17 Best Ways To Earn Virgin Australia Velocity Points

Transform your approach to earning Velocity points with these practical tips designed to unlock maximum travel rewards through your everyday purchases and other significant promotions.

Velocity Frequent Flyer holds a wonderful standing among airline loyalty programs, serving as the rewards scheme for Australia’s second-largest airline, Virgin Australia. Velocity means fast, and that includes earning points! Whether it’s everyday spending, banking, travel or shopping, there are several ways to earn Velocity points and transform your travel experience.

Those Velocity points can be redeemed for flights and business class upgrades, plus accommodation, car rentals and products from the Velocity Rewards Store. From savvy spending habits to strategic partnerships, below we list the most effective ways you can earn Velocity points. Read on to discover how you can maximise your points to make each journey extraordinary.

Travel and earn | Big points earners | Everyday earning | Shopping and fun

Travel and earn

1. Take a flight with Virgin Australia or partner airlines

Hopefully, you know that taking a flight with Virgin Australia can see Velocity points land in your loyalty account. Frequent flyers earn five points per $1 spent on Virgin Australia flights, with Velocity silver, gold and platinum members earning a bonus of 50 per cent, 75 per cent and 100 per cent respectively.

a Boeing 737-800 in Virgin Australia colour scheme taking off from Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport on a late afternoon. The plane is bound for Gold coast Queensland — Taking a flight with Virgin Australia will see you earn Velocity points. (Image: Boeing746 via Getty Images)

Flying on a cash ticket with one of Velocity’s airline partners will normally score points too. The earn rate here depends on the airline, fare class and flight distance. Elite members will also receive their bonus if booked using a VA flight number. To find the number of Velocity points you could earn flying with a partner airline, check out the Velocity airline partner page .

Air Canada plane flying over mountains — Air Canada is a Velocity airline partner. (Image: David Syphers)

2. Book hotels through Rocket Travel

Booking your next hotel through the Virgin Australia Rocket Travel program unlocks three Velocity points per $1 spent on all bookings. There are also regular bonus offers that make each stay even more rewarding, with quadruple points (12 Velocity Points per $1) a common occurrence.

kimpton margot sydney lobby — Book the Kimpton Margot Sydney through the Virgin Australia Rocket Travel program.

3. Stay with a hotel partner

When booking directly with some of the largest hotel brands, you can receive Velocity points at checkout. Just be sure to include your membership number on the booking. Most brands will let you earn either Velocity points or hotel points, but not both.

Accor: one ALL point = one Velocity point
Choice Hotels: three points per $1 in Australia and NZ or 600 points per stay elsewhere
Crowne Hotels: three points per $1
G’day Parks: up to four points per $1
Hamilton Island Hotels: three points per $1
IHG: three points per $1 in Australia or 600 points per stay overseas
Shangri-La: three points per $1 in Australia or 1000 points per stay overseas
TFE: three points per $1
Virgin Hotels: 750 points to 35,000 points per stay

Earn three points per $1 spent at the Reef View Hotel on Hamilton Island. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

4. Transfer hotel rewards to Velocity

If you already have hotel loyalty points with one of six hotel loyalty programs, these can be transferred to Velocity. The same can be said if you would prefer to earn hotel points for your stays and send them across to Velocity during a bonus promotion.

One Accor ALL point = one Velocity point
2000 Choice Privileges points = 800 Velocity points
Three Marriott Bonvoy points = one Velocity point
10,000 Hilton Honors points = 1500 Velocity points
10,000 IHG One Rewards points = 2000 Velocity points
One Shangri-La Circle point = one Velocity point

Shangri-La The Marina Cairns — Transfer your Shangri-La Circle points for Velocity points. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

5. Take an all-inclusive holiday with Luxury Escapes

Luxury Escapes offers holiday packages jam-packed with extra perks, as well as tours, cruises and other experiences. If you fancy the finer things in life and enjoy earning points, Luxury Escapes is perfect. Eligible package deals earn one Velocity point per $1 spent.

