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Earn up to 100,000 bonus Velocity Points with the American Express Velocity Platinum Card
Card Overview
The American Express Velocity Platinum Card has 70,000 bonus Velocity Points on offer for new American Express Card Members who apply, are approved and spend $5,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months of approval, plus an additional 30,000 Velocity Points when you spend a minimum of $1 on your Card within 90 days of paying your second year annual Card Fee¹. (Offer ends 30 April 2026. New Amex Card Members only. T&Cs apply.) Includes several perks such as Virgin Australia Lounge Access² every time you fly domestically with Virgin Australia, 2 VA Guest Lounge Passes³ each year and a Complimentary Domestic Return Virgin Australia Flight⁷.
Key Attributes
Up to 100,000 bonus Velocity Points¹, receive 70,000 bonus Velocity Points when you spend $5,000 or more on eligible purchases in the first 3 months of approval date. Plus an additional 30,000 bonus Velocity Points when you spend $1 on your Card within 90 days of paying your second year annual fee
One complimentary domestic return flight with Virgin Australia between selected cities per membership year⁷
Virgin Australia Lounge Access every time you fly domestically with Virgin Australia³
2 single entry Virgin Australia Guest Lounge Passes for friends and family per membership year, when travelling with you on a domestic Virgin Australia flight³
Earn up to 100 Velocity Frequent Flyer Status Credits each membership year⁴
Apple Pay, Google Wallet and Samsung Pay
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
Annual Fee: $440 p.a.
American Express is offering up to 100,000 bonus Velocity Points¹ for new American Express Card Members who apply for the American Express Velocity Platinum Card by 30 April 2026. T&Cs apply. New American Express Card Members only.
The bonus is split into two parts, with the first 70,000 bonus Velocity Points to be received after spending a minimum of $5,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of approval and an additional 30,000 bonus Velocity Points when you spend min. $1 on your Card within 90 days of paying the 2nd year annual Card fee. T&Cs apply. New Card Members only.
The American Express Velocity Platinum Card has a $440 annual fee, with the benefits helping to offset this including a Complimentary Domestic Return Virgin Australia Flight⁷ between selected cities, Virgin Australia Lounge Access² every time you fly domestically with Virgin Australia and two Virgin Australia Guest Lounge Passes³ for your companion.
The American Express Velocity Platinum is a Card to consider holding for the frequent Virgin flyer, especially for those who travel in Economy and can make good use of the included Virgin Australia Lounge Access^ every time you fly domestically with Virgin Australia and the also for the complimentary return flight7.
Travel in Virgin Australia’s 737 Business Class using Velocity Points.
Digging into the benefits of the American Express Velocity Platinum Card
The American Express Velocity Platinum is the ideal Card for frequent Virgin Australia flyers, offering bonus points on Virgin Australia purchases and Virgin Australia Lounge Access every time you fly domestically with the airline.
Card Details
Card
American Express Velocity Platinum
Loyalty program
Velocity Frequent Flyer
Points earned from spend
1.25 Velocity Points earned per $1 on all eligible spend except for government bodies~
2.25 Velocity Points per $1 spent on selected Virgin Australia purchases~
0.5 Velocity Points per $1 on Government spend~
Points cap
None
Earns points at ATO
Yes (reduced earn rate of 0.5 point/$)
Travel benefits
Each year:
Virgin Australia Lounge Access every time you fly with Virgin Australia^,
2 Virgin Australia Guest Lounge Passes=,
Complimentary Virgin Australia domestic return flight $
When using your card in Australia, you’ll receive 2.25 Velocity Points per dollar spent with Virgin Australia, and 1.25 Velocity Points per dollar on all other expenses except for government bodies where you will earn 0.5 Velocity Points per dollar spent.
Your Velocity Points will be swept over to your Velocity account on a monthly basis, and you can add up to 4 Additional Cards for no extra fee.
Complimentary Virgin Australia domestic return Economy Flight
With the American Express Velocity Platinum Card, you can also redeem the complimentary domestic return flight with Virgin Australia to selected cities each Card Membership year.
The free flight benefit could easily recoup your annual fee.
In all likelihood, the complimentary domestic flight will cover the cost of the annual fee of the card alone — or close to, at least.
Virgin Australia Lounge Access
The American Express Velocity Platinum Card comes with Virgin Australia Lounge Access2 every time you fly domestically with Virgin Australia. Each membership year, you will also receive 2 complimentary Virgin Australia Guest Lounge Passes3 to treat friends or family to VA Lounge access, when travelling with you on a domestic Virgin Australia flight.
If you don’t have Velocity status, this is a nice little perk which will see you enjoy their excellent domestic lounges.
Even if you do have Gold or Platinum status (and therefore, a guest allowance), you could still use the 2 single entry VA Guest Lounge Passes2 to bring extra guests in.
Status Credits
Another noteworthy ongoing benefit of the American Express Velocity Platinum Card is the Velocity Status Credits4.
Earn up to 100 Velocity Status Credits each year. Status Credits help you jump Velocity tier status and escape the crowds and skip the queues. Be awarded 50 Status Credits⁺ when you spend $25,000 on eligible purchases each membership year and a further 50 Status Credits when you spend another $25,000 in the same membership year.
This applies to both existing and new Amex Velocity Platinum Card Members and is a neat way of bumping up your Status Credits balance if you are on the hunt for Silver, Gold or Platinum Velocity status.
American Express ‘Plan It’ allows Card Members to pay off eligible transactions or a portion of your balance in equal monthly instalments. You can choose between a 3, 6 or 12 month plan, and there’s no interest, but a fixed monthly fee applies to access this feature. The minimum plan amount is $1006.
Other Benefits
There is also a range of insurances, including domestic and international travel insurance8, which includes Travel Inconvenience Cover, when you use your Card to pay for your return trip. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply (such as maximum age limits, pre-existing medical conditions and cover limits).
There are also retail insurances including Card Purchase Cover and Card Refund Cover% when you use the Card to pay for eligible items. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply.
The full insurance terms and conditions outlining the details of all the benefits included with the American Express Velocity Platinum Card can be found here. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply (such as maximum age limits, pre-existing medical conditions and cover limits).
This guide references some of the benefits of insurance policies provided with this Card. You should read the terms and conditions and obtain independent professional advice before obtaining this product.
Mobile wallet integration
American Express Cards work with Apple Pay®, Google Wallet™ and Samsung Pay, meaning you can use this card on your smartphone for easier payments.
Read the Point Hacks guide to using Apple Pay or for using Google Wallet and Samsung Pay, including instructions on how to add your American Express card to those services.
With this feature set up, it means you could still use your NFC-enabled phone to make purchases with your American Express account, even if your physical card is lost or stolen and pending replacement.
Eligibility criteria for bonus points for existing American Express Card Members
American Express are quite specific about whether existing Card Members will be eligible for bonus points if they apply for a card, are approved, and meet the minimum spend criteria.
Card Members who currently hold or who have previously held any Card product issued by American Express Australia Limited in the preceding 18 month period are ineligible for this offer.
American Express don’t allow existing Card Members, even for different types of American Express cards (e.g. Charge, Credit or Business) to be eligible for bonus points offers.
Summing Up
The American Express Velocity Platinum Card is aimed at those looking to maximize their Velocity Points earned from spending, especially those who frequently travel with Virgin Australia.
The complimentary Virgin Australia domestic return flight, VA Lounge Access, two VA Guest Lounge Passes, Status Credits, insurances, and other perks make this a very compelling Card to have.
Terms and Conditions
Cards are offered, issued, and administered by American Express Australia Limited ABN 92 108 952 085, Australian Credit Licence No. 291313.
American Express income and credit approval criteria applies. Subject to Terms and Conditions. Interest rates, fees and charges apply. All interest rates are quoted as an Annual Percentage Rate. All information, including fees, charges and interest rates are correct as at 30 October 2024 and are subject to change.
¹ Up to 100,000 bonus Velocity Points
To earn up to 100,000 bonus Velocity Points you must apply online by 30 April 2026, be approved, and meet the following criteria – You’ll receive 70,000 bonus Velocity Points when you spend $5,000 or more on eligible purchases on your new Card in the first 3 months from the Card approval date. Eligible purchases do not include Card fees and charges, for example annual fees, interest, late payment, cash advances, balance transfers, traveller’s cheques and foreign currency conversion. To receive an additional 30,000 bonus Velocity Points, you need to remain on the American Express Velocity Platinum Card after the first year and spend a minimum of $1 on the Card within 90 days of paying the second year annual Card fee. Please allow 8-10 weeks after the spend criteria has been met and the second year annual Card fee has been paid for the bonus points to be credited to your Account. The additional 30,000 bonus Velocity Points will still be awarded after fee renewal even if you did not meet the $5,000 minimum spend criteria to receive the 70,000 bonus Velocity Points in the first year of membership. This offer is only available to new American Express Card Members. Card Members who currently hold or who have previously held any Card product issued by American Express Australia Limited in the past 18 months are ineligible for this offer. Velocity Points are earned in accordance with the American Express Velocity Cards Points Terms and Conditions available here and are subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Velocity Frequent Flyer program available here. $440 Annual Card Fee applies. This advertised offer is not applicable or valid in conjunction with any other advertised or promotional offer.
