Virgin business class upgrades just got more expensive

You’ll need more points to upgrade to business class, but here’s why the change isn’t all bad…

By David Flynn, November 18 2024
Virgin business class upgrades just got more expensive

Want to use your Velocity frequent flyer points to score an upgrade from Virgin Australia economy to business class?

Depending on the type of economy class ticket you’re holding, you could now need at least twice as many Velocity Points for that business class bump-up on a donestic flight.

The changes to Virgin’s upgrade rules come into effect today, Monday November 18, as part of a sweeping overhaul to the airline’s Velocity Frequent Flyer program.

There are some upsides in those changes, such as the long-awaited arrival of lifetime Velocity status and the debut of a new Velocity Platinum Plus tier.

There are also downsides: a controversial move to spend-based status earning, and a reduction in the number of points and status credits earned on partner airlines.

Virgin business class upgrades

Requesting a business class upgrade through Virgin’s UpgradeMe Points program now costs significantly more points for passengers booked on an Economy Flex ticket, which is Virgin’s most expensive economy fare category.

On domestic flights, the increase is over 100% , while Virgin’s handful of overseas routes sees an average rise close to 40%.

Upgrading from an Economy Flex ticket to business class has always needed substantially fewer Velocity Points compared to upgrading from the cheaper Economy Choice tickets.

But under the new UpgradeMe Points structure, upgrading from Economy Flex and Economy Choice to business class will require the same minimum number of Velocity Points.

Here are some examples:

  • Sydney-Melbourne, Sydney-Brisbane, Melbourne-Adelaide: an Economy Flex upgrade to business class will jump from 4,900 points to 10,000 points
  • Sydney-Adelaide, Melbourne-Brisbane: an Economy Flex upgrade to business class will rocket from 7,400 points to 17,500 points
  • Sydney-Perth, Melbourne-Perth, Brisbane-Perth: an Economy Flex upgrade to business class more than triples from 9,900 points to 30,000 points

Economy Flex fares drop in price

And looking at the reason behind this change, it makes sense.

Earlier this month, Virgin Australia slashed its standard Economy Flex fares, making them much more affordable – and surprisingly close to an Economy Choice ticket on the same flight.

Earlier this year, for example, you could see a one-way Economy Flex fare between Sydney and Perth at almost $800 while Economy Choice was $350

It’s now more common for the same route to show Economy Flex at $415 with Economy Choice at $330.

So in line with the relatively small difference in price, Virgin has set the minimum points upgrade amounts to be the same on both fares.

The revised pricing structure sees Virgin encouraging travellers to spend a little more for the added benefits of a Flex ticket, which include

  • no-fee flight changes (apart from any fare difference)
  • cancelling your flight and receiving the full amount in travel credit (or claiming a cash refund with a $99 fee)
  • earning many more Velocity status credits (until April 2 2025, when Virgin moves to spend-based status credit earning)

Velocity Platinum upgrades

And there’s a notable upside in all this for Velocity Platinum members, who each year receive four free business class upgrades – but only if they’ve booked an Economy Flex ticket.

The decision to reduce the cost of Economy Flex fares should make it easier for Velocity Platinums to use those upgrades by reducing the necessary travel spend.

Of course, the new Velocity Platinum Plus tier extends those four complimentary business class upgrades to passengers on an Economy Choice fare rather than limiting them to the most expensive Economy Flex fares.

QF

11 Jul 2014

Total posts 1013

I'm wondering if Virgin will increase the number of seats in business class, with Qantas having 20 in their new jets. I noticed this week that row 2 in business class in the new seats has less legroom than row 1 and, amazingly, row 3 economy x. It's quite weird; it actually reminded me of Qantas economy legroom row 2 business was that tight.

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

24 Jan 2018

Total posts 768

Right the money, a-gain.  Virgin should trail on the BNE-SYD-MEL corridor 6 planes with 20 business, 18 EconomyX and the rest Eco and see how the bookings go.  

QF

11 Jul 2014

Total posts 1013

Imagine that 20 business, 12 premium economy, premium economy gets meals and drink included from the economy menu just like Virgin America and Platinum Plus gets them for freeee!!

QF

11 Jul 2014

Total posts 1013

Correction 18 premium economy as B-T said.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

24 Aug 2023

Total posts 5

Absolutely no chance of that. Bain wanted an all economy airline when they first bought virgin but were convinced to keep business class. The new 737-8 layouts can get 176 in with healthy legroom - there is more opportunity to play with the seat numbers on the 737-10 but these have all been delayed by Boeing. There is more opportunity to add a third row of business class (going from 8 to 12) in the max 10s.

QF only have 20 seats on the larger A321XLR aircraft.

QF

11 Jul 2014

Total posts 1013

Virgin Business Class never made money until Bain took over.

08 Feb 2018

Total posts 166

I’m rapidly losing any interest in frequent flyer points. 

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

04 Nov 2017

Total posts 350

Considering Bain is refitting the VA 737 by squeezing in an extra Y row and reducing the pitch closer to 30', it's unlikely Bain will be reversing the in progress Y-heavy LCC-ish reconfiguration program anytime soon.

As suggest above by another poster, there is a slim chance of an extra J row being fitted in the 737-10s to make it 12J, but with the delays from Boeing, I'd tip that to be a very slim chance at bit.

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

24 Jan 2018

Total posts 768

You may be right, but at the moment VA has a first-mover advantage over QF in the service given to J-class fares, but that window could easily close over 2025-2026, particularly if VA is hanging everything on the QR alliance.  

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

04 Sep 2015

Total posts 26

Any one had luck with bid to upgrade MEL to DPS , if so what was the bid ?

XWu
XWu

09 May 2020

Total posts 574

Sounds like Bain is preparing for a longer (than hoped for) ownership of VA and now directly tinkering with the actual hardware/software to generate more income in a post Hrdlicka VA. 

Obviously they would be happy to totally offload VA for the right price, but as they discovered so far, being part of an effectively duopoly market has its advantages and disadvantages. 

The last 3 months have seen much changes in the actual VA products (frequent flyer status and life tiers, tie-ups and partnerships dissolution, planned j products) than what we seen in years leading up to 2020. 

21 Jul 2020

Total posts 22

Pretty sure I got quoted 8000 points but then charged 10000 this week. What a pain.


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