Luxury Escapes Movenpick Phuket — Earn one Velocity point per $1 spent with Luxury Escapes.

6. Book a ride with DiDi

Rideshare app DiDi allows you to earn one Velocity point per $1 spent on all rides within Australia. There are also 1000 bonus Velocity points up for grabs when you download the DiDi app and link your Velocity number. If you’re a DiDi regular, the bonus is credited instantly, while new customers need to first take a ride to unlock the bonus.

To link your accounts, tap the “Velocity points" tab in the DiDi app.

DiDi Velocity vehicle — Earn Velocity points on your DiDi rideshares.

7. Take a rental car for a spin

Booking a car rental with Europcar , Hertz , Sixt , Dollar or Thrifty can come with Velocity points. Be sure to enter your Velocity Frequent Flyer number at booking to earn three points per $1 spent within Australia and New Zealand. If you are a Velocity Silver, Gold or Platinum holder, you will receive a boosted rate of 50 per cent, 75 per cent and 100 per cent respectively.

For car rentals outside Australia and New Zealand, most providers offer 800 Velocity points per rental with the same bonus for elite members.

Sxit car rental company — Booking a car rental with Sixt can come with Velocity points. (Image: tupungato via Getty Images)

Big points earners

8. Utilise a Velocity points-earning credit card

One of the most painless ways to earn a huge chunk of Velocity points is by making use of a good credit card sign-up bonus. You can also earn Velocity points for paying with a credit card , helping to steadily increase your balance.

Plus, if a retailer or service provider is also a Velocity partner, like the ones listed in this guide, you can double-dip by earning points with the partner and also for the card payment.

There are quite a few comparison sites that can be used to locate the best Velocity credit cards , but of course, it is ultimately up to you to be financially responsible.

Virgin credit card — Get big bonuses with a Velocity points-earning credit card.

9. Take out pet insurance

If you’ve got a furry friend, it might be worth considering Medibank Pet Insurance. If your needs for coverage and desire for points align, you can earn up to 15,000 Velocity points on your policy. Be sure to use the promo code “VELOCITYPET" when purchasing an eligible Medibank Pet Insurance Policy by 21 October 2024.

Dog dressed up as Virgin Australia flight attendant. — Consider Medibank Pet Insurance for your furry friends.

10. Take out private health insurance

If you hold health insurance or are considering getting covered, be sure to get a quote from Medibank . Velocity members who join and maintain an eligible Medibank hospital and extras cover can score up to 140,000 Velocity points. The number of points earned is calculated based on your weekly premium, with $155+ weekly premiums offered the full bonus.

Health food — Score up to 140,000 Velocity points for health insurance. (Image: Brooke Lark)

Everyday earning

11. Earn on Slurpees and fuel at 7-Eleven

You can pocket Velocity points on fuel and in-store items (yes, including Slurpees) at 7-Eleven stores across Australia. As well as earning an easy 250 bonus points for downloading the My 7-Eleven app and linking your Velocity number in settings, you will collect:

Premium fuel: Two Velocity points per litre
Regular fuel: One Velocity point per litre
Eligible in-store items: Two Velocity points per $1

7 Eleven service station in Hawthorn in suburban Melbourne — Order a Slurpee and earn points. (Image: Nils Versemann via Getty Images)

12. Feed your balance via Flybuys

If you earn Flybuys points at Coles, Coles Express, Liquorland, Kmart, Target and other retailers, you can send these to Velocity. You can transfer every 1000 Flybuys points into 500 Velocity points, or turn on auto-transfer and Flybuys will automatically transfer points across.

Be sure to download the Flybuys App before you shop, with weekly points bonuses key to earning even more points. These offers are targeted per account and are generally based on your spending activity.

Virgin Velocity card and Flybuys card — Connect your Flybuys to your Velocity membership.

