During the month of July, Velocity Frequent Flyer is offering members bonus Velocity points when they transfer their flybuys points to Velocity Frequent Flyer.

If you have flybuys and are going to make a redemption using Velocity Points soon, now is a good time to transfer your points.

Every so often, Velocity offers bonus points when you transfer from one of its partner programs. They are generally a great deal for those who had a specific Virgin Australia or partner flight redemption in mind.

The last time Velocity ran a transfer bonus for all partner programs was in November 2019 although there were bonus offers available to American Express and flybuys members in February.

Current flybuys-Velocity transfer bonus offer

Until 31 July, you can get up to 20% bonus when transferring flybuys points to their Velocity account.

flybuys-Velocity transfer

Specific details of the offer are:

2,000 to 100,000 flybuys points = 15% bonus
Over 100,000 flybuys points = 20% bonus

You must request your flybuys to Velocity Points transfer by 31 July 2020 and as a further bonus, there is no maximum limit on how many points you can transfer to Velocity in the month of July, meaning you can transfer as many flybuys points as you like in excess of the standard maximum limit of 138,000 flybuys (being 60,030 Velocity Points) per household, per calendar year.

The limit will be reapplied in August 2020 with any flybuys points transferred in July to once again be included in the standard yearly limit of 138,000 flybuys points. So if you transfer 250,000 flybuys points in July, you will be unable to transfer anymore flybuys points to Velocity until 1 January 2021.

Transfers must be made in increments of 2,000 flybuys points.

Offer history

Sometimes knowing how Velocity has run this offer in the past may help you to decide if you should take advantage of it now. Here is the offer history:

  • July 2020: 15-20% bonus for flybuys
  • February 2020: 15% bonus for most Amex Card Members; 20% bonus + status upgrade for Platinum and Centurion Card Members; 15-20% bonus for flybuys [targeted]
  • December 2019: 15% bonus for flybuys
  • November 2019: 15% bonus for most bank rewards programs, flybuys and KrisFlyer; 30% for ANZ
  • July-August 2019: 15% bonus for most Amex Card Members; 20% bonus for Platinum and Centurion Card Members
  • June 2019: 15% bonus for flybuys
  • May 2019: 15-25% bonus for most bank rewards programs; 15% for flybuys; 20% for hotel loyalty programs; 25% for CommBank; 50% for ANZ
  • March 2019: 11% bonus for flybuys (targeted?); 15-25% bonus for Amex Membership Rewards Card Members
  • November-December 2018: 15% bonus for flybuys, most card and hotel partners; 30-50% bonus for select partners
  • August 2018: 15% bonus for Amex Membership Rewards Card Members, 20% for Membership Rewards Ascent
  • May-June 2018: 15-60% bonus for bank rewards and hotel loyalty programs and flybuys (tiered); earn Velocity Gold or Platinum status by transferring Amex points (only for Platinum, Business Platinum and Centurion Card Members); get two lounge passes when transferring 100,000+ points from bank programs and flybuys
  • February 2018: 30% off Velocity redemptions for Virgin Australia and some partner travel in all classes; 15% bonus for Amex and flybuys
  • December 2017: 15-30% bonus for bank rewards programs (tiered); 15% for flybuys
  • November 2017: 15% bonus for bank and hotel rewards programs and flybuys; 20% bonus for Amex Platinum Charge; 30% bonus for ANZ Rewards; earn Velocity Gold or Platinum status by transferring Amex Ascent points
  • July 2017: 10% bonus for flybuys; 15% for Amex; 25% bonus for Amex Platinum Charge
  • June 2017: 15% bonus for bank rewards programs; 20% bonus for hotel rewards programs
  • May 2017: 15% bonus for bank and hotel rewards programs; 25% for Amex Platinum, Business Platinum and Centurion; 50% bonus for ANZ Rewards
  • March 2017: 15% bonus for flybuys
  • November-December 2016: 15% bonus for Amex and flybuys; 30% bonus for Amex Platinum Charge
  • May 2016: 15% bonus for bank and hotel rewards programs; 25% bonus for Amex Platinum Charge & tiered bonuses for ANZ Rewards
  • November 2015: 15% bonus
  • May 2015: 15% bonus, 15% discount
  • November 2014: 15% bonus
  • May 2014: 10% bonus, 10% discount
  • October 2013: 15% bonus, 15% discount
  • April 2013: 15% bonus
  • October 2012: 15% bonus
  • February 2012: 30% discount on domestic redemptions
  • September 2011: 20% bonus

General tips and hints for Velocity’s transfer and redemption promotions

I am a big fan of the bonus points for transfers from partner programs, and redemption discount promotions from Virgin Australia’s Velocity program, which run around twice per year.

The transfer bonus points are usually credited alongside the main stash of points you transfer over, so you don’t have to wait around for them to show up.

If you’re planning on making a transfer to empty out one of your credit card program or flybuys accounts, then you’ll probably want to wait as late as possible in the promo period to ensure you can transfer the most possible points.

They have previously offered double promotions—encouraging those of you with stockpiled credit card program points an incentive to move them over to Velocity, whilst also rewarding those with points in their accounts already—although 15% seems to be the norm.

Any discount on redemptions is usually for around 12 months from the date of booking, so if you hold on until the end of the promotion it opens up the calendar for you. The redemption discount is applicable to any Virgin-operated flight, both domestic and international.

Virgin Australia plane

Other ways to take advantage of redemption deals for future travel on Virgin Australia

You can also book travel and change the date after the discount promotion ends, copping a change fee ($60 change fee on international flights) but additional points will be charged if this is done outside the promotional period.

This is a significant boost to the value of Velocity Points during the promotional period, so well worth considering a redemption if you have upcoming travel in mind for the promo period.

Summing up: are these promotions a good deal?

These Velocity promotions are usually a great deal if you have a stash of credit card program points you know you want to transfer over to Velocity.

A 15% bonus is common now, running at almost the same times each year—it makes a great benefit for those who can plan ahead and hold cards from one of the included credit card rewards program partners that usually benefit.

If you have a large points balance outside of Velocity and a low Velocity balance, then it could make sense to move some points over speculatively in advance of redeeming them in future.

If you have no short-term plans to redeem points with Velocity, then it is probably not worth making the transfer though—the loss in flexibility of your points (because they then cannot be transferred to be used anywhere else) is not usually going to be worth picking up the bonus.

How do you plan on taking advantage of the current bonus?

Up to 20% bonus Velocity Points with flybuys transfer was last modified: July 21st, 2020 by Daniel Sciberras