American Express is offering 60,000 bonus Velocity Points for New Card Members who apply for the American Express Velocity Platinum Card.
A minimum spend of $3,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months of approval is required to receive the bonus. T&Cs apply. New Card Members only.
The American Express Velocity Platinum Card has a $375 annual fee, with the benefits helping to offset this including a complimentary domestic return Virgin flight, two Virgin Australia lounge passes for use in domestic Virgin lounges and two more The Centurion® Lounge passes to be used at either the Sydney or Melbourne American Express lounges.
This is still one of the highest Velocity Points-earning cards in the market and is handy for ongoing use for Virgin Australia frequent flyers and Velocity Points hunters.
The American Express Velocity Platinum is a card to consider holding for the frequent Virgin flyer, especially for those who travel in Economy and can make good use of the included lounge passes and complimentary return flight.
Digging into the benefits of the American Express Velocity Platinum Card
The American Express Velocity Platinum is the card to apply for if you usually fly with Virgin Australia and can take advantage of the bonus points from Virgin Australia spend and accompanying lounge passes.
Card Details
Card | American Express Velocity Platinum |
Loyalty program | Velocity Frequent Flyer |
Points earned from spend | 1.25 Velocity Points earned per $1 on all eligible spend except for government bodies 2.25 Velocity Points per $1 spent on selected Virgin Australia purchases 0.5 Velocity Points per $1 on Government spend |
Points cap | None |
Earns points at ATO | Yes (reduced earn rate of 0.5 point/$) |
Travel benefits | Each year: 2x Virgin Australia lounge passes, 2x The Centurion® Lounge lounge visits, Complimentary Virgin Australia domestic flight |
Included insurances | Travel Insurance Travel Inconvenience Cover Card Purchase Cover and Card Refund Cover (PDS) |
Overseas transaction fee | 3% of the converted amount |
Mobile wallet | Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay |
Annual fee | $375 |
Earning Velocity points from spend
When using your card in Australia, you’ll receive 2.25 Velocity Points per dollar spent with Virgin Australia, and 1.25 Velocity Points per dollar on all other expenses except for government bodies where you will earn 0.5 Velocity Points per dollar spent.
Your Velocity Points will be swept over to your Velocity account on a monthly basis, and additional card members are free of charge.
Complimentary Virgin Australia domestic return Economy Flight
With the American Express Velocity Platinum Card, you can also redeem the complimentary domestic return flight with Virgin Australia to selected cities each Card Member year.
It differs depending on your departure airport. However, in a nutshell, it is to/from most cities within a couple of hours’ flight time of the departure airport. Read our full guide to this free flight benefit.
In all likelihood, the complimentary domestic flight will cover the cost of the annual fee of the card alone — or close to, at least.
Virgin Australia and American Express The Centurion® Lounge passes
The American Express Velocity Platinum Card comes with two free single-entry passes to Virgin Australia domestic lounges each year. You can use these passes prior to travelling on a Virgin Australia domestic flight.
If you don’t have Velocity status, this is a nice little perk which will see you enjoy their excellent domestic lounges — save this up for a leisure trip, in our opinion.
Even if you do have Gold or Platinum status (and therefore, a guest allowance), you could use these passes to bring extra guests in.
On top of those, you’ll also receive two access passes to The Centurion® Lounge at Sydney or Melbourne‘s International Terminal with two children travelling with you (when overseas travel is open again). You can also buy additional access at $55 per visit.
Notably, this benefit is only available to the top-tier American Express cards at most banks, so this is quite a perk for a card with a lower annual fee.
Status Credits
Another noteworthy ongoing benefit of the American Express Velocity Platinum Card is the Velocity Status Credits.
American Express is offering 100 Velocity Status Credits as a target for spending $50,000 in 12 months (your membership year) — this applies to both existing and new Amex Card Members and is a neat way of bumping up your Status Credits balance if you are on the hunt for Silver, Gold or Platinum Velocity status.
American Express Plan It
American Express launched ‘Plan It’ in mid-2020, which allows cardholders to create instalment plans that allow for equal payments to be distributed over a 3, 6 or 12 month payment period. There is a monthly fixed fee to access this feature, with up to 10 Plan It plans with a minimum of $150 balance able to be created.
Other Benefits
There is also a range of insurances, including domestic and international Travel Insurance, and Travel Inconvenience Cover available for travel purchased on the card, as well as Card Purchase Cover and Card Refund Cover.
The full PDS outlining the details of all the benefits included with the American Express Velocity Platinum Card can be found here.
This guide references some of the benefits of insurance policies provided with this card. You should read the PDS and obtain independent professional advice before obtaining this product.