13. Switch your energy provider

If you live in NSW, Vic, SA, Qld or WA, consider the switch to AGL Energy. New and moving Velocity members can earn up to 20,000 Velocity points over 12 months when switching their home electricity and gas to the AGL Velocity offer . If you only need gas, you could earn 7500 points while electricity only earns 12,500 Velocity points.

Wind turbine in sunflower field — Switch your electricity and gas to AGL for up to 20,000 points. (Image: Gustavo Quepon)

Shopping and fun

14. Shop online via the Velocity E-Store

The Velocity E-Store is an online portal that features hundreds of retailers like Myer, Freedom, Apple, The Iconic, eBay and Samsung. All you need to do is log into your Velocity account and click on the brand you want to shop with. The e-Store tracks your purchase and awards as much as nine Velocity points per $1 spent.

This is an effortless way of earning points that can quickly add up, with each purchase you make via Qantas Shopping automatically adding points to your account.

15. Gift Cards

In Australia, our supermarkets love to offer a tempting bonus when purchasing gift cards. These offers can become huge points earners for members, especially those who regularly monitor gift card bonuses.

Nearly every week Coles will release a new offer, usually for 10-20 Flybuys points per $1 spent on a specific set of gift cards. A popular deal that seems to reoccur regularly is for Apple Gift Cards, which for example, could end up getting you over 20,000 Velocity points when purchasing a new iPhone.

The entrance to a brightly lit Coles supermarket in Ropes Crossing at dusk. — Coles offers bonus points on gift card purchases. (Image: Kokkai Ng via Getty Images)

16. Recycle and earn with Envirobank

Who knew earning points could help the planet? When you recycle bottles and cans with Envirobank , you will earn 15 Crunch credits per item. Every 15 Crunch credits can then be converted to five Velocity points.

Close-up of a young man putting a water bottle in a recycling bin in Malmo in Sweden. — Recycle bottles and cans with Envirobank for some extra points. (Image: urbazon via Getty Images)

17. Complete surveys with e-Rewards

If you have some spare time and like to share your opinion, you can complete surveys with e-Rewards to earn Opinion Points. You can then transfer 2000 Opinion Points to 500 Velocity points. Plus, completing a survey within 90 days of joining unlocks 750 Velocity points.

Young happy businesswoman text messaging on cell phone in the office. — Complete surveys with e-Rewards to earn Opinion Points. (Image: Drazen Zigic via Getty Images)

Beyond the winding bitumen and coastal views lies another side to Victoria’s most famous route.

There’s something hypnotic about this stretch of Victoria’s coast. Maybe it’s the way the road hugs the ocean so tightly, or how the cliffs catch the sun in colours you can’t name. Or, for local Victorians who drove this route as kids, maybe it’s the memories of winding through the impossibly tall trees as they seemingly guide you on your journey like wooden guardian angels. Most travellers know it for the 12 Apostles, but there are plenty of alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road equally as worthy of your time.

So, next time you’re in that neck of the woods, park that car, stretch those legs and try these experiences.

1. Discover living culture at Budj Bim

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism — Walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Breakaway Creek’s Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is a masterclass in educational storytelling. Join a guided tour with Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism to walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system, where the Gunditjmara people built sophisticated eel traps and stone channels more than 6,000 years ago.

Budj Bim’s aquaculture system predates Egypt’s pyramids by roughly 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest examples of human engineering on Earth. If that’s not enough to get your history-loving family members involved in this road trip, we’re out of ideas.

2. Unwind in the hot springs at Warnambool

woman relaxing at Deep Blue Hot Springs — Let mineral-rich water heal you.

If your legs need a break after a long drive, Deep Blue Hot Springs is your remedy. The geothermal pools sit just metres from the coastline, filled with mineral-rich water that bubbles up from deep underground. Move between open-air baths, waterfall pools and quiet zones made for meditation.

The water in Deep Blue’s geothermal pools comes from an ancient aquifer nearly 850 metres below the Earth’s surface, which, in non-scientific terms, means it’s far more likely to have healing properties than the mineral water you’d find at the supermarket.

