How much are Virgin Velocity Points worth?

How much is a Velocity Point worth?

Here's what Velocity Points are worth for some popular reward choices:

• Economy reward flights: 1–2 cents per Velocity Point
• Business reward flights: 2–8 cents per Velocity Point
• Flight upgrades: 2–4 cents per Velocity Point
• Shopping: 0.4–0.5 cents per Velocity Point

In the table below, we've shown the points needed for a range of Velocity reward options, how much they would usually cost to buy outright and the dollar value per $1,000 points they represent.

The best value comes from flight upgrades, then business class flights, then economy flights. Store purchases are typically not good value. With the ACCC formally approving Virgin's partnership with Qatar, we've included Sydney-Doha in this list and it represents a good value points spend - but note that you can't use points to upgrade into Business on those flights.

Methodology: How we calculated these values

All calculations are based on typical prices for flights and rewards quoted in April 2025, as checked on the Virgin Australia site. Fares are higher on some routes, particularly to Queenstown where ski season demand drives up Economy prices.
For each route, we checked a range of dates across July 2025 and selected the most typical price for Virgin-operated flights. You might score cheaper flights on sale or pay more during peak times, but this is a useful median value. Points values for purchasing flights are for Tier 3 Rewards, and we've subtracted carrier fees and charges when working out the value. Values for upgrades are based on Choice fares. Availability of reward flights and upgrades can vary heavily. Points values for Reward Store redemptions come from the Velocity Rewards Store site.

How much are 1,000 Velocity Points worth?

I usually think about how much 1,000 Velocity Points are worth, rather than single points. You can't use individual points for anything, and redemptions usually require thousands of points.

My rule of thumb? If you're getting $20 or more in value for each 1,000 Velocity Points, that's worthwhile. Under $10? That's not good value.

The better value the reward, the trickier it is to get. Virgin only has a handful of Business seats on each route anyway, and you'll be lucky if more than one of those is available as a reward option.

Economy domestic flights represent good value and are much more widely available. If you book in advance for typically busy periods (such as holidays), they're a solid option. Business seats on Doha flights are also good value, but availability is scarce.

Are Velocity Points worth less than Qantas Points?

Based on our calculations of Qantas value, the short answer is: yes. While the value is similar for domestic flights, Qantas's much broader network (both domestically and internationally) means there are higher-value options available.

"I went with a Velocity card instead of a Qantas card. The Qantas Points program has so many options aimed at international travel. But I want domestic flights to visit family, so Virgin is just fine (and a great, but cheaper experience if I have to pay for one flight and get another on points). I also mainly shop at Coles and have a huge amount of Flybuys Points. These convert to Velocity Points, not Qantas Points. That's the points ecosystem I'm in and it makes no sense to switch."

Richard Whitten

Money Editor

How can I get the most value from my Velocity Points?

After decades of flying on Virgin and using Velocity Points, these are my key rules:

• Don't spend your points on Any Seat flights. I don't recommend "Any Seat" redemptions, which consume many more points and are not good value. Focus on standard Reward flights instead.
• Check tier values carefully. Annoyingly, Velocity has 3 tiers for flight redemptions. Tier 1 uses the fewest points, but those seats are rare. When calculating values, I've used the most expensive Tier 3 options. If you can score a Tier 1 or Tier 2 seat, the value will be higher.
• Think Australia and the Pacific, not international. Virgin's international network has been expanding, but it is yet to return to its full pre-pandemic range. While you can redeem points with partner airlines, that's expensive and competitive. Right now, your best options are still for flights within Australia, to New Zealand (though that only covers Queenstown) and to other Pacific destinations. Even then, the high carrier charges mean that economy flight redemptions aren't always very good value.
• Set a goal for your points. Using points effectively takes planning. Set a goal – maybe a family holiday to the Gold Coast – find out how much that will need and then start saving.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Jason Loewenthal as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Angus Kidman

Editor-at-large

Angus Kidman is Finder’s International Editor-at-Large and an award-winning journalist with over 30 years of experience in tech, travel and finance. He was previously the editor of Lifehacker Australia and Australian Personal Computer, and is a recognised commentator, appearing on shows like Sunrise and The Project. A two-time IT Journalism Award winner, Angus has written for top publications such as The Sydney Morning Herald, the AFR, The Australian and Gizmodo, and is known for his expertise in travel rewards and consumer technology. See full bio

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