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Points lovers, don’t miss the opportunity to get a huge 100,000 bonus Velocity Points with our top pick of Velocity cards in Australia: the American Express Velocity Platinum Card.
This card serves up valuable perks like a complimentary domestic Virgin Australia return flight each year, a high points earn rate on spend, travel insurance, airport lounge passes and more.
Right now, new Amex Card Members can receive 100,000 bonus Velocity Points when you apply online via our partner link here , are approved and spend $3,000 on your new card within the first three months.
Velocity Points don’t expire so long as you keep your account active by earning or redeeming at least one point every 24 months.
Here’s an overview of the card benefits you can enjoy.
1. Earn piles of points on spend
You’ll turbocharge your Velocity Points balance by earning 1.25 points per $1 spent on purchases: one of the highest Velocity Points earn rates in Australia.
You’ll earn 2.25 Velocity Points per $1 spent with Virgin Australia and 0.5 points per $1 spent with government bodies.
Hundreds of thousands of merchants accept Amex in Australia, and that number is growing, so there’s no shortage of places where you can rake in the points with this card.
There’s also no cap on how many points you can earn.
2. Take off with a complimentary domestic return flight each year
You can book a complimentary Virgin Australia domestic economy return flight when you first receive the card and make a purchase with it, and then again on each anniversary of your card membership.
This gives you an opportunity every year to enjoy a holiday, explore somewhere new, or visit family and friends. Best of all, this perk can offset most or even all of the $375 annual card fee.
You can book the flight for yourself or any person you choose.
3. Enjoy four airport lounge entries each year
Each year you’ll receive two passes to a Virgin Australia Lounge, which gives you access to stylish spaces around the country to relax in before your flight. These passes will be automatically loaded onto your Velocity membership card, and you can use one of the passes to bring in a guest.
You’ll also receive two entries each year to the exclusive American Express Lounge at Sydney Airport international or Melbourne Airport international, which are the two airports in Australia that have Amex lounges so far. Simply present your Amex card at the door to get in, and you may use one of the passes for a guest.
Relax in a lounge before you fly
4. Earn 100 Velocity Status Credits when you spend $50,000 in a year
Attain elite Velocity status faster by receiving 100 Status Credits when you spend $50,000 on eligible purchases within a membership year.
Eligible purchases are all spend made by you and additional card members, except cash type purchases like travellers’ cheques and foreign currencies, and interest, fees and charges on the account.
This is a very handy perk for frequent flyers chasing status, as you only need 250 Status Credits to attain Silver (200 to keep it in subsequent years) or 500 Status Credits to attain Gold (400 to keep it in later years).
The higher your status, the more perks you enjoy – like additional Virgin Australia lounge passes when you hit Silver and unlimited lounge access when you reach Gold.
5. Travel securely with domestic and overseas travel insurance
You’ll receive comprehensive travel insurance cover when you pay for a return trip with your card or use Velocity Points to book.
This cover extends to your domestic partner and dependent children up to the age of 25 when they are travelling with you.
You’ll be covered for:
- inconvenience (flight delays, cancellations or missed connections, and delayed luggage)
- medical emergency expenses up to $2,500,000
- damaged, destroyed, lost or stolen baggage, money or documents
- travel cancellation and amendment costs
- personal liability
- COVID-related trip change and cancellation costs.
If you’re currently paying for travel insurance and this cover meets your needs, you can save money by relying on it.
6. Earn more points, save money and enjoy other lifestyle benefits
There are many other perks to enjoy with this card, including:
- up to 4 complimentary additional cards for family members or friends over 16 years of age – an easy way to earn points faster
- up to 55 days interest-free on purchases (the interest rate thereafter is 20.74%)
- ‘buy now, pay later’ with American Express Plan It™ Instalments: pay off your card balance in equal monthly instalments with 0% interest (fees apply)
- use your card with Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay
- Amex Offers: save money with regular discount offers with top brands
- American Express Experiences: access sought-after events like music, theatre and film, including via pre-sale tickets, and enjoy exclusive lounges at selected events.