Unparalleled mobile wallet integration
American Express cards support Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay, meaning you can use this card on your smartphone for easier payments.
Read the Point Hacks guide to using Apple Pay or for using Google Pay and Samsung Pay, including instructions on how to add your American Express card to those services.
With this feature set up, it means you could still use your NFC-enabled phone to make purchases with your American Express account, even if your physical card is lost or stolen and pending replacement.
Eligibility criteria for bonus points for existing American Express Card Members
American Express are quite specific about whether existing Card Members will be eligible for bonus points if they apply for a card, are approved, and meet the minimum spend criteria.
Card Members who currently hold or who have previously held any Card product issued by American Express Australia Limited in the preceding 18 month period are ineligible for this offer.
American Express don’t allow existing Card Members, even for different types of American Express cards (e.g. Charge, Credit or Business) to be eligible for bonus points offers for cards in a different family.
Summing Up
The American Express Velocity Platinum Card is aimed at those really looking to maximise their Velocity earn from spending.
The additional lounge access, insurance and other perks are nice to have but are secondary in importance compared to the high Velocity Points earn potential.
Can you please just confirm when the $375 annual fee is charged. Is it when the card is first approved or on the 1st anniversary of the cards approval?
Thanks
On the Amex website it says
When do I pay my annual fee?
We will charge the annual Card fee in the month of your Card Membership anniversary.
Cheers
Much appreciated
I am applying for this card and wanted to let you know the “Two Sydney or Melbourne Airport American Express lounge passes per membership year” is no longer offered. You might want to update this page. Thanks,
Katie
You must spend $1,500 each month in the first three months to qualify for the bonus points.
Apologies, I’ve just realised that my previous answer to you was incorrect.
You will receive 85,000 bonus Velocity Points if you spend $1,500 within the first 3 months. This is cumulative spend meaning that you only need to spend $1,500 (and not $4,500 as my previous response suggested) to receive the 85,000 points.
You can then earn 5,000 bonus points for every $500 you spend in each of months 4, 5 and 6, for a total of 15,000 points.
I hope this clarifies the situation.
Thanks
I read that you can now book the free flight online.
Can someone please tell me the link of the booking site ?
I can’t seem to find it .
Thank you.
You can access the link at https://accounts.velocityfrequentflyer.com/auth/realms/velocity/protocol/openid-connect/auth?response_type=code&client_id=mobile-web&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fcompflight.virginaustralia.com%2Fvirginaustralia%2Fsso%2Flogin&state=765e9e80-b21d-4dde-893e-9ebc00d80c1f&login=true&scope=openid.
This link can also be found in the following Point Hacks guide: https://www.pointhacks.com.au/american-express-free-virgin-australia-flight-guide/
As long as you meet the requirements for both offers, they will be stackable.
My understanding is that the date you submitted your application will be the relevant date in regards to bonus points eligibility, rather than the date of processing.
I would explain the situation with American Express and get them to confirm this for you. If they do say that it is the date of processing and therefore are eligible, make sure to get them to write this in their notes, and take note of who you spoke to and when in case you need to refer to that call again in the future.
Currently I’m holding Westpac AMEX, is it still eligible for 100k bonus please? As after I open Amex page, it’s saying not eligible for any current AMEX holder? Amex
We have just received confirmation from American Express that current Westpac American Express cardholders ARE eligible for this offer.
In order to earn the full 100,000 points, you will need to spend $1,000 or more each month for the first 4 months, with 25,000 points be awarded every month this spend criteria is applied.
Therefore, if you spend $1,000 in Months, 1, 2, 3 and 4, you will receive 100,000 points. If you spend $4,000 in Month 1, then $0 in MOnths 2, 3 and 4, you will receive 25,000 points.
is it statement month? calendar month?
It is based on a statement month.
I spoke to them on phone and asked was it month from
– application date
– approval date
– first spend date
– statement date
I was advised it is month from application date anniversary. I’m still not 100% confident in that response though.
Thanks for the feedback.
It should be the statement month, otherwise, it would get very complicated working out if you met the spend requirement when Amex show spending by statement period on their app and online.
I got my first 25000 points 7 days after getting the card (as I’d spent $1000) so dont assume its a statement month. I rang for clarification and the points earning period was not the same as the statement date. It is a minefield. I am still waiting for my second lot of 25000 6 weeks after the first lot went through despite spending $5000
That being said, considering there is no spending cap for the fixed points earning rate, this card may be worthy for some Velocity fans.
A question I hope you can answer for me, I currently hold the Amex Explorer – which I believe is one of the best cards out there! I really want to get this card in my wallet too but am aware I wont be eligible for the 90k points which is a shame. Do you know if I do apply for this card and get approved, I would be eligible for everything else the card provides? eg the free flight, lounge passes etc? thanks!
