Velocity award bookings

[Freq Flier 2013]

I went to book a flight to Sydney and back and wanted to use points.

Haven't flown this route for about 1.5 years and was surprised by the amount of points needed via virgin.

When did they increase the points for economy and business awards?

It was around 19,000 points and cash for ecconomy and around 40,000 for business and cash. Was I looking at the right screen?

Ended up booking Qantas business on points. Less points and less cash.

 

[jazza1971]

I can see 31000 points & $47 return, what dates?

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

21/3 to 22/3
I looked return and one way.

Mel to Syd

 

[Pleb Status]

I went to book a flight to Sydney and back and wanted to use points.

Haven't flown this route for about 1.5 years and was surprised by the amount of points needed via virgin.

When did they increase the points for economy and business awards?

It was around 19,000 points and cash for ecconomy and around 40,000 for business and cash. Was I looking at the right screen?

Ended up booking Qantas business on points. Less points and less cash.

It is IMPOSSIBLE* for a QF metal award booking to require less points than a VA metal award booking on the same route, class, award type etc.

Look at the points tables...

https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.com/content/Redeem/Airlines/PointsTables/
Frequent Flyer - Flying Qantas and Partner Airlines - Flying with Qantas and Jetstar - Using Qantas Points

*when normal award pricing is in place.

MEL-SYD-MEL in J -> VA 31000pts + $46.77 in charges versus QF 32000pts + $71.66 in charges. These prices are effectively fixed as they do not change with availability etc.

 

[Mattg]

The Virgin website was showing the incorrect amount of taxes for some Velocity reward bookings earlier today. I suspect you may have done your search before this was fixed. The correct prices are now showing again.

(Either way, your case just goes to show how Virgin's poor IT is sending customers to the competition!)

 

[Pleb Status]

The Virgin website was showing the incorrect amount of taxes for some Velocity reward bookings earlier today. I suspect you may have done your search before this was fixed. The correct prices are now showing again.

(Either way, your case just goes to show how Virgin's poor IT is sending customers to the competition!)

Even if the OP was looking during the 'glitch' period, the points component required would still have been cheaper than QF...

 

[odysseus]

It was around 19,000 points and cash for ecconomy and around 40,000 for business and cash. Was I looking at the right screen?

Not sure which screen you looked at, but Virgin give extra flexibility in that you can pay fully in points, including for the 'taxes.' As well as with the standard points + taxes. It sounds like the pricing you looked at involved paying mostly/only in points without any extra.

For SYD-MEL rtn, the 40,000 you saw (actually, 38,800 points) in business class is for the price without extra charge i.e. taxes converted to points. If you pay points + taxes return is 31000 points + $46.80.

Paying the extra charge is better value for most.

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

Will login today and check again. I thought it was weird.

 

[bwhouse]

Could have been points + pay fares rather than award seats.