² Virgin Australia Lounge Access
Virgin Australia Lounge Access: The American Express Velocity Platinum Card Virgin Australia Lounge Access is subject to the American Express Velocity Platinum Card Benefits Terms and Conditions. The Virgin Australia Lounge Access provides the Primary Card Member with access to Virgin Australia lounges at Australian domestic airports whenever they are flying on a Virgin Australia operated domestic flight on the same day. To qualify for Virgin Australia Lounge Access, your Card Account with American Express must be in good standing. American Express Velocity Platinum Primary Card Members will receive 12 months of lounge access on your Velocity membership. Enrol via your online American Express Account. This is your benefit anniversary date. After enrolling, activate the VA Lounge Access by making an Eligible Transaction on your American Express Velocity Platinum Card. Eligible Transaction does not include annual Card fees, cash advances, interest, balance transfers, fees and charges for traveller’s cheques and foreign currencies. After 12 months, at each subsequent benefit anniversary, make an Eligible Transaction on your Velocity Platinum Card to reactivate the VA Lounge Access. Please allow up to 7 days for the benefit to be processed on to the Primary Card Member’s Velocity membership. The Primary Card Member must provide their Velocity Frequent Flyer membership details to Virgin Australia lounge staff and present same day boarding pass on a Virgin Australia flight. Additional Card Members are not eligible. Virgin Australia lounge access is subject to space availability. Virgin Australia lounge is owned and operated by Virgin Australia Airlines Pty. Ltd. in selected domestic airports in accordance with Virgin Australia lounge Terms and Conditions, available at virginaustralia.com/lounge and as amended from time to time.
³ Virgin Australia Guest Lounge Passes
Virgin Australia Guest Lounge Passes are subject to the American Express Velocity Platinum Card Benefits Terms and Conditions. Two single entry passes to the Virgin Australia lounge will be activated on the Primary Card Member’s Velocity Frequent Flyer membership account annually, on or after each anniversary of membership. Additional Card members are not eligible. Complimentary single entry Virgin Australia Guest Lounge Passes are not transferable, but may be used to enable other people (who are travelling with the Primary Card Member) to gain access to the lounge. The Virgin Australia lounge is operated by Virgin Australia Airlines Pty. Ltd. in selected domestic airports in accordance with the Virgin Australia Lounge Terms and Conditions, available at virginaustralia.com/lounge and as amended from time to time. Visit the Virgin Australia website for up-to-date information on Virgin Australia’s Lounge network.
⁴ Velocity Frequent Flyer Status Credits
Velocity Frequent Flyer Status Credits are subject to the American Express Velocity Platinum Card Benefits Terms and Conditions. 50 Velocity Frequent Flyer Status Credits will be awarded when you spend $25,000 on Eligible Spend within your membership year, and a further 50 Status Credits when you spend another $25,000 on Eligible Spend within the same Membership year. Membership year is defined as commencing upon Card activation and renews on the day of your Card activation each subsequent year. Eligible Spend does not include Card fees and charges, for example annual fees, interest, late or dishonoured payments, cash advances, balance transfers, traveller’s cheques and foreign currency conversion. Please allow up to 2 weeks after you meet the minimum spend requirement for the Status Credits to be credited to your Velocity account. In addition to the Status Credits earned with this American Express Velocity Platinum Card offer, to upgrade or maintain membership status, Velocity members must earn a percentage of their Status Credits on eligible Virgin Australia marketed and/or operated flights, flown by the member. To find out more about Status Credits and the amount of Status Credits required to be earned on eligible Virgin Australia marketed and/or operated flights, flown by the member for Velocity membership levels please visit velocityfrequentflyer.com/the-basics/status.
⁵ Velocity Points
As long as your Account remains current and in good standing and you must be a member of the Velocity Frequent Flyer program to earn and redeem Velocity Points. Velocity Points are earned in accordance with the American Express Velocity Cards Points Terms and Conditions available at americanexpress.com.au/VelocityPointsTerms, and are subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Velocity Frequent Flyer program available at experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com/member-support/terms-conditions. Exclusions apply. Eligible purchases do not include Card fees and charges, for example annual fees, interest, late payment fees, cash advances, balance transfers, fees for traveller’s cheques and foreign currency conversion. These do not earn Velocity Points. For the full list of exclusions, please refer to the American Express Velocity Cards Points Terms and Conditions. Certain transactions will earn 0.5 points per dollar with Merchants classified as; government, including the Australian Taxation Office, the Australian Postal Corporation (Australia Post), federal/state and local government bodies. Industry specific earn rate may apply when you use a payment account, payment aggregator, services of a third party or online retailers that sell goods for another merchant. For example, a payment made to local government bodies processed through payment aggregator may earn rates at the government earn rate. Velocity Points earned on Virgin Australia spend are only valid for purchases made in Australia.
⁶ Plan It® Instalments
You can create an Instalment Plan as long as your account is in good standing. We may withdraw this offer, prevent you from creating any new Instalment Plans or cancel any of your existing Instalment Plan(s) at any time if your Card Account is overdue, or if you do not comply with your Card Conditions. The minimum Plan amount is AUD$100. We may also limit the amount that can be transferred to an Instalment Plan. You will be charged a Monthly Plan Fee for each Instalment Plan created (unless a promotional plan is available). This fee will be charged each month your Instalment Plan is active and will be disclosed to you at the time of creating your Instalment Plan. Each Instalment Plan will begin from the date it is successfully created, as communicated to you in your Online Account. Payment of your first Monthly Instalment will be due in your next payment cycle. You may request to cancel your Instalment Plan(s) at any time through your Online Account or the Amex App. Any billed Monthly Plan Fees will remain payable, but no further Monthly Plan Fees will be billed after cancellation is effective. As cancellation can take 24-48 hours to process (“Processing Time”), you may be charged a further monthly plan fee after requesting cancellation if the Processing Time occurs on your payment date. View the full Plan It® Instalment Terms and Conditions here.
⁷ Complimentary Domestic Return Virgin Australia Flight
The complimentary domestic economy Virgin Australia return flight is only available between selected Australian cities and is available for booking by American Express Velocity Platinum Primary Card Members each year after the anniversary of your Card Membership. All flights are subject to availability and neither Virgin Australia nor American Express guarantees that seats or tickets will be available on the dates or at the times you may wish to fly. Seat availability may be limited to certain dates and/or flights and it may be more difficult to book seats around public holidays, school holidays or special events. Some flights may not have any seats available for redemption. Route availability is subject to change without notice. All travel is subject to the American Express Velocity Platinum Card Benefits Terms and Conditions available here and travel is subject to Virgin Australia Conditions of Carriage available Conditionsofcarriage/VirginAustralia.com..
⁸ Complimentary Insurance
Velocity Platinum Card Insurance: The insurance on American Express Cards is subject to terms, conditions and exclusions (such as maximum age limits, pre-existing medical conditions and cover limits). You must use your American Express Velocity Platinum Credit Card to pay for your trip in order to be covered under the travel insurance and pay for eligible items for those items to be covered under the retail insurance benefits. It is important you read the American Express Velocity Platinum Credit Card Insurance Terms and Conditions and consider whether the insurance is right for you. We do not provide advice about the insurance or whether it is appropriate for your objectives, financial situation or needs. This insurance is underwritten by Chubb Insurance Australia Limited (ABN 23 001 642 020, AFSL No. 239687) under a group policy of insurance held by American Express Australia Limited (ABN 92 108 952 085, AFSL No. 291313). Access to this insurance is provided solely by reason of the statutory operation of section 48 of the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth). Card Members are not a party to the group policy, do not have an agreement with Chubb and cannot vary or cancel the cover. American Express is not the insurer, does not guarantee or hold the rights under the group policy on trust for Card Members and does not act on behalf of Chubb or as its agent. American Express is not an Authorised Representative (under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)) of Chubb.
Earn up to 100,000 bonus Velocity Points with the American Express Velocity Platinum Card was last modified: February 13th, 2026 by
Community Comments
Hello,
Just calling out that Amex does offer this card and bonus points as an upgrade from an existing card. I just upgraded from my Velocity Escape card from an offer received in the Amex App.
Applied for the card, got approved and now I realised that I don’t have any significant upcoming spend to meet the 3.5k requirement. If I pay my rent using Sniip does it count towards the minimum spend?
