Dreaming of sparkling sapphire water, fresh coconuts and relaxing massages on your next holiday? Whether you’ve got your eyes on an island escape or something different, travel better with the ANZ Rewards Platinum credit card. How does a return Business Class trip to Fiji with points for under $400 sound, including the first-year cost of the card?
With 75,000 bonus Velocity Points, a $95 Virgin Australia Travel Credit, 30 Status Credits and $50 back to your new card when you spend $1,500 in the first three months of approval and switch on and keep on ANZ Rewards Auto-Redemption for Velocity Points, the ANZ Rewards Platinum card will go a long way to make your travel dreams come true in 2023.
Wondering what you can do with 75,000 Velocity Points? Turns out there are plenty of options, which you can read about in our separate guide. But if you’re after a return trip in Business Class, you could do that with Virgin Australia from Sydney to Perth, Nadi (Fiji) or Queenstown!
With Fiji being the most tropical of those three destinations, here’s how you could put your newly-minted 75,000 bonus Velocity Points to good use on flights to Nadi.
This guide is written on behalf of ANZ; a Point Hacks commercial partner. ANZ has provided the information required for this article, but all opinions expressed are solely those of Point Hacks.
Case study: fly to Fiji with Velocity Points
Making the booking
Virgin Australia flies from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Nadi, Fiji. The best-value point redemptions are from Sydney or Brisbane, as Melbourne-Nadi is a slightly longer route.
| One-way Velocity Points | Economy | Business |
| Sydney-Nadi | 17,800 pts | 35,500 pts |
| Brisbane-Nadi | 17,800 pts | 35,500 pts |
| Melbourne-Nadi | 22,300 pts | 49,500 pts |
We’ll let you in on a ‘points hack’ with reward seats. You can add on some connecting Virgin Australia flights to the Nadi legs for no extra points! This includes both Economy and Business Class reward seats.
For example, Canberra-Sydney-Nadi and Townsville-Brisbane-Nadi are both routings that will still cost 17,800 points in Economy or 35,500 points in Business Class, where available. You’re getting the domestic flight for ‘free’ with no extra points and around AU$30-$60 more in taxes and carrier charges.
A return trip with Business Class reward seats starts from only 71,000 Velocity Points + fees, taxes and carrier charges. And with 75,000 bonus Velocity Points from the ANZ Rewards Platinum card, your base airfare is sorted. Just pay taxes and carrier charges which are around AU$273 return.
What to expect on the flights
Whether your international leg departs from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, you can speed through airport formalities at the priority check-in counter. Business Class passengers also get priority treatment through immigration and security, so you’ll be on your way sooner.
Virgin Australia hasn’t yet reinstated lounge access internationally, but all three airports have independent lounges you can access through other cards or with a Priority Pass membership.
The fun starts once you’re onboard – it’s hard to say ‘no’ to a pre-departure glass of sparkling wine (or juice or water, if you prefer!)
Virgin Australia also serves up a plated Business Class meal on these short-haul international flights. Expect a filling main (usually a hot dish or a salad), a side plate, dessert, cheese, and crackers. It’s a perfectly-sized feast for a three-to-four-hour flight.
Snacks and drinks (including beers, wines, spirits, soft drinks and hot beverages) flow freely for the rest of the journey while you sit back and watch the world go by. The eight Business Class seats are wide, plush and recline comfortably. But be sure to bring your own entertainment or tap into the streaming inflight entertainment you can watch on your phone, tablet or laptop.
Coming back from Fiji, the experience is much the same. Be sure to use the Express Lane through immigration and security, which includes Virgin Australia Business Class!
Summing up
The Business Class experience to Fiji can be yours for as little as AU$318 in total. That includes the $45 first-year annual fee on the ANZ Rewards Platinum card (after the $50 credit back to your new card), plus the taxes and charges on the reward seats that start from $273 return. Of course, you’d also use most of the 75,000 bonus Velocity Points to cover the reward seat fare.
Through Point Hacks, the ANZ Rewards Platinum card also comes with a $95 Virgin Australia Travel Credit, which could be handy for a separate domestic or international trip. You’ll also pocket 30 bonus Status Credits, which is certainly helpful for reaching or maintaining elite status with Velocity Frequent Flyer.
Disclaimer: Point Hacks Australia Pty Ltd. provides general information only. You should assess whether the information is appropriate for you having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs and consider obtaining independent professional advice before making an investment decision. If information relates to a specific financial product you should obtain a copy of the PDS for that product and consider that statement before making a decision on whether to acquire the product.
Ready for your Fiji adventure? Also read:
- Your ultimate guide to accommodation in Fiji →
- Everything you need to know about travelling to Fiji from Australia →
- Things to do in Fiji: activities for all travellers →
- Best time to visit Fiji: weather by month →
- Travelling to Fiji? 14 words to know in the local language →
ANZ is a Point Hacks commercial partner.
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