Plus 100,000 bonus Velocity Points
Receive 100,000 bonus Velocity Points when you apply online via our partner link , are approved and spend $3,000 on your new card within the first 3 months (new Amex Card Members only).
100k Velocity Points is enough to fly domestically up to 12 times in economy or 6 times in business class one way, depending on distance.
Use your points to enjoy a holiday
This offer is only available to new American Express Card Members. That means you must not have held a card issued directly by American Express Australia in the last 18 months. However, you are still eligible for this offer if you’ve held an Amex card issued by a bank (i.e. Westpac, ANZ, CBA or NAB) or if you’re an additional Card Member on someone else’s account.
The minimum income to qualify is $65,000 per annum.
Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to pick up a top-quality card and a big serve of bonus points.
To read more and apply, click here (mobile friendly).
Important: This article is not intended to suggest that you should apply for a card. You should seek independent, professional advice and consider your personal circumstances before deciding to apply for a card.
If you apply for a card via a link in this article, we may receive a commission from Amex. This income helps keep our site running, and we thank you for your support.
Read more in our Cards Disclosure.
Hello. If you do not use the flight and / or airport lounge pass in the year do they accumulate?
No they don’t, they expire if you don’t use them.
Hi Kris,
If I’ve got the Qantas AMEX Discovery Card already, therefore I would not be eligible?
Also is there limitations on the $1500 spend condition, eg are bills included as part of the $1500?
Thanks
Hi Alan, unfortunately you’re not eligible for the sign-up bonus as you’re a current Amex card member. Perhaps someone else in your household can apply?
In terms of the minimum spend, the T&Cs state that “eligible purchases do not include cash advances, interest, balance transfers, fees and charges for traveller’s cheques and foreign currencies.”
Hi Kris,
Are you able to tell me if there is a minimum spend on travel to receive the travel insurance cover? I have already booked flights but thinking of hiring a car, do you knoe if this cost could qualify as a travel cost?
Thank you
Tash
Hi Natasha, you need to pay for the flight with your card (or points or travel credit) to activate the insurance cover. You can read the T&Cs here: https://icm.aexp-static.com/Internet/internationalcardshop/en_au/pdf/velocity-platinum-card/pds_platbenefits.pdf
Oh bummer, thank you for the link it was very helpful 🙂
Can I swap my Virgin Visa card for an American express car with same credit limit without doing full application.
Thanks
Hi Chris, no this card is issued by Amex Australia, so since they are a different issuer to who you have now, you would need to submit an application using the link in the article 🙂
Hi Kris,
Thanks for the info above, seems like a good deal. One question though, you mention that;
‘You can use your points to fly with Virgin Australia or partners like Etihad and Singapore Airlines, which brings the whole world within reach.’
Does that mean you can trf your velocity points to the Etihad program?
Thanks
Eoin
Hi Eoin, no you can’t transfer points to Etihad, rather you can book seats on Etihad flights directly through Virgin Australia (online for business class, or over the phone for first class).
Hi Kris,
I note the comments that you are eligible if…
– you’ve held an Amex card issued by a bank (i.e. Westpac, ANZ, CBA or NAB)
– you’ve held a David Jones Amex Card, or
– you’re a supplementary cardholder on someone else’s primary card account.
I suspect this is relevant for identifying eligible individuals that hold Amex cards already, however if I have never held an AMEX card, am I still eligible?
Thank you,
Marcus
Hi Marcus, you definitely are eligible. Happy travels!
Hi
I have a question about repayment son the card monthly.
Do you have to pay the full amount on the statement every month, or is it like credit card where you can just pay the minimum payment?
Thanks Sue
You can pay the minimum amount, though you will incur interest charges if you don’t pay off the card in full each month.