Can points be earned for example, if I pay for my medical bills at the hospital and GP as well as my rent? Also, can points be redeemed for cash as I do with my other credit card? If not, how else can I use my points be used besides booking flights? Can I use it for hotel bookings and car rentals?
i have signed up for the amex platinum and spent my $3000 in one day and received my 100000 bonus velocity points as advertised enough for a Japan trip from Australia as the blog states . easy
unfortunately they are 1000000 Amex points and only transfer to 50000 velocity points so not t the 100000 velocity points as advertised can you pleas confirm this
Hi Peter, the offer of 100,000 Velocity Points is on the American Express Velocity Platinum Card, not the American Express Platinum Charge card which it sounds like you might have applied for. Does your physical card match the image on this page? If not, it seems you may have applied for a different card which would have a different offer.
No I have the Amex platinum velocity’s card. I have received 100000 bonus velocity point but when you transfer them to velocity the only transfer at 2:1. So effectively I only have 50000 velocity points
No I have the Amex platinum velocity’s card. I have received 100000 bonus velocity points but they transfer at 2:1:
If you have the Amex Platinum Velocity, that earns Velocity Points directly into your Velocity account every month at a 1:1 rate. If you have points that transfer at 2:1, it sounds like you have Amex Membership Rewards points which is not offered with the Amex Velocity Platinum card.
When does offer expire? Was it 11.59pm 5/2/24 or 11.59pm 6/2/24. just clarifying please
Will I be eligble still for this offer if i applied on the 5th of Feb say, and were approved on the 10th feb? Would i still be eligble for the 100K velocity points?
Hi Alisha, we can’t make any definitive statements confirming individual eligibility for an offer based on specific circumstances, as this would be considered ‘personal financial advice’. We can only refer you to the T&Cs of the offer, or alternatively, that you ask the question of American Express, as they issue this card.
I signed up last week to get the 100k points, card should arrive this week.
The site now says only 60k bonus? In my email I received with all the benefits it doesn’t mention anything about sign up points.
Has it changed now from 100k to 60k in the last week? The offer initially said it ended in February?
Hi Michael, if you signed up the 100K offer then that’s what you should expect to get. While Amex does publish an expected end date to offers, they can pull them early due to various commercial reasons.
Hi Sam, we’ve definitely seen a softening in the market as a whole with sign-up bonuses. Of course, there are still a few high outliers, but overall, bonuses are smaller now.
Also the link to the full free flight guide doesn’t work, I presume given Perth’s is more than a couple of hours from the east coast we lose this key benefit?
Your article should make it clear than the 100 status credits are a once-off only. I always thought it was year on year but found out the hard way that its not the case
Hi there. I currently have this card, and my wife is an additional card holder on my account. If she were to apply for this card in her own name, does being an additional card holder within the last 18 months exclude her from all the points benefits?
Hi,
Can you please just confirm when the $375 annual fee is charged. Is it when the card is first approved or on the 1st anniversary of the cards approval?
Thanks
When do I pay my annual fee?
We will charge the annual Card fee in the month of your Card Membership anniversary.
Cheers
The wording is ambiguous, but the first month you use the card is technically the ‘anniversary month’ that Amex uses going forward. Regardless, Amex definitely charge the annual fee early on, not after one year has passed.
Thanks again for the info Brandon.
Much appreciated
Hello,
I am applying for this card and wanted to let you know the “Two Sydney or Melbourne Airport American Express lounge passes per membership year” is no longer offered. You might want to update this page. Thanks,
Hi Lisa, you are always welcome to cancel the card without additional penalties. However, it’s best to wait until you’ve earned all the bonus inclusions (such as the points and the statement credit). Also, the annual fee you paid wouldn’t be refundable, so in some ways it’s best to hold the card for the year.
Hi Dan. If you refer your friends through your personal Amex referral link, then you’ll get the referral bonus points and they will get whatever offer is noted under your account (which may not be the same as this one). If your friends click through the Point Hacks link, then you won’t be able to get referral points but your friends will be able to take advantage of the exclusive offer.
Just wondering if the 85,000 velocity points will be credited on cumulative spend of $1500 in first 3 months or on spending $1500 each month in the first three months.
Apologies, I’ve just realised that my previous answer to you was incorrect.
You will receive 85,000 bonus Velocity Points if you spend $1,500 within the first 3 months. This is cumulative spend meaning that you only need to spend $1,500 (and not $4,500 as my previous response suggested) to receive the 85,000 points.
You can then earn 5,000 bonus points for every $500 you spend in each of months 4, 5 and 6, for a total of 15,000 points.
Hi guys,
I read that you can now book the free flight online.
Can someone please tell me the link of the booking site ?
I can’t seem to find it .
Thank you.
Hey, I’m wondering if this will stack with the double referral points offer ? eg. if I refer a friend will it be 100k + 60k = $160k points for them? Thanks 🙂
Hi, my 18 month wait period to receive Amex sign up bonuses is the 14 Aug 2019 (previously held platinum edge). I verified this date with Amex today. Am I able to apply on the 12th of August assuming it takes a day or two to be approved? Alternatively is there anyway of me somehow receiving an extension on the offer until the 14th of Aug? This is the exact card up after and the bonus is great.
Hi Teige
My understanding is that the date you submitted your application will be the relevant date in regards to bonus points eligibility, rather than the date of processing.
I would explain the situation with American Express and get them to confirm this for you. If they do say that it is the date of processing and therefore are eligible, make sure to get them to write this in their notes, and take note of who you spoke to and when in case you need to refer to that call again in the future.
Hi Keith,
Currently I’m holding Westpac AMEX, is it still eligible for 100k bonus please? As after I open Amex page, it’s saying not eligible for any current AMEX holder? Amex
In order to earn the full 100,000 points, you will need to spend $1,000 or more each month for the first 4 months, with 25,000 points be awarded every month this spend criteria is applied.
Therefore, if you spend $1,000 in Months, 1, 2, 3 and 4, you will receive 100,000 points. If you spend $4,000 in Month 1, then $0 in MOnths 2, 3 and 4, you will receive 25,000 points.
I spoke to them on phone and asked was it month from
– application date
– approval date
– first spend date
– statement date
I was advised it is month from application date anniversary. I’m still not 100% confident in that response though.
Hi sam
Thanks for the feedback.
It should be the statement month, otherwise, it would get very complicated working out if you met the spend requirement when Amex show spending by statement period on their app and online.
the date cycle is a night mare and when they pay is as bad
I got my first 25000 points 7 days after getting the card (as I’d spent $1000) so dont assume its a statement month. I rang for clarification and the points earning period was not the same as the statement date. It is a minefield. I am still waiting for my second lot of 25000 6 weeks after the first lot went through despite spending $5000
Hi there. My wife has had this Velocity Platinum Amex card for a few months now. We’ve noticed on her statement that the points seem to ‘Auto deposit’ into her Velocity account. Is there a way to turn this off so that we can manually control when to transfer the points across?
I’ve got a friends referral, but when I click through to the landing page it says 75k Velocity points if I apply by Nov 14 – does this offer not apply to referrals?
To be fair, I think this card might be slightly better than the ANZ Travel Adventure card, as the points AMEX offer here are significantly more than those from ANZ (40k). However, the low acceptability of AMEX card comparing with the VISA ones still devalues this card a lot. Not even mentioning that people can use ANZ bonus points mall to boost up the points.
That being said, considering there is no spending cap for the fixed points earning rate, this card may be worthy for some Velocity fans.
A question I hope you can answer for me, I currently hold the Amex Explorer – which I believe is one of the best cards out there! I really want to get this card in my wallet too but am aware I wont be eligible for the 90k points which is a shame. Do you know if I do apply for this card and get approved, I would be eligible for everything else the card provides? eg the free flight, lounge passes etc? thanks!
Velocity and most other FF programs are becoming a scam.
More and more people are signing up to credit cards, with a crazy number of frequent flyer points in circulation.
At the same time, the ability to use those points is being constantly degraded to the point it is hardly worth the effort anymore
Hi Keith,
I expect to hit the threshold to receive the bonus velocity points thereafter and would love to get your thoughts on potentially using the bonus points with KrisFlyer, any tips – hacks in this regards?
I enjoy Singapore Air and would love to somehow get in the business class.
Hi,
Still new to the who FF thing so i have a question please.
If i apply for the card, meet the minimum spend to get the 75k points and cancel the card before the 1yr anniversary do i have to pay the $375 annual fee?
Question with the 100 status credits. If my wife applies for a card and she has her points and status credits pooled to my account do the 100 bonus status credits get swept to my account or do they stay in my wife’s account.
Unfortunately not. Access to overseas Amex lounges is reserved for American Express Platinum, Business Platinum and Centurion Card Members. More on that here.
At 75k points I’d pass. I’ve seen this card advertised at 100k through referral, and ironically it might be a poor choice if you’re chasing status in some circumstances.
If you want to hit the $50k = 100SC reward, that’s a lot of spend you can’t direct to more appropriate cards like the Platinum Edge.
If your flight patterns keep you on the edge of retaining status, then you might prefer the Explorer’s $400 travel credit, since you can earn SCs on that flight. The domestic flight reward does not earn SCs.
