Using your Velocity Points for Business Class rewards is now easier with Virgin Australia finally flicking on the switch to enable Hong Kong Airlines premium cabin rewards to show up online.
Although Hong Kong Airlines Economy reward seats have been available to book online, you could only book Business Class by calling the Virgin Australia Membership Contact Centre.
American Express Velocity Platinum
- Bonus points
- Up to 100,000 bonus Velocity Points¹
- Annual fee
- $440 p.a.
- Earn
- 1.25 Velocity Points earned per $1 on all eligible spend except for government bodies⁵. 2.25 Velocity Points per $1 spent on selected Virgin Australia purchases⁵. 0.5 Velocity Points per $1 on Government spend⁵
American Express Velocity Platinum
- Bonus Points
- Up to 100,000 bonus Velocity Points¹
- Annual Fee
- $440 p.a.
- Earn
- 1.25 Velocity Points earned per $1 on all eligible spend except for government bodies⁵. 2.25 Velocity Points per $1 spent on selected Virgin Australia purchases⁵. 0.5 Velocity Points per $1 on Government spend⁵
Earn 70,000 Velocity Points¹ with the American Express Velocity Platinum when you apply by 13 October 2026, are approved, and spend $5,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, an additional 30,000 bonus Velocity Points when you spend a further $5,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months of your second year Card Membership. Offer available to new American Express Members only. T&Cs apply.
Hong Kong Airlines Business Reward seats
Hong Kong Airlines operates flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Hong Kong and beyond. For example, you could explore China (currently visa-free for Australians), Taiwan, or even fly to Okinawa in Japan.
Flights from Sydney or Melbourne to Hong Kong start from:
- Economy: 32,500 Velocity Points plus $119
- Business Class: 75,000 Velocity Points plus $119
These prices are the same for Sydney to Hong Kong, as the distance you travel falls into the same category on the Virgin Australia Reward Seat table. There are no carrier charges to pay, making these rewards quite good value, especially in Business Class!
If you’re looking to fly beyond Hong Kong with Hong Kong Airlines, the pricing depends on your total distance travelled. For example, Shanghai to Sydney via Hong Kong costs from:
- Economy: 45,500 Velocity Points plus $111
- Business Class: 82,000 Velocity Points plus $115
Tip: Due to the timing of flights from Australia to Hong Kong, it will be difficult to find onward connections the same day. You’ll have better luck booking a connecting flight on your return trip from Asia to Australia.
A note on seating and availability
Availability in Business Class both ways is also fairly good at this stage. At the time of writing, we spotted over 90 days with at least 2 Business Class rewards available from Sydney or Melbourne. These dates fall between August 2026 and mid-March 2027, though there aren’t any more seats after that.
Also, take note that seat selection might be difficult. Based on our experience in the Melbourne office, Velocity redemption tickets on Hong Kong Airlines might not have seat selection enabled. To get around this, we initiated a WhatsApp chat with the airline. The agent was able to select a seat for us.
Simply provide the agent with your flight details and booking reference, and let them know which seat you want to select. The free version of ExpertFlyer can help you find available seats.
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