G’day everyone. Long time lurker here, still trying to work out if any of this points hacking is worth it for me. I have one specific question.
I’m looking at this credit card, and the complimentary Virgin Australia domestic return Economy Flight:
We’re in Brisbane. We fly to Cairns every year leaving between Christmas and New Year, and returning early Jan. We also fly interstate once, maybe twice a year (NSW, VIC, and TAS). We’re pretty much limited to the school holidays as my SO works at a school.
Can anyone share their experience using this complimentary flight around Christmas and/or the school holidays? If it’s going to be impossible for us to book then the card’s probably not worth it for us. Or is this one relatively easy to find flights for?
I’ll be upfront here… I don’t know anything about the Velocity Platinum Card, but I have had the AMEX Rewards Platinum version. Having said that, I cheated and went to ChatGPT to see what I could dig up for you. After a few rounds of refining questions, the following information was what I found.
Best of luck!
The American Express Velocity Platinum Card offers a valuable complimentary domestic return flight with Virgin Australia each year, providing significant value for frequent travelers.
Annual Complimentary Flight Overview
Eligibility: The benefit becomes available after your first eligible card spend each membership year.
Flight Details: The complimentary flight is a return economy class journey between selected Australian cities. The specific routes available depend on your departure city.
Validity: Once issued, the flight must be booked within 12 months.
Important Considerations
Booking: Both legs of the journey must be on Virgin Australia flights. Multi-city bookings are not permitted.
Availability: Seats are subject to availability in specific fare classes (“T” or “Q”). It’s advisable to book early, especially during peak travel periods.
Changes: Once booked, the flight cannot be voluntarily cancelled. However, changes to the time and/or date may be possible by contacting Virgin Australia directly.
This benefit can significantly offset the card’s annual fee of $440, especially if utilized on longer or high-demand routes.
Yes, the complimentary domestic return flight offered with the American Express Velocity Platinum Card can be used during school holidays and peak periods, including Christmas. However, availability is subject to seat inventory in specific fare classes, so booking early is recommended.
Key Details of the Complimentary Flight Benefit
Eligibility: Available after your first eligible card spend each membership year.
Flight Routes: Valid for a return economy class flight between selected Australian cities on Virgin Australia.
Booking Window: Must be booked within 12 months of issuance.
Seat Availability: Subject to availability in specific fare classes; booking early increases chances of securing and preferred dates
Thanks for the info, @jenart. I’m guessing there will be some options. I suppose I just hope, and thankfully Brisbane is not exactly a traveller’s hub so maybe it will be fine.
Is there a way I can search for flights on Virgin’s website and see which ones would be available for this?
Some years ago I had an ANZ Travel Adventures card which came with a free VA return flight. From memory, availability was based on the flights which had Velocity reward seats available. If it’s the same with the AmEx card, then you might be able to look to see which flights have Velocity Reward availability. You won’t know for sure until you actually try to book the free flights, of course.