If most of your status credits come from travel you do not buy yourself, then you don’t make so much of the 2.5ppd earn at Virgin Australia, and the Explorer earns an effective 1.5ppd everywhere, MR points are transferable, and if you hold out for a transfer bonus it earns more than the Velocity-branded card! How crazy is that?
IMHO this card was great when it had 3ppd at restaurants/VA, 2ppd on foreign transactions (which offset the 3% fee at least, though your foreign spend should go on a 0% fee card) and 1ppd elsewhere (which you’d hardly use). It’s fallen a long way since then.
I’ll stay with my new VISA card at the moment. Don’t know why they kept reducing the bonus points in their offer. I really wanted to get the explorer card last month, but with the 75k “offer” I passed and went for a VISA card.
I need to get a credit card again after having to give up my Velocity Escape card for a home loan. Ive had to wait 18months to be eligible for the bonus points. And I’ve seen it go from 100k to 50k to 100k back to 50k. Frustrating having to wait this long.
I want 100k. When does it start again? And can I multiply this with someones referral and get even more points?
This is a great perk I reckon. I was actually intending to close the card at the end of my member year this year (was going to last year as well, but forgot, and once the annual fee was charged I figured I may as well keep it another 12 months), but now I might actually keep it.
Logged into my Amex account and under the ‘refer a friend’ it’s states you receive 30k and they receive 60k. I was on the phone to Amex at the same time and asked the operator about this and he told me that the friend who signs up and qualifies would get the 60K plus what ever is also being offered on the website 50k so total 110k. Surely that isn’t correct?
Is it likely that the sign up bonus will go back up to 100k from 50k? And if so from the Amex site (so referral bonus can also be used?). Thanks for your help.
I’ve met my $1500 spend criteria for the bonus points. I know the terms say the points will arrive within 8-10 weeks of the minimum spend being met, however I’m keen to hear if anyone has had recent experience where they have been credited their bonus points earlier?
I applied for this, got the card, but before activating it, I chickened out and cancelled the card. The reason for me cancelling the card is that I won’t be able to maximise the benefits of this card for I won’t be able to use the free domestic flight since I’m from Darwin and no free flights are coming and going to Darwin NT.
The question is, will it hurt my credit rating if I received the card, didn’t activate it, then cancel it after about a week?
I found out that a better card for Darwinites like me is the ANZ Rewards Travel Adventures Visa for they give free flights from and to Darwin NT.
Yes, of course! Good find!
Hi Keith/Matt,
For the 100k sign up bonus points and the 18 month exclusion period of previous cardholder, is it 18 months from card cancellation date or 18 months from contract cancellation date with Amex? Contract cancellation being card cancellation + 60 days i.e when you cancel a card, they state that your credit contract will terminate in another 60 days after card cancellation.
Great question. As far as I know it’s from date of cancellation but if you are on the cusp like this it may be worth giving Amex a call to double check your eligibility date, as it would be annoying to apply thinking you were eligible and then be knocked back.
Hi there, I’ve just applied for this one and been approved (yay). How long will the 100k points take to credit to my account, if I spend $1500 quite soon in the first month this Jan?
Looking to book a reward seat to Europe this year with this and other points I’ve accumulated, hence trying to figure out timings for when I’d be able to make this booking. Thanks in advance.
Does the exclusive 100k point offer work in conjunction with the referral bonus? I tried signing up from a referral link but reverts to the normal offer.
If the application for the card is in my defacto partner’s name, can I have it linked up to MY velocity membership number to earn the 100k points?? If not is there a way around this?
If I apply for the card on the 27th and am already conditionally approved, will I make it in time before the 31/07 cutoff date to be eligible for the bonus points? The application said it may take up to 5-10 business days to process my application.
The T&Cs state that lounge access is available only “when travelling on an onward domestic flight with Virgin Australia”. This guide could be improved to make that distinction clear; i.e. you can’t use the included lounge pass if travelling domestic with another airline, nor can you access a business lounge if flying internationally (with Virgin or otherwise). Virgin Australia domestic flights only.
Agreed! Updated.
Hi,
I was wondering whether anyone knows if the 2 Virgin passes can be used together, as a couple in 1 visit that is?
“You cannot transfer Single Entries to other people (for example, to other Velocity Members) but you can use your Single Entries to enable other people who are travelling with you to gain access to the lounge.”
So basically you have to be with your travelling companion to let them in using one of your passes. To avoid doubt, two people must use two passes, as a single pass does not include guesting privileges.
From 3 October 2017, you will earn:
* 2.5 Velocity Points per $1 spent on purchases with Virgin Australia.
* 1.5 Velocity Points per $1 spent everywhere else, excluding the providers below.
* 0.5 Velocity Points per $1 spent at government bodies in Australia, such as Australia Post and the Australian Tax Office.
my wife is an additional card holder on my account… if she applies for this card do you think it would get knocked back on this basis, or allowed as she fits the criteria otherwise and has never had a direct Amex account?
Holding a supplementary card alone won’t make someone ineligible for the bonus – and you can link your existing card as a supplementary cardholder to your application as you go to help with identification (or not, if you prefer).
I couldn’t quiet understand the points earning rate. I previously held a american express velocity platinum card with the earn rate of 3 points per $1 at cafe/restaurants and 1 point per $1 on general spend. Will this earn rate be revised as per the new rates shown in the article ??
Amex have said they have no set date or plans for changing existing cardholders to the new earn rate regime. I’ll make that clearer. I am guessing they will move existing cardholders at some point though.
I was just about to ask this question… good to get the increase to 1.5 points… but shame to lose the restaurant bonus, clocked some good points there. But I guess it will roughly even out over time…
Does anyone know if the lounge pass expiry can be extended (by Amex or the Velocity team)?
Not to our knowledge – this is for the Virgin Australia lounges, right? They are digital passes so would ‘expire’ in your account, but then should be replaced by new passes for your next cardholder year assuming you renew and pay your annual fee…
Do you have any insights on either actual or quoted discount on non-flex business class fares? I’m just interested in ball park figures – is it 5-10% or 40-50%
I don’t have any specific examples, but I understand it’s on the lower end. Give Amex Travel a call, they will probably do a quote for you if you say you are considering the card.
It’s a bit uncertain, to be honest. The current take is to try to book and test your luck, especially if you’re an older cardholder. Amex Travel have been saying it’s possible, Amex HQ are saying it’s not on the offer pages.
Thanks for your response Keith. Hopefully the same doesn’t apply to existing cardholders, I will phone them tomorrow.
Love the info on this site btw, it’s very helpful. Cheers
Have you received a response from Virgin regarding what they are planning to do for cardholders who obtained the card (more than a year ago for myself) and got it specifically for the Perth-Sydney route which I use each year to fly my mum to Sydney.
My focus so far has been on what’s happening for applicants under the current promotion rather than existing cardholders. As an existing cardholder you should talk directly to Amex and see if the benefit has been dropped for you as well (I’m not sure if it has), and if so, voice your displeasure. I will report back though if I find out what they are doing, if anything, for new applicants so you’re aware.
Hi Salem – I’ve been in touch with Amex about the PER-SYD flights and have been told that map you’ve linked is not valid now, with PER-SYD and PER-ADL not included any more. They are working out how to deal with customers who applied for the card on that basis, I’ll report back when I hear more.
Hey Phil – I’ve been told by Amex with certainty that PER-SYD is not on offer with the card any more. Frustrating. They are figuring out what they will do for customers who applied on this basis. I will reply back when I hear more.
With the two Virgin Lounge Passes per year do we use these to access the Amex Lounge located at T1 Sydney International Airport as I believe Sydney does not have a Virgin lounge, or do we also receive two Amex Lounge Passes in addition to the Virgin passes?
I have an existing AMEX Platinum card. I rang AMEX wanting to convert from that card to this Velocity AMEX card, to get the 100,000 Velocity points but they wouldnt do it, not even with threat of cancellation of the existing card. If I do cancel my existing card, I cannot re-apply to get bonus points offers for 12 months!! Might just cancel my card anyway. There are still some other good deals out there, with 0% balance transfers!.
Regarding the offer – how long does it take before the 100,000 points expire from the time you qualify for the points?
Also the free domestic flight every year – does it work on a calendar year basis or a 12 month rolling cycle i.e. You will only qualify for another free domestic flight 12 months after redeeming the first flight?
Thanks!
The Velocity points are subject to the Velocity points expiry terms, which is 36 months of inactivity – as long as you have activity you keep your points.
Free flight – it’s on cardholder year, not calendar year. You can book your flight anytime during your cardholder year and you’ll get another on your account when you roll over and pay your next annual fee. If you don’t use it, you can’t keep it.
Not much, except chat to Amex directly before/during your application and see if they are willing to waive that requirement for some reason with your circumstances – i.e. submit previous payslips / tax returns etc.
Hi Keith, I just rang the AMEX customer service number (1300366105) and they confirmed that they do NOT fly Syd – Cairns anymore.
The one place I wanted to go!! Oh well.
