Our newest partnership revealed; American Express & Velocity Rewards

[pshepvic]

This thread was ~30 minutes early! But it's been a very long day, I'm going to bed.

One thing I would like to know, in hindsight, is whether the 2-for-1 business class deal applies to domestic DJ flights. I only read through the info very quickly, but I think it only referred to VA and codeshares on DL.

I think it was only V Australia international and codeshares with Delta. But domestic would be awesome!

I need some sleep too. Good night all!

 

[Noob]

QANTAS or VIRGIN - SYD to LAX for TWO

Random flight dates: 15th of October, and return 15th November 2011


QANTAS

FULL BUSINESS FARE = $14,285.14 (return) x 2

TOTAL COST for two FULL Business class travelers = $28,570.00
​

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA with New VELOCITY/AMEX PLATINUM

FULL BUSINESS FARE = $14,158.14 (return)

+ $153.14 Taxes/surcharges for second J class ticket.

TOTAL COST for two FULL Business class travelers

VELOCITY/AMEX PLATINUM = $14,311.28

​

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA is a huge $14,258.72 Cheaper.

 

[m_ratt]

QANTAS or VIRGIN - SYD to LAX for TWO

Random flight dates: 15th of October, and return 15th November 2011
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA is a huge $14,258.72 Cheaper.

But given you only HAVE to buy the full price business seats for the VA/Amex reward, what difference if you compare 2x discount QF J to 1x Full VA J + extra taxes?Searching...

 

[connieguy]

TOTAL COST for two FULL Business class QF travelers = $28,570.00
TOTAL COST for two FULL Business class DJ travelers = $14,311.28

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA is a huge $14,258.72 Cheaper.

When this sinks into the Corp Oz accountants brain and they start moving long haul international J business away from QF and over to DJ, well there may just be a J fare war coming over the horizon. Especially as QF are ripping out F seats and replacing them with J seats. They will need well paying warm bodies to fill those seats and if those warm bodies are siting in DJ seats, well we live in interesting times.

Seems the old dog on the block may need to learn some new tricks and quick.

Wonder how long now until QF announces the WP1 requirements and benefits?

 

[connieguy]

But given you only HAVE to buy the full price business seats for the VA/Amex reward, what difference if you compare 2x discount QF J to 1x Full VA J + extra taxes?Searching...

I found for DJ Syd/Lax in J:

A$4,378 for J Deal
A$7,109 for J Flex

So 2 x J Deal at A$8,756 versus 1 x J Flex @ A$7,109. If the charges for the extra seat are less that A$1,647 then you save money on the 2 x J seats at the J Flex price.

 

[coolsteps]

the new American Express Velocity Gold Card

i was thinking of doing a product transfer to this new Amex card but i dont fancy paying the $199 fee

anyone had luck getting the annual waived?

• Earn 2.5 Velocity Points for every $1 spent on purchases made on the Card[SUP]1[/SUP] in Australia with the Virgin Australia group of airlines and 1.25 Points for every $1 spent everywhere else[SUP]1[/SUP]
• Escape the hustle and bustle of the airport with two complimentary single entry passes to the Virgin Australia lounge each year[SUP]2[/SUP]
• Complimentary Domestic and International Travel Insurance when you purchase tickets with your Card or Velocity Points[SUP]4[/SUP]
• Access to Supplementary Cards at no extra cost[SUP]5[/SUP] and Points earned on each Supplementary Card will be credited to your Velocity Account[SUP]1[/SUP]

American Express Velocity Gold Card | New from American Express AU

 

[leemin]

Nice cards, but as an undergrad student, AmEx approval criteria are still out of reach for me..

Oh well. I'll sit tight for the partnership with FlyBuys lunch

On another note, being a bit of a 'logo nerd', I wonder - won't the name and logo on this card become obsolete in a few months in all probability? An old logo on a relatively new card would annoy my obsessive compulsive side if I could actually apply for one.

 

[drron]

QANTAS or VIRGIN - SYD to LAX for TWO

Random flight dates: 15th of October, and return 15th November 2011


QANTAS

FULL BUSINESS FARE = $14,285.14 (return) x 2

TOTAL COST for two FULL Business class travelers = $28,570.00
​

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA with New VELOCITY/AMEX PLATINUM

FULL BUSINESS FARE = $14,158.14 (return)

+ $153.14 Taxes/surcharges for second J class ticket.

TOTAL COST for two FULL Business class travelers

VELOCITY/AMEX PLATINUM = $14,311.28

​

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA is a huge $14,258.72 Cheaper.

I'm sorry but these 2 for 1 deals are really not attractive for almost all punters.A quick search has revealed-
NZ-$6629
Delta-$6399
Korean-$5779
VA-$6699

And all of these include taxes.
Even on the much maligned QF on a simple search-$8649 including taxes.

Also I would not go for an automatic sweep to VA just as I have avoided the QF direct sweep cards-though many obviously do enjoy the convenience.

And Velocity needs a much better burn rate and probably be in an alliance before I would seriously consider this.

However though I am not impressed with this particular move I congratulate VA and all the contributors they have on this forum for their involvement here and keeping us in the loop-you even make the Starwood Lurkers on FT look second rate.Well done!

 

[pshepvic]

i was thinking of doing a product transfer to this new Amex card but i dont fancy paying the $199 fee

anyone had luck getting the annual waived?

I doubt it - The cards were only launched today!!!

 

[docjames]

Congrats to VA. Another step on the stepping stones!


Re: BOGO fares - are there restrictions on availability, or is it - if there's a full fare seat, and another seat on the flight, it can be purchased?