3. Take to the air at Princetown

12 Apostles Helicopters flight alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road — See an icon from a different view.

You may have seen the Twelve Apostles from the trusty viewing platform, but a helicopter flight with 12 Apostles Helicopters shows you just how sprawling and rugged this coastline really is.

The trip covers everything from Port Campbell to London Bridge (not to be confused with the UK’s own), giving you a rare chance to watch waves carving the limestone cliffs from above. It’s worth noting that the limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles are said to erode by roughly two centimetres each year, so the longer you leave it, the less of the Apostles you’ll see.

4. Step into the past at Flagstaff Hill

Continue the tour through Warnambool at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village and Museum , a recreated 19th-century port town. Hear stories from the days when shipwrecks were as common as seagulls, with an astounding 180 ships believed to have sunk along the Shipwreck Coast in less than five years.

The night show, complete with lights, sound, and sea spray, brings the coastline’s most dramatic stories to life.

If you’re staying the night, Simon’s Waterfront offers relaxed dining with fresh local seafood and oceanfront views. Order the catch of the day and toast to the sailors who never made it ashore.

5. Learn to surf in Torquay, Lorne, or Anglesea

kid having a lesson with Go Ride A Wave — Learn how to hang 10. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Whether you’ve surfed before or can barely stand on a board, Go Ride A Wave will have you upright in no time. Torquay’s calm beaches are ideal for first-timers, while Lorne and Anglesea bring a bit more energy for those unafraid to get dunked.

Bells Beach, just down the road from Torquay, has even hosted the world’s longest-running professional surfing competition since 1962. So, for those eager to have a gander at pros using surfboards like they’re an additional appendage, the competition usually runs sometime in autumn.

6. Tackle the trails in Forrest

Barwon Flow Trails Otways Flow MTB — Hire a bike and explore MTB trails through the Otways.

Forrest is a haven for mountain bikers thanks to an expansive network of trails through stunning natural scenery. The Forrest trail network has almost 100 kilometres of singletrack across 36 trails, so there’s something for every level of rider. That’s including more than 60 kilometres of purpose-built mountain bike trails winding through the Otways’ dense forest. Cycle through ancient myrtle beech trees and towering tree ferns, with smaller ferns and soft mosses forming a carpet at your feet.

Hire a bike from Forrest MTB Hire and take your pick from easy, scenic rides to more challenging singletracks, such as Red Carpet or Rollercoaster.

7. See wildlife up close in Apollo Bay

bush rat on Wildlife Wonders tour — Get help spotting the locals. (Image: Doug Gimsey)

If spotting koalas and kangaroos in the wild feels like winning the lottery, Wildlife Wonders gives you guaranteed sightings without cages or crowds. Every visit to the sanctuary helps fund the Conservation Ecology Centre which supports endangered species across the Otways, so your business is appreciated by humans and animals alike.

The guided walk takes you through protected Otways habitat where you might spot potoroos (or joey lookalikes for those unfamiliar with a potoroo), wallabies, and sleepy koalas lounging in the trees.

8. Visit the Cape Otway Lightstation

Towering over the sea on a cliff above the Southern Ocean, Cape Otway Lightstation has been guiding ships since 1848. Before the lighthouse was built, Cape Otway was one of the most treacherous points on the Victorian coast, with dozens of shipwrecks occurring in its surrounding waters. Pick the right day, and you may bump into a local willing to tell you about the wreck of Eric the Red .

While at the Cape Otway Lightstation, explore the keeper’s quarters, walk the coastal trails, and take in views that only stop short at the horizon.

And no, contrary to popular belief, the Round the Twist lighthouse is actually located in Split Point, just shy of two hours in the direction of Melbourne. Nothing’s stopping you from embarking on a lighthouse crawl, though.

Plan your next no-stone-unturned journey along this iconic Aussie road at visitgreatoceanroad.org.au.

The 17 best ways to earn Virgin Australia Velocity points