Thanks for the update – as I said, I have put a question into my contacts at Amex on this and the Perth-Sydney flight changes and should hear back pretty quickly. The Sydney – Cairns option IS explicitly listed in that PDF which is linked to from the offer page, so I would be surprised if it has been removed.
Both the flight maps I’m aware of also list Sydney – Cairns: This one and this one.. I think you have strong legs to stand on in pushing for Sydney Cairns given the documentation to support this, and wouldn’t trust that response without further clarification.
Can you confirm whether the Sydney – Cairns return flight is still an option. The flight is not showing up on the AMEX map from Sydney any more, yet I notice that you are still showing this flight in your map above.
Thanks for your help.
Long time lurker, I have been following your site for last 2 years now, came back last year (July) from 3 points tickets to Europe on Qantas with a zero balance on return and back up to 150k now.
My question is this. GIven I am self employed and my wife is a stay at home home mum I have to be careful with my applications.
Should I diversify and grab this card to have the velocity account? I already often buy my fuel from BP swipe velocity and pay with NAB 1.5 points per dollar AMEX so I am graduallly building a velocity balance already.
The return flight Sydney to Perth is great value in itself so would cover card cost.
I find Velocity to be useful for redemptions on Virgin Australia for their primary use – they are a little cheaper than Qantas and award seats are generally more widely available. But Virgin’s network is not as wide as Qantas, so hard to say if Velocity will be of use to you specifically.
The return flight from Sydney won’t get you to Perth unfortunately. Possibly the other way around (PER – SYD) but a bit of confusion around that at the minute which I Will try and clear up when I confirm with Amex next week.
Either way, this is a huge sign up bonus – the biggest ever on a Velocity card, so it’s appealing to a lot of people.
I called the customer service and we can redeem the free flight from Perth to Sydney. The Amex website still showing Sydney as a destination from Perth. Not sure why there is another map showing otherwise.
Hi Jean – I got a formal response from Amex and Perth -> Sydney is now no longer offered with the card. I’ve been told that map you’ve linked is not valid now and that they are still working out how to deal with customers who applied for the card on that basis.
Amex has just changed the rule on existing Amex card holders:
“Receive 100,000 bonus Velocity Points when you apply by 30 September 2015, are approved and spend $1,000 on your new Card within the first 3 months. Card Members who currently hold or who have previously held any other Card product offered by American Express Australia Limited in the preceding 12 month period are ineligible for this offer.”
Existing card holders are applying for this promo like hotcakes and receiving their VA points. Go nuts, everyone!
Is it me or I don’t see how 100,000 points is redeemable for 1 way from SYD – LAX in business. I have tried booking using the virgin australia site. Any other dates I see $3700 approx equivalent to 550k+ points. Am I doing anything wrong searching??
You need to be looking in the column that says ‘premium reward’ or ‘business reward’ which are the cheaper level seats. If it says ‘sold out’ then there’s no availability at the lower level for your dates. The high price is using points+pay which essentially swaps the points for cash at a much worse rate.
If I am new to Amex and applied for this Platinum card through a referral, does that mean I will get both the welcome bonus of 100,000 points and the 110,000 points through referral?
Thanks!
Hey Lisa – no, you only get one or the other – 100k or 110k if you use a referral. If you then refer someone else to apply, they would get 110k and you would pick up the referral bonus – 20k points from memory.
I have Amex Plat Edge and would love to have this card with the domestic return tickets and 2 passes to the lounge more than make up for the annual fee.
With the rule about existing card owners not qualify for the points, it’s a sad moment!
You’ll get the points as soon as you meet the eligibility criteria. You’re free to cancel any time after that but you’ll lose the benefits of the card at that point.
Has anyone had any issues with the Amex referral links? I used a link to apply for an Amex platinum velocity card to score the extra 10k points. I was approved and given a reference number. Two weeks passed and had not received a card only to be told by them on the phone today that they had no record of my name, application or reference number in their system. Very odd.
Awesome website.. I am pretty new to the whole FF thing, I am currently using an ANZ Rewards card for my business which, from what I can tell, is pretty lousy compared to Qantas and Velocity programs.. With this card it appears that as long as you pay your CC bills before the big interest kicks in, and avoid using it where merchants charge large fees, you are pretty much guaranteed to come out ahead each year? I would use the flight for Perth – Karratha each year which is around $700 return usually.. it just seems to good to be true! Am I missing any disadvantages to going with such a card? Thanks!
There’s a 200,000 point referral limit. So you can refer up to 10 people for this card, once you have your account all set up, and yes, that would be an extra 200,000 points if you find 10 others who want to take up the offer through your referral.
Hello,
Just calling out that Amex does offer this card and bonus points as an upgrade from an existing card. I just upgraded from my Velocity Escape card from an offer received in the Amex App.
Look forward to enjoying the benefits…
Applied for the card, got approved and now I realised that I don’t have any significant upcoming spend to meet the 3.5k requirement. If I pay my rent using Sniip does it count towards the minimum spend?
Can points be earned for example, if I pay for my medical bills at the hospital and GP as well as my rent? Also, can points be redeemed for cash as I do with my other credit card? If not, how else can I use my points be used besides booking flights? Can I use it for hotel bookings and car rentals?
Looking forward to your reply!
i have signed up for the amex platinum and spent my $3000 in one day and received my 100000 bonus velocity points as advertised enough for a Japan trip from Australia as the blog states . easy
unfortunately they are 1000000 Amex points and only transfer to 50000 velocity points so not t the 100000 velocity points as advertised can you pleas confirm this
Hi Peter, the offer of 100,000 Velocity Points is on the American Express Velocity Platinum Card, not the American Express Platinum Charge card which it sounds like you might have applied for. Does your physical card match the image on this page? If not, it seems you may have applied for a different card which would have a different offer.
No I have the Amex platinum velocity’s card. I have received 100000 bonus velocity point but when you transfer them to velocity the only transfer at 2:1. So effectively I only have 50000 velocity points
No I have the Amex platinum velocity’s card. I have received 100000 bonus velocity points but they transfer at 2:1:
If you have the Amex Platinum Velocity, that earns Velocity Points directly into your Velocity account every month at a 1:1 rate. If you have points that transfer at 2:1, it sounds like you have Amex Membership Rewards points which is not offered with the Amex Velocity Platinum card.
When does offer expire? Was it 11.59pm 5/2/24 or 11.59pm 6/2/24. just clarifying please
Hi Dino, the offer is still currently active and is due to expire before 11:59pm AEDT tonight (6 Feb).
Will I be eligble still for this offer if i applied on the 5th of Feb say, and were approved on the 10th feb? Would i still be eligble for the 100K velocity points?
Hi Alisha, we can’t make any definitive statements confirming individual eligibility for an offer based on specific circumstances, as this would be considered ‘personal financial advice’. We can only refer you to the T&Cs of the offer, or alternatively, that you ask the question of American Express, as they issue this card.
I signed up last week to get the 100k points, card should arrive this week.
The site now says only 60k bonus? In my email I received with all the benefits it doesn’t mention anything about sign up points.
Has it changed now from 100k to 60k in the last week? The offer initially said it ended in February?
Hi Michael, if you signed up the 100K offer then that’s what you should expect to get. While Amex does publish an expected end date to offers, they can pull them early due to various commercial reasons.
Has there been an obvious shift from Amex to lower sign up bonuses?
I’ve been wanting to get this card for a while but was waiting for a sign up offer in the 120k point region – as we’ve seen in the past.
Hi Sam, we’ve definitely seen a softening in the market as a whole with sign-up bonuses. Of course, there are still a few high outliers, but overall, bonuses are smaller now.
Might want to tweak the “(when overseas travel is open again)” wording
Also the link to the full free flight guide doesn’t work, I presume given Perth’s is more than a couple of hours from the east coast we lose this key benefit?
Your article should make it clear than the 100 status credits are a once-off only. I always thought it was year on year but found out the hard way that its not the case
Hi there. I currently have this card, and my wife is an additional card holder on my account. If she were to apply for this card in her own name, does being an additional card holder within the last 18 months exclude her from all the points benefits?
Hi,
Can you please just confirm when the $375 annual fee is charged. Is it when the card is first approved or on the 1st anniversary of the cards approval?
Thanks
Hi Andrew, the annual fee is usually charged within the first month of card activation.
Thanks for the reply Brandon now im confused ♂️
On the Amex website it says
When do I pay my annual fee?
We will charge the annual Card fee in the month of your Card Membership anniversary.
Cheers
The wording is ambiguous, but the first month you use the card is technically the ‘anniversary month’ that Amex uses going forward. Regardless, Amex definitely charge the annual fee early on, not after one year has passed.
Thanks again for the info Brandon.
Much appreciated
Hello,
I am applying for this card and wanted to let you know the “Two Sydney or Melbourne Airport American Express lounge passes per membership year” is no longer offered. You might want to update this page. Thanks,
Katie
Hi, is this card free cancellation?