In the discussion of J savers etc - this (VA BOGO) product might be attractive if having to purchase a last-minute flight (ie. otherwise only availability is full fare). As you'd be getting discount pricing when fare availability was full fare only.

Agree it is not as great directly against discount J (as it works out roughly the same), but I wonder if that's not actually the market here. Note also flexibility of ticket would be another feature on the full fare that is not (usually) on the J savers.

 

[oz_mark]

On another note, being a bit of a 'logo nerd', I wonder - won't the name and logo on this card become obsolete in a few months in all probability? An old logo on a relatively new card would annoy my obsessive compulsive side if I could actually apply for one.

We did have some discussion on this. The answer is that they may not be changing name.

Sent from my HTC Legend using AustFreqFly App

 

[Nigelinoz]

Well I'm glad I didn't wait up till midnight,OK so another credit card for the Australian market,I'm afraid it
offers nothing of value to me,I have 6 credit cards including a green Amex and I don't need another one.
Well Velocity Rewards did say that it wasn't the biggest announcement of the year so they were honest
there,at the moment there is no incentive for me to switch my travel to VA,right now I find the service I
receive from Qantas inconsistent and they need to get their act into gear on several issues but
their FF program is the best for me,I hope the full revamp of the Velocity program offers me greater benefits
but till I see the detail of it I'm staying with QF.
To be honest I can't see the reason for waiting till midnight to announce a new credit card.
Much ado about nothing is the phrase that comes to mind.
Cheers
N'oz

 

[pangwen]

New Velocity AMEX Cards!

Just noticed these in the ad boxes in the forum. Key features of the gold and platinum cards:

Gold Card
$199 annual fee
1.25 velocity points/$ normally, 2.5 points/$ if spending with Virgin Australia
2 passes into the Virgin Australia Lounge annually
20000 bonus points if apply by 30 Sept and spend $500

Platinum Card
$349 annual fee
1.5 velocity points/$ normally, 3 points/$ if spending with Virgin Australia
1 domestic return flight with Virgin Australia annually
Unlimited 2-for-1 flexi business tickets with V Australia (inc Delta codeshares) (!!!)
2 lounge passes (same as with Gold Card)
3000 bonus points if apply by 30 Sept and spend $500


These look pretty darn good! Very competitive with the Qantas range of cards for sure. What do you guys reckon?

 

[Ewing]

Well I'm glad I didn't wait up till midnight,OK so another credit card for the Australian market,I'm afraid it
offers nothing of value to me,I have 6 credit cards including a green Amex and I don't need another one.

Agreed. I'm glad I took off with a few glasses of shiraz and was in bed long before midnight.

I have no problems whatsoever meeting the requirements for the Platinum card but I already have three credit cards already including a direct Amex which is plenty for me.

While the two-for-one J fares might be good for people travelling together, I travel by myself 99% of the time so that's not of any use to me.

But I'm sure there are those that the card suits, so great!

 

[oz_mark]

Re: the new American Express Velocity Gold Card

i was thinking of doing a product transfer to this new Amex card but i dont fancy paying the $199 fee

anyone had luck getting the annual waived?

While we did not specifically ask questions about fee waivers, answers to other questions seemed to indicate that if you achieve these things with other cards, then you had a chance with the new cards.

As an example, Platinum Charge card holders have a complimentary Amex Reserve card, and we asked if this could be substituted with the new Velocity platinum card (as some people have reported to have done with the Ultimate card). While not definitive they did say that it was likely this could be done.

 

[xtoss]

Re: the new American Express Velocity Gold Card

As an example, Platinum Charge card holders have a complimentary Amex Reserve card, and we asked if this could be substituted with the new Velocity platinum card (as some people have reported to have done with the Ultimate card). While not definitive they did say that it was likely this could be done.

As a platinum charge card holder, I would probably do this if offered it.

Nice card and maybe something I would've considered when I was looking at cards in January but i think now with the charge card it covers all this for the time being (unless I am missing something?)

I like the chip and come renewal time I may even consider moving from the charge card to this card, the fee is quite large.

 

[Noob]

SYD to LAX on 15th October, returning 15th November - (randomly chosen dates)


QANTAS

2x BUSINESS SALE FARE (Inc. Taxes) = $18,307.00



VIRGIN AUSTRALIA with new VELOCITY/AMEX PLATINUM

2x BUSINESS FULL FARE FLEXIBLE (Inc. Taxes) = $14,309 (As one fare is free, only the taxes were counted for the second full fare ticket)


VIRGIN AUSTRALIA is still almost $4,000 CHEAPER, with the added bonus of TWO FULLY FLEXIBLE FARES.

 

[connieguy]

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA is still almost $4,000 CHEAPER, with the added bonus of TWO FULLY FLEXIBLE FARES.

If you are a business which flies a lot of fully flex J employees around, this is pure Gold.

Basically what DJ are doing is selling fully flex J returns Syd/Lax for A$7,155 in lots of 2, 4, 6, 8, etc Paxs on V Australia or Delta. However as DJ do not currently offer SCs on Delta flights, this deal seems to be just for V Australia passengers who pay for their flights with the new Amex Velocity Platinum card.

 

[deka2]

Just rang Velocity to get a quote for one way HKG-SYD in October.

I was quoted 65,000 in Y, QF has for the same day 36,000 in Y (via Melb) or 72,000 in J.

Virgin still has some work to do on their Rewards program.

 

[connieguy]

Just rang Velocity to get a quote for one way HKG-SYD in October.

I was quoted 65,000 in Y, QF has for the same day 36,000 in Y (via Melb) or 72,000 in J.

Virgin still has some work to do on their Rewards program.

The new DJ / Amex Platinum has a 3:1 points earning ratio. Does QF have a card partner with that earn ratio?