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)

The Great Ocean Road has captured the hearts of Australians with its astounding scenery since 1932, but going off-course can enrich your experience with untouched nature, foodie delights and charming towns.

It’s a chilly 16 degrees. My husband pulls on a steamer and jogs – as all seasoned surfers do – into the water. We’re at Bells Beach , the legendary break on Victoria’s Surf Coast that’s home to the Rip Curl Pro, the world’s longest-running event in competitive surfing. Each year, over the Easter long weekend, up to 40,000 people descend on the region for the event. Today, though, we have the beach almost to ourselves, and the less-than-favourable temperature doesn’t deter my husband from surfing this famous break.

Torquay to Anglesea and Aireys Inlet

The red dome of Split Point Lighthouse in Aireys Inlet. (Image: Tourism Australia)

The nearby surf town of Torquay marks the starting point for the Great Ocean Road . Unfolding our map, which we have marked out with a highlighted route for our children to follow, we set off for lesser-known Anglesea, a chilled-out town 20 minutes south of here. Its wide, sandy beach is a gentler swimming option for our young family. Groms can learn to surf here with Go Ride a Wave, which also runs stand-up paddle boarding on the Anglesea River.

Split point lookout — The lighthouse overlooks the Shipwreck Coast. (Image: Tourism Australia)

After a couple of nights in Anglesea, we hit the road again, first stopping at Aireys Inlet. Here we stretch our legs at Split Point Lighthouse, which was made famous by the 1990s television series Round the Twist, before driving under the Memorial Arch that welcomes us, officially, to the Great Ocean Road.

This 243-kilometre coastal road was built by returned First World War servicemen and serves as a permanent memorial to those who fought and died during the war. Carved into rock using hand tools and horse-drawn carts, it was a huge engineering feat and provided much-needed access to isolated coastal communities.

Lorne to Birregurra

Lorne is a delightful beachside stop for lunch and browsing boutique stores. It’s also the gateway to Great Otway National Park , which comprises a varied landscape of old-growth forests, cool-temperate rainforests, heathy woodlands and rugged coast. With the highest rainfall in Victoria, the region is home to many waterfalls – 10 of which are within 10 kilometres of Lorne.

Turning slightly off the main drag, we wind along a gum-shaded road to Erskine Falls. Here, our son leads the way through the hyper-green rainforest and down 200-plus stairs to the cascade that drops 30 metres into a lush fern gully. We hop over large boulders to get closer to the falls, enjoying the entire place to ourselves; it’s worth the return climb.

From Sheoak Falls Picnic Area, there are walking trails to Henderson Falls, Phantom Falls, Won Wondah Falls and Kalimna Falls, some of which follow an old timber tramway from forest-logging days, which only came to an end in 2008.

You can follow your appetite north to the town of Birregurra, which is part of the Otway Harvest Trail that connects farm gates, markets, wineries, breweries and distilleries. It’s home to three-hatted modern Australian restaurant Brae , helmed by celebrated chef Dan Hunter, set among native gardens and an organic farm, and Otways Distillery, which produces small-batch spirits using local produce and botanicals.

Brae restaurant — Brae is a three-hatted restaurant in Birregurra. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Apollo Bay to The Otways

Back on track, the cliff-hugging stretch between Lorne and Apollo Bay is breathtaking. At Teddys Lookout, we overlook the winding road ahead and St George River spilling into the ocean. We spend languid days in Apollo Bay, a buzzy seaside town that boasts a three-kilometre-long, crescent-shaped beach with a backdrop of rolling green hills. One evening, as the sun sets, we take the steep 10-minute walk to Marriners Lookout, which affords panoramic views of the ocean, hinterland and town.

A 15-minute drive along the road, Maits Rest is a lush rainforest gully that has been protected since the early 20th century. Wandering along the 800-metre boardwalk, we inspect the delicate moss-covered forest floor and the gnarled roots of 300-year-old myrtle beech trees, then crane our necks to see their canopies, some 50 metres above us. It’s therapy in nature.