Hi Lisa, you are always welcome to cancel the card without additional penalties. However, it’s best to wait until you’ve earned all the bonus inclusions (such as the points and the statement credit). Also, the annual fee you paid wouldn’t be refundable, so in some ways it’s best to hold the card for the year.
Hi. Just wondering if I get the referral bonus points if I refer someone to the promotion? Thanks.
Hi Dan. If you refer your friends through your personal Amex referral link, then you’ll get the referral bonus points and they will get whatever offer is noted under your account (which may not be the same as this one). If your friends click through the Point Hacks link, then you won’t be able to get referral points but your friends will be able to take advantage of the exclusive offer.
Hi Daniel, can you please confirm if current holder of a corporate Amex card is eligible for the bonus offer? Thanks
Just wondering if the 85,000 velocity points will be credited on cumulative spend of $1500 in first 3 months or on spending $1500 each month in the first three months.
Hi knagelli
You must spend $1,500 each month in the first three months to qualify for the bonus points.
Hi knagelli
Apologies, I’ve just realised that my previous answer to you was incorrect.
You will receive 85,000 bonus Velocity Points if you spend $1,500 within the first 3 months. This is cumulative spend meaning that you only need to spend $1,500 (and not $4,500 as my previous response suggested) to receive the 85,000 points.
You can then earn 5,000 bonus points for every $500 you spend in each of months 4, 5 and 6, for a total of 15,000 points.
I hope this clarifies the situation.
Thanks
Hi guys,
I read that you can now book the free flight online.
Can someone please tell me the link of the booking site ?
I can’t seem to find it .
Thank you.
Hi Marcus
You can access the link at https://accounts.velocityfrequentflyer.com/auth/realms/velocity/protocol/openid-connect/auth?response_type=code&client_id=mobile-web&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fcompflight.virginaustralia.com%2Fvirginaustralia%2Fsso%2Flogin&state=765e9e80-b21d-4dde-893e-9ebc00d80c1f&login=true&scope=openid.
This link can also be found in the following Point Hacks guide: https://www.pointhacks.com.au/american-express-free-virgin-australia-flight-guide/
Hey, I’m wondering if this will stack with the double referral points offer ? eg. if I refer a friend will it be 100k + 60k = $160k points for them? Thanks 🙂
Hi Connie
As long as you meet the requirements for both offers, they will be stackable.
Hi, my 18 month wait period to receive Amex sign up bonuses is the 14 Aug 2019 (previously held platinum edge). I verified this date with Amex today. Am I able to apply on the 12th of August assuming it takes a day or two to be approved? Alternatively is there anyway of me somehow receiving an extension on the offer until the 14th of Aug? This is the exact card up after and the bonus is great.
Hi Teige
My understanding is that the date you submitted your application will be the relevant date in regards to bonus points eligibility, rather than the date of processing.
I would explain the situation with American Express and get them to confirm this for you. If they do say that it is the date of processing and therefore are eligible, make sure to get them to write this in their notes, and take note of who you spoke to and when in case you need to refer to that call again in the future.
Hi Keith,
Currently I’m holding Westpac AMEX, is it still eligible for 100k bonus please? As after I open Amex page, it’s saying not eligible for any current AMEX holder? Amex
Hi Steph
We have just received confirmation from American Express that current Westpac American Express cardholders ARE eligible for this offer.
Hey. If you spend $4000 in the first month and then nothing therefeafter, will you get the full points earn or only 20000¿
Hi Martins
In order to earn the full 100,000 points, you will need to spend $1,000 or more each month for the first 4 months, with 25,000 points be awarded every month this spend criteria is applied.
Therefore, if you spend $1,000 in Months, 1, 2, 3 and 4, you will receive 100,000 points. If you spend $4,000 in Month 1, then $0 in MOnths 2, 3 and 4, you will receive 25,000 points.
Does anyone know when the new ‘month’ starts?
is it statement month? calendar month?
Hi David
It is based on a statement month.
Are you 100% sure it is statement month.
I spoke to them on phone and asked was it month from
– application date
– approval date
– first spend date
– statement date
I was advised it is month from application date anniversary. I’m still not 100% confident in that response though.
Hi sam
Thanks for the feedback.
It should be the statement month, otherwise, it would get very complicated working out if you met the spend requirement when Amex show spending by statement period on their app and online.
the date cycle is a night mare and when they pay is as bad
I got my first 25000 points 7 days after getting the card (as I’d spent $1000) so dont assume its a statement month. I rang for clarification and the points earning period was not the same as the statement date. It is a minefield. I am still waiting for my second lot of 25000 6 weeks after the first lot went through despite spending $5000
Hi there. My wife has had this Velocity Platinum Amex card for a few months now. We’ve noticed on her statement that the points seem to ‘Auto deposit’ into her Velocity account. Is there a way to turn this off so that we can manually control when to transfer the points across?
I’ve got a friends referral, but when I click through to the landing page it says 75k Velocity points if I apply by Nov 14 – does this offer not apply to referrals?
Correct. This is an affiliate exclusive, which means only certain partners like Point Hacks have access to it.
To be fair, I think this card might be slightly better than the ANZ Travel Adventure card, as the points AMEX offer here are significantly more than those from ANZ (40k). However, the low acceptability of AMEX card comparing with the VISA ones still devalues this card a lot. Not even mentioning that people can use ANZ bonus points mall to boost up the points.
That being said, considering there is no spending cap for the fixed points earning rate, this card may be worthy for some Velocity fans.
Hi Keith
A question I hope you can answer for me, I currently hold the Amex Explorer – which I believe is one of the best cards out there! I really want to get this card in my wallet too but am aware I wont be eligible for the 90k points which is a shame. Do you know if I do apply for this card and get approved, I would be eligible for everything else the card provides? eg the free flight, lounge passes etc? thanks!
Yes, if approved, you would be eligible for all benefits except the sign-up bonus points.
Velocity and most other FF programs are becoming a scam.
More and more people are signing up to credit cards, with a crazy number of frequent flyer points in circulation.
At the same time, the ability to use those points is being constantly degraded to the point it is hardly worth the effort anymore
Hi Keith,
I expect to hit the threshold to receive the bonus velocity points thereafter and would love to get your thoughts on potentially using the bonus points with KrisFlyer, any tips – hacks in this regards?
I enjoy Singapore Air and would love to somehow get in the business class.
Alex
I would suggest getting some inspiration from our best uses of points series as well as this guide.
Hi,
Still new to the who FF thing so i have a question please.
If i apply for the card, meet the minimum spend to get the 75k points and cancel the card before the 1yr anniversary do i have to pay the $375 annual fee?
Thanks in advance
The annual fee will be charged in the first month or two, so, yes, you will need to pay the annual fee.
Question with the 100 status credits. If my wife applies for a card and she has her points and status credits pooled to my account do the 100 bonus status credits get swept to my account or do they stay in my wife’s account.
Good news—they will pool into your account!
Hi, does this card provide access to AMEX-operated lounges overseas eg KL or LAX? Cheers
Unfortunately not. Access to overseas Amex lounges is reserved for American Express Platinum, Business Platinum and Centurion Card Members. More on that here.
At 75k points I’d pass. I’ve seen this card advertised at 100k through referral, and ironically it might be a poor choice if you’re chasing status in some circumstances.
If you want to hit the $50k = 100SC reward, that’s a lot of spend you can’t direct to more appropriate cards like the Platinum Edge.
If your flight patterns keep you on the edge of retaining status, then you might prefer the Explorer’s $400 travel credit, since you can earn SCs on that flight. The domestic flight reward does not earn SCs.
If most of your status credits come from travel you do not buy yourself, then you don’t make so much of the 2.5ppd earn at Virgin Australia, and the Explorer earns an effective 1.5ppd everywhere, MR points are transferable, and if you hold out for a transfer bonus it earns more than the Velocity-branded card! How crazy is that?
IMHO this card was great when it had 3ppd at restaurants/VA, 2ppd on foreign transactions (which offset the 3% fee at least, though your foreign spend should go on a 0% fee card) and 1ppd elsewhere (which you’d hardly use). It’s fallen a long way since then.
Thanks for the info Jack.
I’ll stay with my new VISA card at the moment. Don’t know why they kept reducing the bonus points in their offer. I really wanted to get the explorer card last month, but with the 75k “offer” I passed and went for a VISA card.
Hi Keith,
My husband canceled his Amex card in Feb 2017 (19 months ago). Now he is the SECONDARY cardholder to my Amex card.
If he apply for this Amex Velocity will he be eligible for the bonus signup points?
Thank you.
Yes! Check out the first question under FAQs in this guide.
I need to get a credit card again after having to give up my Velocity Escape card for a home loan. Ive had to wait 18months to be eligible for the bonus points. And I’ve seen it go from 100k to 50k to 100k back to 50k. Frustrating having to wait this long.
I want 100k. When does it start again? And can I multiply this with someones referral and get even more points?
Unfortunately, we don’t have information on when (or if) the 100,000-point offer will come back. No, you cannot stack bonus offers.
