Virgin Australia Velocity 2026: The Overlooked Program That Undercuts KrisFlyer
Virgin Australia's Velocity program lost the Etihad partnership but retained strong Singapore Airlines + Hawaiian Airlines + United Airlines redemptions.
- Singapore Airlines: Award redemptions on KrisFlyer routes; redemption rates often lower than KrisFlyer's own rates from US gateways.
- United Airlines: Trans-Pacific (US-Australia) redemptions.
- Hawaiian Airlines: US west coast to Hawaii redemptions.
- Air New Zealand: US-Auckland connections.
Virgin Australia's Velocity Frequent Flyer program is overlooked by most US points travelers despite holding several specific advantages: low Singapore Airlines redemption rates from Australia, Hawaiian Airlines partnership, and United Airlines partnership for trans-Pacific flights.
Velocity's 2026 partnership map
Active partnerships:
- Singapore Airlines: Award redemptions on KrisFlyer routes; redemption rates often lower than KrisFlyer's own rates from US gateways.
- United Airlines: Trans-Pacific (US-Australia) redemptions.
- Hawaiian Airlines: US west coast to Hawaii redemptions.
- Air New Zealand: US-Auckland connections.
- Etihad: Lost in 2024.
Singapore Airlines via Velocity sweet spot
Velocity prices SQ business class from Australia to:
- Sydney → Singapore: 95,000 Velocity points each way business
- Melbourne → Singapore: 95,000 Velocity points each way business
- Sydney → Tokyo via Singapore: 130,000 Velocity each way business
For comparison, KrisFlyer charges 105-125k miles for SYD-SIN business + 165k for SYD-TYO business. Velocity is consistently 10-25% cheaper for SQ redemptions originating in Australia.
How to fund Velocity from the US
Direct transfer paths:
- Amex Membership Rewards: 1:1 to Velocity (occasional 30% transfer bonuses).
- Citi ThankYou Points: 1:1 to Velocity.
- Capital One Miles: 1:1 to Velocity.
- Marriott Bonvoy: 3:1 to Velocity with 5,000-point bonus per 60,000.
Citi ThankYou Points uniquely transfer to Velocity at 1:1 — combined with Strata Premier 3x category earning, this is one of the strongest paths for US travelers building Velocity balances.
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The Hawaiian Airlines redemption
Velocity prices Hawaiian Airlines:
- LAX-HNL: 25,000 Velocity points each way economy / 45,000 business
- SEA-HNL: 25,000 Velocity points each way economy / 45,000 business
- SFO-HNL: 25,000 Velocity points each way economy / 45,000 business
For comparison, Hawaiian's own HawaiianMiles charges 35,000-45,000 miles each way for these routes in economy and dynamic pricing in business. Velocity's 25,000-mile economy rate is typically the cheapest published rate for west coast-Hawaii.
The Velocity Family Pooling feature
Velocity uniquely permits a Family Pool of up to 6 family members to combine miles into a single account at no charge. For families building toward an Australian premium-cabin redemption, the Family Pool feature accelerates accumulation faster than most other programs.
Velocity Status Match
Velocity participates in occasional status match programs from US-based programs (Delta, American). For high-status travelers with Australian travel plans, a status match can produce immediate Gold or Platinum status with Velocity, opening lounge access at all Australian Virgin Australia + Singapore Airlines lounges.
Velocity-vs-KrisFlyer for SQ awards
Decision framework:
- Origin US: Use KrisFlyer (Singapore-direct from US).
- Origin Australia: Use Velocity (cheaper than KrisFlyer).
- Origin Asia: Use KrisFlyer (Velocity restricts).
- Mixed origin: Compare both before transferring.
For travelers with both Singapore + Australia in the trip, Velocity for the Australia segments + KrisFlyer for the US-Asia segments produces optimal cost.
Velocity transfer partners on Pointify →
Last verified by the Pointify research team on May 1, 2026 against current Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer terms.
About the author
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The Pointify team analyzes loyalty programs, fare data, and booking strategies across 300+ airlines and major award programs. Our goal: help you get maximum value from every point and mile.
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