Virgin Australia Platinum Plus Status Discussion

[AFF Editor]

One of the changes to the Velocity program announced last week was a new tier above Platinum called Platinum Plus. It will launch on 1 October 2025, and you'll need to earn 2,000 status credits within 12 months to reach it - with at least 1,500 of those from VA marketed flights.

We've put together this guide with details of the new tier:

Guide to Virgin Australia Platinum Plus Status

Velocity has launched its new Platinum Plus status tier, offering new perks to Virgin Australia's most frequent flyers. But do the benefits justify the required spend of around $24,000 per year?

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Do you think Velocity Platinum Plus is worth aiming for? You can share your thoughts below!

 

[Paralax]

Quite frankly Platinum doesn't provide any valuable realisable benefits over Gold, so adding Plus doesn't make a difference.

Personally as a VA Platinum I have moved back to QFF because Velocity is just too hard to deal with. No dedicated numbers, or service, or assistance, even when trying to redeem points well in advance of flights.

I love Virgin Australia the Airline, excellent crew, service and in flight, but Velocity is .

 

[Happy Dude]

There's not much substance over WP to reward the additional spend to get WP+.

Has the 4 x J upgrades been "enhanced" for WP (flex fares) and soon to be only available to WP+ (but for flex and choice)?

 

[danielt25]

Hardly worth the $24k spend required....even the FF card looks just the same as platinum...

 

[knagelli]

Has the 4 x J upgrades been "enhanced" for WP (flex fares)

I am not sure there is any mention of that being available only for Platinum plus unless I did not follow through correctly.

 

[aus_flyer]

Upgrades don't change for Platinum (flex only). Platinum Plus members can also use on Choice fares.

I'm hoping (I mean, really hoping) that Platinum Plus comes with reciprocal Platinum status with QR. That will make it very worthwhile.

 

[knagelli]

I'm hoping (I mean, really hoping) that Platinum Plus comes with reciprocal Platinum status with QR

Not going to happen as QR is part of OW and if your VFF plat plus gives access to OW status then it will change the dynamics for QFF.

 

[aus_flyer]

Not going to happen as QR is part of OW and if your VFF plat plus gives access to OW status then it will change the dynamics for QFF.

Of course it would. That's the point.

 

[knagelli]

Of course it would. That's the point.

It will be interesting to see if it will happen. Other scenario is for QR to increase their stake in VA and scrap VFF altogether by moving all the members to QR status.

 

[Jack_OC]

Upgrades don't change for Platinum (flex only). Platinum Plus members can also use on Choice fares.

I'm hoping (I mean, really hoping) that Platinum Plus comes with reciprocal Platinum status with QR. That will make it very worthwhile.

Do you actually mean reciprocal status - as in you would also get Qatar Privilege Club Platinum, and therefore Oneworld Emerald status? If so, I can't imagine that's even a remote possibility. I'm not aware of any precedent along these lines.

VA Platinum Plus might get similar benefits when flying Qatar as Oneworld Emerald, but I'd say there is zero chance that it would also automatically give people actual Oneworld Emerald status.

 

[Happy Dude]

I am not sure there is any mention of that being available only for Platinum plus unless I did not follow through correctly.

In the article, it's listed in the WP+ benefits but not in those for WP. I hadn't heard anything about that, so was wondering if it was enhanced.

 

[Kingsfield]

One of the changes to the Velocity program announced last week was a new tier above Platinum called Platinum Plus. It will launch on 1 October 2025, and you'll need to earn 2,000 status credits within 12 months to reach it - with at least 1,500 of those from VA marketed flights.

We've put together this guide with details of the new tier:

Guide to Virgin Australia Platinum Plus Status

Velocity has launched its new Platinum Plus status tier, offering new perks to Virgin Australia's most frequent flyers. But do the benefits justify the required spend of around $24,000 per year?

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Do you think Velocity Platinum Plus is worth aiming for? You can share your thoughts below!

VIP on your boarding pass? How tacky. How Virgin...

 

[aus_flyer]

Do you actually mean reciprocal status - as in you would also get Qatar Privilege Club Platinum, and therefore Oneworld Emerald status? If so, I can't imagine that's even a remote possibility. I'm not aware of any precedent along these lines.

VA Platinum Plus might get similar benefits when flying Qatar as Oneworld Emerald, but I'd say there is zero chance that it would also automatically give people actual Oneworld Emerald status.

If you can earn status credits with QR when flying VA (which you can't at the moment), then it's possible to get OW Emerald anyway. Hard to see you not earning SCs going forward.

 

[Jack_OC]

If you can earn status credits with QR when flying VA (which you can't at the moment), then it's possible to get OW Emerald anyway. Hard to see you not earning SCs going forward.

Not sure why you’d expect any changes in earning QR SCs when flying VA, but in any case that is completely different to QR just issuing reciprocal status to people with Velocity status. There is also currently no scenario where you can get QR status without flying at least 4 sectors on QR marketed flights or earning 20% of SCs on QR marketed flights. I can’t see that changing either.

 

[aus_flyer]

Not sure why you’d expect any changes in earning QR SCs when flying VA, but in any case that is completely different to QR just issuing reciprocal status to people with Velocity status. There is also currently no scenario where you can get QR status without flying at least 4 sectors on QR marketed flights. I can’t see that changing either.

Why would I expect a change? Because their whole relationship is going to change.
QR has also status matched VA Plat to QR Plat previously. Is reciprocal status really out of the question?
Looking at the ACCC submission, it's clear VA and QR are planning to work VERY closely together on loyalty.
But... only time will tell.

 

[RooFlyer]

Personally as a VA Platinum I have moved back to QFF because Velocity is just too hard to deal with. No dedicated numbers, or service, or assistance, even when trying to redeem points well in advance of flights.

You didn't use the Plat e-mail? Excellent, prompt replies every time I've used them.

You don't have to choose between Velocity and QFF - user them both, as best suits.

 

[justinbrett]

Why would I expect a change? Because their whole relationship is going to change.
QR has also status matched VA Plat to QR Plat previously. Is reciprocal status really out of the question?
Looking at the ACCC submission, it's clear VA and QR are planning to work VERY closely together on loyalty.
But... only time will tell.

Why would VA, or even QR, want to grant oneworld status to VA pax?

If QR recognises VA status, job done.

The only thing oneworld status is going to do is encourage VA pax to fly with QF or other oneworld airlines (including AA). That’s going to upset the few remaining VA partners.

No other QR investment (that’s not already in oneworld) earns Qpoints. It’s just fanciful. Remember the QF/BA JV? BAEC wouldn’t accept Australian residents.

 

[ferntree]

Like others here, I recognise that the impending changes in how SCs are calculated will make maintaining status, let alone achieving Platinum Plus, severely difficult.

That said, I'm looking for the best way to make the best of a bad deal.

... I'm looking at the possibility of earning enough SCs for flights booked between now and Apr 1 to be taken before Oct 1 2025 to be able to achieve P+ by then. This could include bringing forward some of my travel plans.

That should guarantee a year of P+ and gift WP to partner, followed by a year of P and gift Gold to partner, and then a year of G after that.

Just thinking about it ....

 

[jase05]

There is also currently no scenario where you can get QR status without flying at least 4 sectors on QR marketed flights or earning 20% of SCs on QR marketed flights. I can’t see th

Except for Accor Diamonds who get matched to QR Platinum with 1 flight on QR

But yes they aren’t going to allow VA to match or merge programs etc

 

[SYD]

Moving forward what existing VA WP benefits will be removed and made exclusive to WP+?

We saw it with QF P1.