Just discovered the 100 SC w/$50k spend thing.
You say this applies to existing card holders – do we need to do anything to have this “activated”, or will it happen automatically ?
As far as I know, it’s automatic!
Hope so. Should find out in a couple of months.
This is a great perk I reckon. I was actually intending to close the card at the end of my member year this year (was going to last year as well, but forgot, and once the annual fee was charged I figured I may as well keep it another 12 months), but now I might actually keep it.
Logged into my Amex account and under the ‘refer a friend’ it’s states you receive 30k and they receive 60k. I was on the phone to Amex at the same time and asked the operator about this and he told me that the friend who signs up and qualifies would get the 60K plus what ever is also being offered on the website 50k so total 110k. Surely that isn’t correct?
That sounds incorrect to me. I’d go off what the website says.
Is it likely that the sign up bonus will go back up to 100k from 50k? And if so from the Amex site (so referral bonus can also be used?). Thanks for your help.
It’s flip-flopped between 50k and 100k a few times. We can’t provide a definitive answer about future offers, though.
Hi all,
I’ve met my $1500 spend criteria for the bonus points. I know the terms say the points will arrive within 8-10 weeks of the minimum spend being met, however I’m keen to hear if anyone has had recent experience where they have been credited their bonus points earlier?
Many thanks
Hey Guys,
Do you have a link to the American Express Velocity Business card
Yep, here it is. Thank you for your support of the site.
I applied for this, got the card, but before activating it, I chickened out and cancelled the card. The reason for me cancelling the card is that I won’t be able to maximise the benefits of this card for I won’t be able to use the free domestic flight since I’m from Darwin and no free flights are coming and going to Darwin NT.
The question is, will it hurt my credit rating if I received the card, didn’t activate it, then cancel it after about a week?
I’m not sure about this one. Sounds like if there is any damage to your score, it might have already been done. Please let us know how you go!
I found out that a better card for Darwinites like me is the ANZ Rewards Travel Adventures Visa for they give free flights from and to Darwin NT.
Yes, of course! Good find!
Hi Keith/Matt,
For the 100k sign up bonus points and the 18 month exclusion period of previous cardholder, is it 18 months from card cancellation date or 18 months from contract cancellation date with Amex? Contract cancellation being card cancellation + 60 days i.e when you cancel a card, they state that your credit contract will terminate in another 60 days after card cancellation.
Thank you.
Great question. As far as I know it’s from date of cancellation but if you are on the cusp like this it may be worth giving Amex a call to double check your eligibility date, as it would be annoying to apply thinking you were eligible and then be knocked back.
Hi there, I’ve just applied for this one and been approved (yay). How long will the 100k points take to credit to my account, if I spend $1500 quite soon in the first month this Jan?
Looking to book a reward seat to Europe this year with this and other points I’ve accumulated, hence trying to figure out timings for when I’d be able to make this booking. Thanks in advance.
I agree the timing is important to get right! From the terms and conditions on the application page:
Once the 100k velocity points are received, if i wanted to transfer them over to QFF points; is that possible?
No, you cannot transfer Velocity points to Qantas but you can transfer them to KrisFlyer.
Hey Keith,
Does the exclusive 100k point offer work in conjunction with the referral bonus? I tried signing up from a referral link but reverts to the normal offer.
No, it’s only available through select affiliate partners such as Points Hacks.
So one can only access the 100000 bonus points with a link on here and not use a referral link from a friend?
Correct.
Where do i go to find referrals from other pointhacks users who are looking to earn some bonus referral points?
Does the person how is referred by someone get any bonus over and above the 100,000k sign on bonus points?
The current 100,000-point offer is only available through select affiliate partners such as Points Hacks.
Are the status credits available for existing holders of this card who spend 50k annually?
Hi Maz,
Yes, the status credit offer applies to existing cardholders as well. We’ve updated the guide!
Hey guys,
If the application for the card is in my defacto partner’s name, can I have it linked up to MY velocity membership number to earn the 100k points?? If not is there a way around this?
Cheers
Add your partner to your velocity family pool and all those points will come your way.
Hi,
If I apply for the card on the 27th and am already conditionally approved, will I make it in time before the 31/07 cutoff date to be eligible for the bonus points? The application said it may take up to 5-10 business days to process my application.
Thanks
Yes, it’s determined by the application date (27th), so you should be eligible.
does the Amex velocity platinum automatically get me velocity platinum status and will I be able to access international lounges as well?
No and no. Platinum refers to the name of the card, not Velocity status. And Virgin only has domestic lounges; no international ones.
The T&Cs state that lounge access is available only “when travelling on an onward domestic flight with Virgin Australia”. This guide could be improved to make that distinction clear; i.e. you can’t use the included lounge pass if travelling domestic with another airline, nor can you access a business lounge if flying internationally (with Virgin or otherwise). Virgin Australia domestic flights only.
Agreed! Updated.
Hi,
I was wondering whether anyone knows if the 2 Virgin passes can be used together, as a couple in 1 visit that is?
Cheers,
Mitch
Yep, that is permitted.
Under Section 13 d) of the Lounge Terms and Conditions:
“You cannot transfer Single Entries to other people (for example, to other Velocity Members) but you can use your Single Entries to enable other people who are travelling with you to gain access to the lounge.”
So basically you have to be with your travelling companion to let them in using one of your passes. To avoid doubt, two people must use two passes, as a single pass does not include guesting privileges.
Based on AMEX’s website, the new earn rate will be applied to existing cardholders after October 2017.
https://www.amexmore.com.au/velocityplatinum/rewards?linknav=au-amex-acq-creditcards-membership-home-velocity-platinum
From 3 October 2017, you will earn:
* 2.5 Velocity Points per $1 spent on purchases with Virgin Australia.
* 1.5 Velocity Points per $1 spent everywhere else, excluding the providers below.
* 0.5 Velocity Points per $1 spent at government bodies in Australia, such as Australia Post and the Australian Tax Office.
Thanks Jo! The guide is now updated.
The 1.5 points per $1 applies to utilities now.
The 0.5 points per $1 applies to government bodies.
Interesting they’ve reduced the earn rate since when I got mine. Surely AMEX won’t change it for existing cardholders.
my wife is an additional card holder on my account… if she applies for this card do you think it would get knocked back on this basis, or allowed as she fits the criteria otherwise and has never had a direct Amex account?
Holding a supplementary card alone won’t make someone ineligible for the bonus – and you can link your existing card as a supplementary cardholder to your application as you go to help with identification (or not, if you prefer).
Hi
I couldn’t quiet understand the points earning rate. I previously held a american express velocity platinum card with the earn rate of 3 points per $1 at cafe/restaurants and 1 point per $1 on general spend. Will this earn rate be revised as per the new rates shown in the article ??
Amex have said they have no set date or plans for changing existing cardholders to the new earn rate regime. I’ll make that clearer. I am guessing they will move existing cardholders at some point though.
I was just about to ask this question… good to get the increase to 1.5 points… but shame to lose the restaurant bonus, clocked some good points there. But I guess it will roughly even out over time…
Does anyone know if the lounge pass expiry can be extended (by Amex or the Velocity team)?
Not to our knowledge – this is for the Virgin Australia lounges, right? They are digital passes so would ‘expire’ in your account, but then should be replaced by new passes for your next cardholder year assuming you renew and pay your annual fee…
Seems like amex have upped the waiting period from 12 months since account closure to 18 months for customers chasing sign up bonuses. Bugger!
Do you have any insights on either actual or quoted discount on non-flex business class fares? I’m just interested in ball park figures – is it 5-10% or 40-50%
I don’t have any specific examples, but I understand it’s on the lower end. Give Amex Travel a call, they will probably do a quote for you if you say you are considering the card.
Can you book the free flight for some other than the cardholder?
Yes, you can. But the cardholder needs to make the booking.
Could you please explain this in further detail – this is exactly what I hope to do!
What is the point earning rate overseas?
I can’t find this anywhere.
currently 2 points per dollar for current customers, but might be changing with the new structure outlined above.
Hi Keith
Any news on the Per-Syd routes? I applied and recommended to friends on that basis… Now I feel like a bit of a fraud!
It’s a bit uncertain, to be honest. The current take is to try to book and test your luck, especially if you’re an older cardholder. Amex Travel have been saying it’s possible, Amex HQ are saying it’s not on the offer pages.
Thanks for your response Keith. Hopefully the same doesn’t apply to existing cardholders, I will phone them tomorrow.
Love the info on this site btw, it’s very helpful. Cheers
Hi,
Have you received a response from Virgin regarding what they are planning to do for cardholders who obtained the card (more than a year ago for myself) and got it specifically for the Perth-Sydney route which I use each year to fly my mum to Sydney.
Thanks
My focus so far has been on what’s happening for applicants under the current promotion rather than existing cardholders. As an existing cardholder you should talk directly to Amex and see if the benefit has been dropped for you as well (I’m not sure if it has), and if so, voice your displeasure. I will report back though if I find out what they are doing, if anything, for new applicants so you’re aware.
