Virgin Australia inks points partnership with Le Club AccorHotels
By Chris C., July 24 2015
Virgin Australia Velocity frequent flyers will soon be able to earn Velocity Points at 2,800 new hotels via the Le Club AccorHotels program.
The system will see travellers first earn Le Club points at Accor’s range of brands – including Sofitel, Novotel, M Gallery, Pullman, Adagio, Mercure, Grand Mercure, The Sebel and Ibis – and then convert those points into Velocity frequent flyer points from September 30.
Points that are already sitting in the accounts of Le Club AccorHotels members are also ripe to funnel across to Velocity, along with new points earned after that date at any hotel that participates in the Le Club loyalty program.
The conversion rate between Le Club points and Velocity Points will mirror that of Accor’s existing deal with Qantas, being 1 Le Club point = 1 Qantas Point and soon 1 Le Club point = 1 Velocity Point, with a minimum transfer threshold of 4,000 Le Club points at a time.
Virgin Australia also becomes the only Australian airline to claim points partnerships with each of the ‘Big Four’ hotel programs following the Accor hook-up: the others being Hilton, IHG and Starwood, the latter of which doesn’t allow its loyalty members to earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points.
“Loyalty counts and it is an integral feature of our obsessive approach to guest recognition,” said Simon McGrath, Chief Operating Officer of AccorHotels Pacific.
“As our hotel network continues to rapidly expand, so too do the benefits of being part of our award-winning loyalty program Le Club AccorHotels,” McGrath added, with members able to earn Le Club points, and thus Velocity Points, at Accor hotels in 92 countries.
Also read: Your guide to the Le Club AccorHotels program
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Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
13 Sep 2013
Total posts 23
Well - considering 2000 Accor Le Club points are worth 40 Euros (approx A$60) when redeemed against Accor accommodation that's 3 cents per points so probably best to use them towards accommodation IMHO
21 Sep 2011
Total posts 71
Surprising Marriott is not one of the "big 4".
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
25 Jan 2013
Total posts 240
Agreed Roby. There is always one I miss. I think the ‘Super Six’ are: Accor, Starwood, IHG, Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt. Although this could become the ‘Famous Five’ soon if rumours of Starwood looking at merger and acquisition offers are to be believed.
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2441
Hi Roby, we should clarify – 'Big Four' here is referring to the four biggest hotel loyalty programs for Australian travellers (Le Club, HHonors, SPG, IHG), although Marriott is certainly well-placed in the top four when it comes to the number of hotels the chain has across the globe.
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