More and more people are signing up to credit cards, with a crazy number of frequent flyer points in circulation.
At the same time, the ability to use those points is being constantly degraded to the point it is hardly worth the effort anymore
I expect to hit the threshold to receive the bonus velocity points thereafter and would love to get your thoughts on potentially using the bonus points with KrisFlyer, any tips – hacks in this regards?
I enjoy Singapore Air and would love to somehow get in the business class.
Alex
Still new to the who FF thing so i have a question please.
If i apply for the card, meet the minimum spend to get the 75k points and cancel the card before the 1yr anniversary do i have to pay the $375 annual fee?
Thanks in advance
If you want to hit the $50k = 100SC reward, that’s a lot of spend you can’t direct to more appropriate cards like the Platinum Edge.
If your flight patterns keep you on the edge of retaining status, then you might prefer the Explorer’s $400 travel credit, since you can earn SCs on that flight. The domestic flight reward does not earn SCs.
If most of your status credits come from travel you do not buy yourself, then you don’t make so much of the 2.5ppd earn at Virgin Australia, and the Explorer earns an effective 1.5ppd everywhere, MR points are transferable, and if you hold out for a transfer bonus it earns more than the Velocity-branded card! How crazy is that?
IMHO this card was great when it had 3ppd at restaurants/VA, 2ppd on foreign transactions (which offset the 3% fee at least, though your foreign spend should go on a 0% fee card) and 1ppd elsewhere (which you’d hardly use). It’s fallen a long way since then.
I’ll stay with my new VISA card at the moment. Don’t know why they kept reducing the bonus points in their offer. I really wanted to get the explorer card last month, but with the 75k “offer” I passed and went for a VISA card.
My husband canceled his Amex card in Feb 2017 (19 months ago). Now he is the SECONDARY cardholder to my Amex card.
If he apply for this Amex Velocity will he be eligible for the bonus signup points?
Thank you.
I want 100k. When does it start again? And can I multiply this with someones referral and get even more points?
You say this applies to existing card holders – do we need to do anything to have this “activated”, or will it happen automatically ?
This is a great perk I reckon. I was actually intending to close the card at the end of my member year this year (was going to last year as well, but forgot, and once the annual fee was charged I figured I may as well keep it another 12 months), but now I might actually keep it.
I’ve met my $1500 spend criteria for the bonus points. I know the terms say the points will arrive within 8-10 weeks of the minimum spend being met, however I’m keen to hear if anyone has had recent experience where they have been credited their bonus points earlier?
Many thanks
Do you have a link to the American Express Velocity Business card
The question is, will it hurt my credit rating if I received the card, didn’t activate it, then cancel it after about a week?
For the 100k sign up bonus points and the 18 month exclusion period of previous cardholder, is it 18 months from card cancellation date or 18 months from contract cancellation date with Amex? Contract cancellation being card cancellation + 60 days i.e when you cancel a card, they state that your credit contract will terminate in another 60 days after card cancellation.
Thank you.
Looking to book a reward seat to Europe this year with this and other points I’ve accumulated, hence trying to figure out timings for when I’d be able to make this booking. Thanks in advance.
Does the exclusive 100k point offer work in conjunction with the referral bonus? I tried signing up from a referral link but reverts to the normal offer.
Does the person how is referred by someone get any bonus over and above the 100,000k sign on bonus points?
Yes, the status credit offer applies to existing cardholders as well. We’ve updated the guide!
If the application for the card is in my defacto partner’s name, can I have it linked up to MY velocity membership number to earn the 100k points?? If not is there a way around this?
Cheers
If I apply for the card on the 27th and am already conditionally approved, will I make it in time before the 31/07 cutoff date to be eligible for the bonus points? The application said it may take up to 5-10 business days to process my application.
Thanks
I was wondering whether anyone knows if the 2 Virgin passes can be used together, as a couple in 1 visit that is?
Cheers,
Mitch
Under Section 13 d) of the Lounge Terms and Conditions:
“You cannot transfer Single Entries to other people (for example, to other Velocity Members) but you can use your Single Entries to enable other people who are travelling with you to gain access to the lounge.”
So basically you have to be with your travelling companion to let them in using one of your passes. To avoid doubt, two people must use two passes, as a single pass does not include guesting privileges.
https://www.amexmore.com.au/velocityplatinum/rewards?linknav=au-amex-acq-creditcards-membership-home-velocity-platinum
From 3 October 2017, you will earn:
* 2.5 Velocity Points per $1 spent on purchases with Virgin Australia.
* 1.5 Velocity Points per $1 spent everywhere else, excluding the providers below.
