Virgin Australia debuts fresh Status Credits promo
The airline is pipping rival Qantas to the post with an all-new status promo, but there’s a twist.
By Chris Ashton, January 29 2024
Virgin Australia is giving Velocity frequent flyers a chance to leap up the loyalty ladder with the first Status Credits promotion of 2024 lifting off today until March 28. However, it isn’t exactly what travellers were expecting.
Unlike the now-familiar Double Status Credits (DSC) promo, which typically drops biannually around February and October, this is a Status Boost. What’s the difference? Quite a bit.
Where the number of bonus credits earned via the usual DSC offering is tied to the fare booked (i.e. more for Flex and business class fares), this is a flat rate assigned to the number of flights taken within the promo period.
For example, one return economy Flex fare between Sydney and Melbourne normally earns 50 status credits, while business class is 110. With this promo, you’d rake in 45 bonus status credits on top of that base earn, regardless of which fare you booked.
The offer is available now via the Velocity app.
It’s also capped at six flights and a maximum of 125 bonus credits, meaning those flying more than six times won’t see any additional benefits.
Here are the exact number of bonus credits you can earn, on top of your base rate:
- 1 flight booked and flown = zero bonus Status Credits
- 2 flights booked and flown = 45 bonus Status Credits
- 3 flights booked and flown = 65 bonus Status Credits
- 4 flights booked and flown = 85 bonus Status Credits
- 5 flights booked and flown = 105 bonus Status Credits
- 6+ flights booked and flown = 125 bonus Status Credits
Terms and conditions state bonus status credits should arrive in your Velocity account up to four weeks after the promotional period has ended.
The airline also notes existing bookings, reward seats, and codeshare flights on partner airlines are ineligible for the offer.
To activate the Status Boost, open the Velocity app or click on the link if emailed to you (you won’t find it listed on VirginAustralia.com) and then book and complete your Virgin Australia-marketed and operated flights before 11:59pm AEST on March 28.
Given Virgin Australia and Qantas often drop their Double Status Credits promos around the same time, all eyes are on the Red Roo to see if it fires back with its own DSC offer in the weeks to come.
QF
11 Jul 2014
Total posts 973
It would be good to know the reasoning behind this, a good story for ET to get a one on one with the man to find out why?
22 May 2011
Total posts 89
When the actuaries get hold of a marketing campaign and make it unnecessarily complicated…
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
24 Jan 2018
Total posts 710
When Jayne's away from the BNE office for 2 weeks (hosting the Australian Open in MEL), this is what the best 'n brightest in VA's Marketing Department get up to in her absence. Whilst I'm no actuary, do pride myself being quite numerate. As a BD initiative, this will flop harder and faster than if I'd tried to play Daniil Medvedev in tennis. Thanks but no thanks Kids.
QF
11 Jul 2014
Total posts 973
I really want to know why?, this is just so soft that come February, they will need to boost sales (do they), and the promo ends in March, so they are blocking themselves out of a real promo until April. If they had launched a double status promo to catch people off guard in January I could understand that but what is the game plan. It just doesn't make sense if anything it's only designed to capture the buyers of cheap tickets and have more golds in the lounge remembering the lounges are packed already.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
24 Jan 2018
Total posts 710
Nailed it, Chieftain.
07 Mar 2022
Total posts 63
I thought Bain only had locks on outgoing expenses not locks blocking money coming in.
It's like a bottle of Soda Burst that didn't get carbonated.
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