding is you only get the bonus tier points if you book via the Virgin website using a VA flight number. I am happy to be corrected.....

 

[turkey101]

Try flying United.
What you can and can't get is pretty confusing and when you can get lounge access, the lounge staff don't even know what Velocity is. I have been turned away 4 times now, so have given up trying.

On our last trip the the USA in January, we had no problems at all entering the United Lounges - even with a child guest. But we ended up in long protracted arguments with check-in staff over baggage allowance. Each time we had to raise it with a Supervisor who then solved it within seconds. Very annoying that check in staff weren't even interested in the info I showed them from both VA and UA websites. My computer says 'no'. Then the Supervisor pushes a different button and the computer says 'yes'.

 

[MissingScurrah]

"Earn bonus Velocity points on selected partner airlines​

You can earn Velocity points and status credits when flying any of Virgin Australia’s partner airlines, regardless of your status tier. Tiered Velocity frequent flyers can also earn bonus points – 50% for Silver members, 75% for Gold members or 100% for Platinum members – when flying with:

• Air Canada
• All Nippon Airways (ANA)
• Qatar Airways
• Singapore Airlines
• United Airlines"

My understanding is you only get the bonus tier points if you book via the Virgin website using a VA flight number. I am happy to be corrected.....

This is correct for all except United where the bonus points apply regardless of whether you are on a VA or UA code. This is not very clear on the Velocity website and you need to go digging into the Ts&Cs to find this info. I think this is something a lot of people miss (I certainly did the first time I tried to credit an SQ flight to VFF after obtaining status), and would be a helpful thing for the article to mention.

 

[flying_rac]

On our last trip the the USA in January, we had no problems at all entering the United Lounges - even with a child guest. But we ended up in long protracted arguments with check-in staff over baggage allowance. Each time we had to raise it with a Supervisor who then solved it within seconds. Very annoying that check in staff weren't even interested in the info I showed them from both VA and UA websites. My computer says 'no'. Then the Supervisor pushes a different button and the computer says 'yes'.

Just one data point, but had no issues with recent trip to US/Mexico flying as VA Gold. I noticed at the bottom of my booking confirmation email, there was a table of showing included baggage as per image. I printed off this just incase we ran into issues but thankfully did not need it!

 

[Stuser]

"Earn bonus Velocity points on selected partner airlines​

You can earn Velocity points and status credits when flying any of Virgin Australia’s partner airlines, regardless of your status tier. Tiered Velocity frequent flyers can also earn bonus points – 50% for Silver members, 75% for Gold members or 100% for Platinum members – when flying with:

• Air Canada
• All Nippon Airways (ANA)
• Qatar Airways
• Singapore Airlines
• United Airlines"

My understanding is you only get the bonus tier points if you book via the Virgin website using a VA flight number. I am happy to be corrected.....

I feel like this is one of those … shall we say… bullshit “benefits”…. In my personal experience, trying to book a Singapore airlines flight on the Virgin website is either extra expensive or just plain impossible.

 

[PERLHR]

I feel like this is one of those … shall we say… bullshit “benefits”…. In my personal experience, trying to book a Singapore airlines flight on the Virgin website is either extra expensive or just plain impossible.

Wish it was status credits and not points!! I see same prices for various destinations on VA and on SQ site. I was looking for early next year.

 

[Stuser]

You’re lucky, because the places I fly to on SQ aren’t available on the VA website…

Wish it was status credits and not points!! I see same prices for various destinations on VA and on SQ site. I was looking for early next year.

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