* 0.5 Velocity Points per $1 spent at government bodies in Australia, such as Australia Post and the Australian Tax Office.
The 0.5 points per $1 applies to government bodies.
I couldn’t quiet understand the points earning rate. I previously held a american express velocity platinum card with the earn rate of 3 points per $1 at cafe/restaurants and 1 point per $1 on general spend. Will this earn rate be revised as per the new rates shown in the article ??
I can’t find this anywhere.
Any news on the Per-Syd routes? I applied and recommended to friends on that basis… Now I feel like a bit of a fraud!
Love the info on this site btw, it’s very helpful. Cheers
Have you received a response from Virgin regarding what they are planning to do for cardholders who obtained the card (more than a year ago for myself) and got it specifically for the Perth-Sydney route which I use each year to fly my mum to Sydney.
Thanks
Do you know if the “new to amex” criteria applies to only Aus issued cards, or any card issued worldwide?
With the two Virgin Lounge Passes per year do we use these to access the Amex Lounge located at T1 Sydney International Airport as I believe Sydney does not have a Virgin lounge, or do we also receive two Amex Lounge Passes in addition to the Virgin passes?
Thanks
https://amexnetwork.com.au/GoodGoing/CardMembers
Great site!
Regarding the offer – how long does it take before the 100,000 points expire from the time you qualify for the points?
Also the free domestic flight every year – does it work on a calendar year basis or a 12 month rolling cycle i.e. You will only qualify for another free domestic flight 12 months after redeeming the first flight?
The Velocity points are subject to the Velocity points expiry terms, which is 36 months of inactivity – as long as you have activity you keep your points.
Free flight – it’s on cardholder year, not calendar year. You can book your flight anytime during your cardholder year and you’ll get another on your account when you roll over and pay your next annual fee. If you don’t use it, you can’t keep it.
Thanks for the quick response!
The one place I wanted to go!! Oh well.
Cheers
CoopyPoopy
Both the flight maps I’m aware of also list Sydney – Cairns:
This one and this one.. I think you have strong legs to stand on in pushing for Sydney Cairns given the documentation to support this, and wouldn’t trust that response without further clarification.
Can you confirm whether the Sydney – Cairns return flight is still an option. The flight is not showing up on the AMEX map from Sydney any more, yet I notice that you are still showing this flight in your map above.
Thanks for your help.
Cheers
Coopy
Long time lurker, I have been following your site for last 2 years now, came back last year (July) from 3 points tickets to Europe on Qantas with a zero balance on return and back up to 150k now.
My question is this. GIven I am self employed and my wife is a stay at home home mum I have to be careful with my applications.
Should I diversify and grab this card to have the velocity account? I already often buy my fuel from BP swipe velocity and pay with NAB 1.5 points per dollar AMEX so I am graduallly building a velocity balance already.
The return flight Sydney to Perth is great value in itself so would cover card cost.
The return flight from Sydney won’t get you to Perth unfortunately. Possibly the other way around (PER – SYD) but a bit of confusion around that at the minute which I Will try and clear up when I confirm with Amex next week.
Either way, this is a huge sign up bonus – the biggest ever on a Velocity card, so it’s appealing to a lot of people.
I called the customer service and we can redeem the free flight from Perth to Sydney. The Amex website still showing Sydney as a destination from Perth. Not sure why there is another map showing otherwise.
http://www.americanexpress.com/australia/campaigns/velocityplatinumflightmap/index.html
“Receive 100,000 bonus Velocity Points when you apply by 30 September 2015, are approved and spend $1,000 on your new Card within the first 3 months. Card Members who currently hold or who have previously held any other Card product offered by American Express Australia Limited in the preceding 12 month period are ineligible for this offer.”
Existing card holders are applying for this promo like hotcakes and receiving their VA points. Go nuts, everyone!
Just confirming with Perth it would be a return flight to Sydney or one way twice as I noticed Sydney does not do Perth.
🙂
Thanks!
With the rule about existing card owners not qualify for the points, it’s a sad moment!
Awesome website.. I am pretty new to the whole FF thing, I am currently using an ANZ Rewards card for my business which, from what I can tell, is pretty lousy compared to Qantas and Velocity programs.. With this card it appears that as long as you pay your CC bills before the big interest kicks in, and avoid using it where merchants charge large fees, you are pretty much guaranteed to come out ahead each year? I would use the flight for Perth – Karratha each year which is around $700 return usually.. it just seems to good to be true! Am I missing any disadvantages to going with such a card? Thanks!
I have an AMEX issued by the company I work for (business corporate card) in my name.
If I sign up for this offer, is there a risk that I won’t get the bonus points?
Thanks,
Paul