Hi Keith,
Do you know if the “new to amex” criteria applies to only Aus issued cards, or any card issued worldwide?
Hey Matt – local cards in Australia only!
Hi Salem – I’ve been in touch with Amex about the PER-SYD flights and have been told that map you’ve linked is not valid now, with PER-SYD and PER-ADL not included any more. They are working out how to deal with customers who applied for the card on that basis, I’ll report back when I hear more.
Hey Phil – I’ve been told by Amex with certainty that PER-SYD is not on offer with the card any more. Frustrating. They are figuring out what they will do for customers who applied on this basis. I will reply back when I hear more.
Hi Keith,
With the two Virgin Lounge Passes per year do we use these to access the Amex Lounge located at T1 Sydney International Airport as I believe Sydney does not have a Virgin lounge, or do we also receive two Amex Lounge Passes in addition to the Virgin passes?
Thanks
https://amexnetwork.com.au/GoodGoing/CardMembers
You get access to the Amex lounge at Sydney International twice per year on top of your Virgin passes 🙂
I have an existing AMEX Platinum card. I rang AMEX wanting to convert from that card to this Velocity AMEX card, to get the 100,000 Velocity points but they wouldnt do it, not even with threat of cancellation of the existing card. If I do cancel my existing card, I cannot re-apply to get bonus points offers for 12 months!! Might just cancel my card anyway. There are still some other good deals out there, with 0% balance transfers!.
Hi Keith,
Great site!
Regarding the offer – how long does it take before the 100,000 points expire from the time you qualify for the points?
Also the free domestic flight every year – does it work on a calendar year basis or a 12 month rolling cycle i.e. You will only qualify for another free domestic flight 12 months after redeeming the first flight?
Thanks!
The Velocity points are subject to the Velocity points expiry terms, which is 36 months of inactivity – as long as you have activity you keep your points.
Free flight – it’s on cardholder year, not calendar year. You can book your flight anytime during your cardholder year and you’ll get another on your account when you roll over and pay your next annual fee. If you don’t use it, you can’t keep it.
Well that’s great news. I make sure to make use of the free domestic flight.
Thanks for the quick response!
Would really like this card but currently only earning 52K due to a new role. What can one do?
Not much, except chat to Amex directly before/during your application and see if they are willing to waive that requirement for some reason with your circumstances – i.e. submit previous payslips / tax returns etc.
Hi Keith, I just rang the AMEX customer service number (1300366105) and they confirmed that they do NOT fly Syd – Cairns anymore.
The one place I wanted to go!! Oh well.
Cheers
CoopyPoopy
Thanks for the update – as I said, I have put a question into my contacts at Amex on this and the Perth-Sydney flight changes and should hear back pretty quickly. The Sydney – Cairns option IS explicitly listed in that PDF which is linked to from the offer page, so I would be surprised if it has been removed.
Both the flight maps I’m aware of also list Sydney – Cairns:
This one and this one.. I think you have strong legs to stand on in pushing for Sydney Cairns given the documentation to support this, and wouldn’t trust that response without further clarification.
Hi Keith,
Can you confirm whether the Sydney – Cairns return flight is still an option. The flight is not showing up on the AMEX map from Sydney any more, yet I notice that you are still showing this flight in your map above.
Thanks for your help.
Cheers
Coopy
Thanks Coopy – It’s still shown as an option in https://www.aexp-static.com/intl/au/campaigns/velocity/pdfs/pds_platbenefits.pdf which is linked to from the sign up page, so I think Sydney Cairns is OK. But I am waiting for feedback on Amex on the others and which is the correct map.
Hello Keith
Long time lurker, I have been following your site for last 2 years now, came back last year (July) from 3 points tickets to Europe on Qantas with a zero balance on return and back up to 150k now.
My question is this. GIven I am self employed and my wife is a stay at home home mum I have to be careful with my applications.
Should I diversify and grab this card to have the velocity account? I already often buy my fuel from BP swipe velocity and pay with NAB 1.5 points per dollar AMEX so I am graduallly building a velocity balance already.
The return flight Sydney to Perth is great value in itself so would cover card cost.
I find Velocity to be useful for redemptions on Virgin Australia for their primary use – they are a little cheaper than Qantas and award seats are generally more widely available. But Virgin’s network is not as wide as Qantas, so hard to say if Velocity will be of use to you specifically.
The return flight from Sydney won’t get you to Perth unfortunately. Possibly the other way around (PER – SYD) but a bit of confusion around that at the minute which I Will try and clear up when I confirm with Amex next week.
Either way, this is a huge sign up bonus – the biggest ever on a Velocity card, so it’s appealing to a lot of people.
Hi Keith,
I called the customer service and we can redeem the free flight from Perth to Sydney. The Amex website still showing Sydney as a destination from Perth. Not sure why there is another map showing otherwise.
http://www.americanexpress.com/australia/campaigns/velocityplatinumflightmap/index.html
Thanks Jean! Going to assume we are all OK with PER-SYD flights again. Updated.
Hi Jean – I got a formal response from Amex and Perth -> Sydney is now no longer offered with the card. I’ve been told that map you’ve linked is not valid now and that they are still working out how to deal with customers who applied for the card on that basis.
Amex has just changed the rule on existing Amex card holders:
“Receive 100,000 bonus Velocity Points when you apply by 30 September 2015, are approved and spend $1,000 on your new Card within the first 3 months. Card Members who currently hold or who have previously held any other Card product offered by American Express Australia Limited in the preceding 12 month period are ineligible for this offer.”
Existing card holders are applying for this promo like hotcakes and receiving their VA points. Go nuts, everyone!
Hey Sean – don’t quite get this, what’s changed?
Thanks for the Information Keith
Just confirming with Perth it would be a return flight to Sydney or one way twice as I noticed Sydney does not do Perth.
🙂
That’s right, they allow return flights to Sydney from Perth but not the the other way around.
Is it me or I don’t see how 100,000 points is redeemable for 1 way from SYD – LAX in business. I have tried booking using the virgin australia site. Any other dates I see $3700 approx equivalent to 550k+ points. Am I doing anything wrong searching??
You need to be looking in the column that says ‘premium reward’ or ‘business reward’ which are the cheaper level seats. If it says ‘sold out’ then there’s no availability at the lower level for your dates. The high price is using points+pay which essentially swaps the points for cash at a much worse rate.
If I am new to Amex and applied for this Platinum card through a referral, does that mean I will get both the welcome bonus of 100,000 points and the 110,000 points through referral?
Thanks!
Hey Lisa – no, you only get one or the other – 100k or 110k if you use a referral. If you then refer someone else to apply, they would get 110k and you would pick up the referral bonus – 20k points from memory.
I have Amex Plat Edge and would love to have this card with the domestic return tickets and 2 passes to the lounge more than make up for the annual fee.
With the rule about existing card owners not qualify for the points, it’s a sad moment!
How long do you have to own the Amex card for to get and keep the 110,000 Velocity points? Could you cancel after only 1 year?
You’ll get the points as soon as you meet the eligibility criteria. You’re free to cancel any time after that but you’ll lose the benefits of the card at that point.
Has anyone had any issues with the Amex referral links? I used a link to apply for an Amex platinum velocity card to score the extra 10k points. I was approved and given a reference number. Two weeks passed and had not received a card only to be told by them on the phone today that they had no record of my name, application or reference number in their system. Very odd.
Hey Keith
Awesome website.. I am pretty new to the whole FF thing, I am currently using an ANZ Rewards card for my business which, from what I can tell, is pretty lousy compared to Qantas and Velocity programs.. With this card it appears that as long as you pay your CC bills before the big interest kicks in, and avoid using it where merchants charge large fees, you are pretty much guaranteed to come out ahead each year? I would use the flight for Perth – Karratha each year which is around $700 return usually.. it just seems to good to be true! Am I missing any disadvantages to going with such a card? Thanks!
Hey Damon! Using the free flight for that route is a great win, lots of value.
Hi Keith,
I have an AMEX issued by the company I work for (business corporate card) in my name.
If I sign up for this offer, is there a risk that I won’t get the bonus points?
Thanks,
Paul
Good question – and I’m not sure. You’ll need to check with Amex directly on this one.
QQ: Do you still earn the bonus points if you have an AMEX that was issued by a bank such as NAB, ANZ etc? Thanks!
Yep! (If you don’t also have an Amex issued Amex)
Thanks Keith!
According to Amex’ terms, you wouldn’t get the bonus. Reports are mixed in that sometimes people do, but it’s not worth the risk in my opinion.
There’s a 200,000 point referral limit. So you can refer up to 10 people for this card, once you have your account all set up, and yes, that would be an extra 200,000 points if you find 10 others who want to take up the offer through your referral.
It says it is only for new card holders. if im a secondary holder on a family members card would this not be available to me?
If you don’t hold any other American Express accounts yourself as a primary cardholder you would be eligible for the offer.
Very helpful info there!