Virgin Australia has left some time ago the role as sympathetic underdog and is now a true second force in the Australian market.

This reflects now also in the changes to its Velocity program: The tier qualification moves to a revenue basis on April 02, whereby 50% of the required points need to be collected with Virgin Australia. Its extensive partner network, including its new shareholder Qatar Airways, becomes somehow less relevant like that.

The earn rate of redeemable points on Virgin Australia flights will be reduced from 5 to 4 points per AUD spent on the same date – unless you hold a co-branded credit card of the program. In that case, the old earn rate applies, plus obviously the points you earn through the card itself.

Already on January 21, also award levels on partner airlines will be adjusted, although the price increases will mostly remain *- with exceptions – reasonable.