Ways of buying Velocity points?

[777]

I'm working towards a major reward flight in the new year (MEL-AUH-MAN for myself, Mrs777 and young .777 in J) and it will be fairly touch and go as to when we will have a enough points in time. I'm curious about whether any of you can think of any way to buy Velocity points to top up the total? It's more of a theoretical exercise at this point and a safety net in case i fall a little short but i'm curious.

The only way i can think of is to buy IHG hotel [Priority Club] points ($11.50 USD per 1,000 from memory) and then convert them to Velocity at a rate of .2 per IHG point. So, if my maths are correct, $460 USD would buy about 8,000 velocity points at that rate and you can only purchase 50,000 IHG points (10k Velocity) in each year. Pretty lousy value and but it got me thinking, can anyone think of a cheaper way to buy a velocity point?

 

[markis10]

PC Point can be purchased for $30USD per 5000, which equatesto $60 per 2000 Velocity points.

 

[777]

PC Point can be purchased for $30USD per 5000, which equatesto $60 per 2000 Velocity points.

Where can you purchase them for that rate? That's a fair bit cheaper than the rate i quoted above.

 

[cove]

My Velocity points come from an Amex Velocity Platinum card at 1.5 points a dollar.
Start with your family and friends taxes.
Or you could start at your accountants office as they would have tax bills you could pay each month on a credit card from someone who pays electronically and does not want to fly. You just have to make it attractive by paying them something for the time and effort.
Tons of folks still pay taxes electronically or by cheque at the Post Office.

 

[777]

My Velocity points come from an Amex Velocity Platinum card at 1.5 points a dollar.
Start with your family and friends taxes.
Or you could start at your accountants office as they would have tax bills you could pay each month on a credit card from someone who pays electronically and does not want to fly. You just have to make it attractive by paying them something for the time and effort.
Tons of folks still pay taxes electronically or by cheque at the Post Office.

Yes, i know all about that one. But for the purpose of this thread i'm interested, simply, in where it is possible to directly purchase them.

 

[markis10]

Where can you purchase them for that rate? That's a fair bit cheaper than the rate i quoted above.

Cancelling a point plus pay redemption.

 

[777]

Cancelling a point plus pay redemption.

Ingenious! Thanks. I assume that also avoids the purchasing no more than 50k per year issue too?

 

[straitman]

Ingenious! Thanks. I assume that also avoids the purchasing no more than 50k per year issue too?

It sure does.

 

[newmarket]

Cancelling a point plus pay redemption.

How does that work? I mean how do you end up with extra points?

 

[markis10]

How does that work? I mean how do you end up with extra points?

When you book at the HI Crocodile for 5000 pts + $60 then cancel, 15000 points are returned to your account.

 

[spentan]

When you book at the HI Crocodile for 5000 pts + $60 then cancel, 15000 points are returned to your account.

Whaat? Please explain

 

[ricee007]

Or, you can literally buy Velocity points?

Get a Velocity credit card.
Pay money into one of your own accounts via paypal? Not sure on the fees - guessing circa 2.5%. (which, isn't worth it to me, but.)

 

[777]

Or, you can literally buy Velocity points?

Get a Velocity credit card.
Pay money into one of your own accounts via paypal? Not sure on the fees - guessing circa 2.5%. (which, isn't worth it to me, but.)

I though that was illegal or against T&Cs or something?

 

[ricee007]

I though that was illegal or against T&Cs or something?

Can't see why?

Everyone makes the same amount of money? No-one is being ripped off? Velocity are happy because they are selling MORE points to credit card companies... credit card company are happy because they get to charge paypal, say, 1%... paypal are happy because they get to charge you, say, 2.4%

 

[markis10]

Whaat? Please explain

When you do a priority club points plus pay redemption, the pay component is buying points, so if you subsequently cancel, the full award cost in points is returned to you club account, so if a minimum of 5000 points kept in the account, points can be had for $30USD per 5000 which can be then converted to 2000 Velocity points for $60 (2x5000 PC points worth).

 

[Bengingerflea]

The call centre is telling me I can only get my cash and points back, not the total points value back, am I not saying something correctly?

 

[serfty]

The call centre is telling me I can only get my cash and points back, not the total points value back, am I not saying something correctly?

Assuming you are referring to Priority Club, just cancel online - you do not get the $$ back, but the full amount of points for the booking, both new points that were paid for and those that had been already present, get credited back to you account almost immediately.

 

[777]

The call centre is telling me I can only get my cash and points back, not the total points value back, am I not saying something correctly?

Are you talking Priority club or velocity here?

 

[mr_osborne]

If you do a quick google search it has been covered in detail a number of times on boarding area, or milepoint or Flyertalk...

And if you do a booking and you do, for some reason get the cash and points back, you haven't lost out anything, so why not just try it instead of wasting your time to the call centre?
It's not like you lose out if it doesn't work, (well, you don't get the points... but you're exactly where you started...)

 

[Bengingerflea]

Are you talking Priority club or velocity here?

I have a booking directly with velocity and I did a points plus pay business booking. They are saying I will get only the points I used and a credit on my cc for the cash I paid.

It's a shame as I could really use the points.