Velocity adds frequent flyer status bonus points for Ola rides
Virgin Australia's Silver, Gold and Platinum frequent flyers will now scoop up extra points on airport rides with Ola.
By David Flynn, February 7 2020
Virgin Australia is boosting the number of Velocity Points earned on Ola rides to and from the airport, with bonus points dished out to Velocity Frequent Flyer members according to their Silver, Gold or Platinum status.
The move is a riposte to Qantas' decision to scrap its own status-based points bonus on Uber airport rides in December 2019, when the airline and the ride-share colossus rejigged their relationship for the launch of the Uber Rewards loyalty scheme.
The baseline remains at 1 Velocity Point per $1 spent on every Ola ride, which doubles to 2 Velocity Points per $1 spent on airport rides if you hold entry-level Velocity Red status. But with higher frequent flyer status comes a higher earn rate:
- Silver members will earn 3 points per $1 spent on airport rides
- Gold members will earn 3.5 points per $1 spent on airport rides
- Platinum members will earn 4 points per $1 spent on airport rides
To help turn its frequent flyers into frequent Ola riders, Virgin will tip 1,000 Velocity points into your account following your first Ola ride (through until 30 June 2020), provided you've linked you Velocity account in the Ola app, with a 30% discount on Ola rides – capped at a maximum of $10 – in the following two weeks just to keep things sweet
Haven't joined Ola yet? Use our special Executive Traveller promo code of B666GMU when you sign up using the Ola iPhone app or Android app to get $10 in free credit towards your first Ola ride.
While Qantas Frequent Flyers can still earn 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent with Uber on airport rides, the scrapped status bonus system delivered 2 points per $1 if you had Qantas Silver status and 3 points per $1 for Gold, Platinum and Platinum One status.
The partnership between Qantas and Uber now includes the option to earn 200 Qantas Points as a 'reward package' when you earn 750 Uber Rewards points through Uber rides or Uber Eats meal deliveries anywhere in the world.
Read more: How to earn Qantas Points with Uber and Uber Eats
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
05 May 2016
Total posts 9
Really? Who uses Ola?
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
10 Jan 2012
Total posts 261
I only use Ola. Uber is too expensive and DiDi now give their drivers less commission than Ola, and they're usually more expensive than Ola as well.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
02 Feb 2015
Total posts 38
Yes we only use OLA - most ride shares drivers are Uber AND Ola AND DiDi. Also drivers prefer you to use OLA due to them getting more % of the payment. - 30 % OLA to Ubers 7.5%
23 Oct 2014
Total posts 232
Ola is great, I use frequently.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
10 Nov 2011
Total posts 135
Ola is usually very good. I believe the drivers keep more of the fare, which is why I gravitate towards them.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Jan 2016
Total posts 10
I've had terrible experiences with Ola. Unlike Uber, Ola drivers have said they don't receive the in-app notes explaining where to pick up exactly at hotels with multiple entrances, etc. Ola drivers have also been much more mercenary with cancelling rides, etc, leaving me in the lurch multiple times.
That said, this offer might make me give it another go, as the diminished QFF points as a Platinum FF was disappointing, as was the experience of trying to convert the 750 Uber points to QFF points. (It initially showed up as 0 points in the Qantas activity statement and I had to follow it up multiple times for Qantas to credit the points manually.)
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
03 Jun 2014
Total posts 15
I use Ola frequently when travelling and have never had an issue with them. Earning more points is a slight bonus but they are my preferred ride share service for the past year
12 Apr 2018
Total posts 10
Personally I find city pick up with Ola not great
And too many mornings rush hours cancellation as well.
However for short trips like to next door suburbs, Ola is half the price as Uber.
Because Ola has a different price structure than Uber.
However in Sydney looks like there are way less Ola drivers than Uber drivers and at rush hours for reliability and price I will take Uber.
But I always compare both app before ordering anyway.
Also Ola is very good and cheap for Airport pick up ..... unfortunately not so good for airport drop offs ... again due to not enough drivers at rush hours in high densities areas.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Sep 2012
Total posts 389
Yeah but.......it just feels like as a QF FF you get the better partners, the better options, the nicer ones and as a VA FF you get the what's left over.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
02 Feb 2015
Total posts 38
Really ??? Singapore Airlines are leftovers ??? WE are V.F.F's because of their partners
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Sep 2012
Total posts 389
Yeah I solved that problem and joined Krisflyer, now at least I can pre-seat myself on SQ!
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
28 Jun 2019
Total posts 77
Used Ola for the first time on Friday.
Base points plus 1,000 bonus Velocity points for first Ola ride credited within 24 hours.
Price was better than Uber; on par with Didi.
Unlike Uber and Didi, I could not include a specific note to say where exactly I was waiting at ride-share pickup. Fortunately the driver called me immediately and fetched me right where I was, but imagine this could be stressful in other situations, especially if travelling overseas without voice calling roaming available.
Ride itself was pleasant and most efficient route taken.
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