Cape Otway to the Twelve Apostles

The southernmost tip of Cape Otway is a delightful detour, home to the 1848-built Cape Otway Lightstation, the oldest surviving lighthouse on mainland Australia. We climb the narrow winding staircase to the gallery deck, explore the keepers’ quarters and telegraph station, and enjoy a coffee and some ‘famous’ scones at the charming onsite cafe.

It’s a pinch-me moment to finally see the Twelve Apostles in person. This unmistakable cluster of limestone stacks rising abruptly from the sea were never 12, however. When coined this in the 1890s as a marketing ploy, there were only nine; today, only seven remain after two collapsed in 2005 and 2009. We admire these Aussie icons from the viewing platform, in awe of Mother Nature’s ever-evolving artwork.

The Grotto is another natural attraction within Port Campbell National Park. (Image: Carmen Zammit)

Edging the wild Southern Ocean, this part of the coast – dubbed Shipwreck Coast – is made up of many sea-carved natural wonders including London Bridge, The Grotto and Gibson Steps. After exploring the lookout trails of Loch Ard Gorge/Poombeeyt Kontapool – its English name taken from the site of the 1878 shipwreck – we nestle into the sandy beach encircled by towering sandstone cliffs, as our children splash about on the water’s edge, and soak it all in.

Port Campbell to Timboon

Timboon Fine Ice Cream is part of a regional foodie trail. (Image: C McConville)

Just north of Port Campbell National Park, the region of Timboon is part of the 12 Apostles Food Artisans Trail, filled with purveyors of delicious foodstuffs such as Timboon Fine Ice Cream , Timboon Railway Shed Distillery and Apostle Whey Cheese. As an antidote to the indulgence, the 20-kilometre Poorpa Yanyeen Meerreeng Trail is a self-guided ride or walk between Port Campbell and Timboon through tall forests, over historic bridges and past sparkling lakes and farmland with grazing cattle.

Warrnambool to Port Fairy

Warrnambool building — A 19th-century building in Warrnambool. (Image: Peter Foster)

In Warrnambool, a town rich in maritime history, we take the four-kilometre Thunder Point Walk that traces the coast. The kids squeal when an echidna shuffles out from beneath the wooden boardwalk, and we stop to admire a seal lazing on a rock at the port.

Further along, the streets of quaint fishing village Port Fairy are lined with 19th-century cottages, old stone churches and Norfolk pines. Follow the historic walking trail to see some of the 60-plus National Trust buildings. Port Fairy is also home to Port Fairy Folk Festival (6-9 March), one of the country’s longest-running music and cultural festivals. You could time your road trip with the event for a fittingly celebratory end to any journey.

The Great Ocean Road can easily be done in three days, but we’ve spent a week on the road. The highlighted line on our now creased and well-worn map doesn’t follow the famous route precisely. It has sprouted branches in many directions, leading us to untouched rainforest and charming rural towns filled with culinary delights, and where we experienced some of our most memorable moments on the Great Ocean Road.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

The Monty is a highly anticipated, newly refurbished motel with a chic Palm Springs-inspired aesthetic set across the road from the Anglesea River. Basalt Winery in Port Fairy grows cool-climate wines such as pinot noir and Riesling in rich volcanic soil. Stay among the vines in its tiny home, complete with a kitchen, lounge area and outdoor firepit.

The Oak & Anchor Hotel has been a Port Fairy institution since 1857. Cosy up by the bar in winter or bask in the sunshine of the Lawn Bar in summer. The rooms are beautifully boutique with considered details, such as luxe baths for sinking into post-road trip.

Eating there

The Coast in Anglesea is a modern Australian restaurant focused on local ingredients. Grand Pacific Hotel has been a local landmark in Lorne since 1879 and recently underwent a restoration. It serves a mix of traditional pub and Italian fare alongside ocean views.

Graze is a cosy 40-seat dining room in Apollo Bay with a modern Australian menu complemented by regional wines. Apollo Bay Distillery offers tasting flights, a gin blending masterclass and serves woodfired pizzas.

The 17 best ways to earn Virgin Australia Velocity points