Velocity Points are one of Australia’s most popular rewards currencies, giving travellers access to not just Virgin Australia flights but also those of partners like Singapore Airlines, United Airlines, ANA and Qatar Airways.
If you’re sitting on a stash of Velocity Points, you’re probably wondering what’s the best way to use them.
Our answer is always that you’ll get the best value by redeeming them for flights and upgrades. While these can be tricky to secure, if you figure out how the system works and are flexible with your travel plans, your Velocity Points can take you almost anywhere in the world.
Here are some tips to help you out.
Virgin Australia long-haul flights to Doha
Qatar Airways has taken a 25% stake in Virgin Australia. As part of the deal, Virgin will launch flights from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth to Doha (Qatar Airways’ home base) later in 2025.
From Doha, travellers will be able to access Qatar Airways’ extensive global network.
These Virgin flights will be operated by Qatar Airways crew and aircraft. That means travellers will enjoy the excellent Qsuites in business class.
Qatar Airways Qsuite – soon to be on Virgin Australia flights to Doha
Virgin Australia has just begun releasing reward seats on this route. We saw a big batch become available on 21 Jan 2025, and now we’re going to monitor availability to see if there’s a pattern with releases. Stay tuned!
Reward seats to Doha now available
At the time of writing, Velocity Points can’t be used to upgrade on Doha flights.
Virgin Australia domestic business class
With Australia’s second largest domestic network at your disposal and good reward seat availability, travelling around the nation in business class is a fantastic use of points.
Virgin’s all-Boeing 737 domestic fleet features a small business class cabin at the front of the plane, with two rows of recliner seats arranged in a 2-2 layout.
The fleet is currently being refurbished with wider business class seats, which also feature leg rests with extendable footrests, storage compartments, tablet/device holders and water bottle holders.
New Virgin 737 business class seats
When you fly business class with Virgin Australia domestically, you also get lounge access when departing from Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney airports.
(Pro tip: if you want Virgin Australia lounge access every time you fly, it’s now complimentary with the fantastic American Express Velocity Platinum Card.)
You can also use points to upgrade from economy to business class on domestic and short-haul international flights. Availability is limited, of course – and status holders get first dibs. You can see how many points you’ll need on Velocity’s website here.
Business or first class with Singapore Airlines
One of our most popular articles is our guide for using Velocity Points to fly in style with Singapore Airlines.
Singapore Airlines’ business and first class products are among the best in the world. Passengers not only enjoy comfortable and spacious seats, but the airline is also renowned for its excellent dining and customer service.
Try a ‘once in a lifetime’ first class flight
There are two ways to use Velocity Points to fly with SQ: either by booking via Virgin Australia or transferring your points to SQ and booking direct. Read our guide for more info.
Flying with other partner airlines
Aside from Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines, Velocity Points can also be used to fly with a range of other partner airlines.
These include Air Canada, United Airlines and ANA, which can be booked on the Velocity website.
You can also use points to fly with Hawaiian Airlines, South African Airways and Virgin Atlantic, but these three can only be booked by calling Virgin.
Flying economy also provides solid value
While many people focus on using points for business and first class seats, flying economy is also a great option.
Sometimes, it’s the only option, given how rare premium reward seats are.
Rest assured, you are still getting good value from your points when redeeming them for economy seats. That’s especially the case since airfares remain relatively high following the pandemic.
This is a far better use of points than redeeming them for gift cards.
Tips for success
Book in advance: Award seats often sell out quickly, particularly during peak periods like school holidays. Plan as far ahead as possible to snag the best routes and dates.
Or … book last minute: If you’re in the fortunate position of being able to fly at relatively short notice (within the next 30 days), many airlines release reward seats late in order to help fill their planes. This is a great way to get sought-after business and first class seats.
Familiarise yourself with partner award charts: Each partner airline has its own redemption rates. Check the Velocity website to see how many points you’ll need for your chosen route.
Pool your family’s points: Got multiple family members collecting Velocity Points? Velocity’s Family Pooling feature allows family members to pool their points and status credits into one account, accelerating your ability to redeem for award flights.
Accelerate your points earn on everyday spend: Consider holding a Velocity-branded credit card. For example, you can earn 1.25 Velocity Points per $1 on everyday spend plus get a complimentary domestic flight each year, complimentary lounge membership, and other benefits, with our favourite Velocity card: the Amex Velocity Platinum Card.
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Hi – we are getting conflicting advice. We want to use Velocity Points to upgrade a friend from Economy to Business on international Etihad flights MELB / ABU DHABI / BELGIUM and return. Despite sites saying ‘it can’t be done’ articles like one on this site indicate that it can. But how? The velocity website doesn’t provide any answers either. Thank you!
Hi, you can’t upgrade a paid Etihad fare using Velocity Points. You can only use points to book an award seat with Etihad outright – this must be done via the Velocity website or call centre.