What they are, how to get them, and why you want them.

Plus, the key difference between Velocity Points and Status Credits.

So, what are Status Credits? 

Great question. Status Credits determine your Velocity membership level. When you first join the program, your default membership Status is entry level Red. But if you start flying regularly with Virgin Australia and our partners, your Status Credit balance will begin to soar.

Aside from Red, there are three Status levels that you can achieve – Platinum, Gold and Silver. Each level of membership unlocks special privileges that can range from Priority Check-in to access to over 150 international airline partner lounges. The higher your Status, the better the perks.

In fact, if you already fly regularly, you may find that you’re well on your way to Silver Status. To make it on to the Silver podium, you’ll need 250 Status Credits and to have flown at least two Eligible Sectors within the last 12 months. An Eligible Sector might sound a little complicated but it just means a flight that begins with VA that wasn’t booked as a Reward Seat, you might only fly one Eligible Sector per trip or you could fly more than one if you need to take a connecting VA flight. 

From here, you can keep aiming higher. To make the leap to Gold you’ll need a Status Credit balance of 500 and to have flown four Eligible Sectors within the last 12 months.

If you’ve made it to Gold, no doubt you’re wanting to take home the big prize. The ultimate Status is Platinum, and to count yourself among the Platinum ranks you’ll need to have banked 1,000 Status Credits and have flown eight Eligible Sectors within the last 12 months. Look at you go!

One of the best things about achieving Velocity Status is that once you achieve it, it’s easier to maintain than it was to get there in the first place. You’ll need 800 Status Credits to maintain Platinum, 400 Status Credits to maintain Gold and 200 Status Credits to maintain Silver.

How are Status Credits different from Velocity Points?

Basically, you can earn Velocity Points for a whole host of things including flying, and they can be redeemed for all sorts of rewards as well (from fuel to Reward Seats to online shopping).

Status Credits work a bit differently. They’re earnt when you fly (mostly, there’s more on that below), and the more you earn the closer they could get you to extra travel perks on Virgin Australia and our partner airlines. 

Sounds good, so how do I get Status Credits?

The easiest way is to take eligible flights with Virgin Australia and our partnered airlines. The amount of Status Credits you can earn on a flight depends on a few things – whether you’re flying domestically or internationally, how far you’re flying, and the fare type you’ve booked. Generally, the higher the fare type you book, the more Status Credits you earn. Makes sense, right? If you want to get into the nitty-gritty of Status Credits calculations, check out our earn table. At the end of the day, the trick to earning Status Credits is to fly frequently on flexible fare types.

Status Credits will automatically be added to your account after you’ve completed your flight. They’re also valid for 12 months from the date of your flight.

You can also earn Status Credits just by shopping (score!) thanks to our partnership with flybuys*. First things first, you’ll need to link your flybuys account to Velocity.

Once you’ve done that, use your linked card when you’re shopping at Coles, Coles Online, Liquorland, and First Choice Liquor and you’ll earn one Status Credit for every $100 you spend*. It’s a great way of giving your Status Credits a boost simply by shopping for the groceries that you were going to buy anyway. How easy is that? Just remember that you can only earn up to 10 Status Credits a month from flybuys.

Here’s another handy hack that’ll have you ascending to Platinum Status quicker than an Airbus A330 on take-off. If other members of your family travel regularly, you can pool your Velocity Points and combine your Status Credits in one beneficiary’s account. That means if you’re taking your kids on a trip, you can earn Status Credits for every seat you book (as long as they’re signed up for Velocity and you select the beneficiary before you fly). It’s a super-quick process to set up Family Points Pooling, so jump on it! 

Finally, it pays to read your emails. Keep an eye out for any Status Credit promotions that hit your inbox. These include offers like double Status Credits on select flights to give your balance a leg-up. 

Remind me, why do I want Status Credits again?

Because flying is great – but flying with Status is even better. Depending on your level you’ll get access to all sorts of perks, like entry to 150 lounges across the globe, Priority Boarding (so long, lines!), advance seat selection, extra baggage allowance (more space for souvenirs), and exclusive upgrade offers. Basically, Status unlocks all the things that make flying a pleasure.

Not only that, but if you’re a Platinum, Gold or Silver member you’ll also enjoy Points bonuses on eligible flights (100%, 75% and 50% respectively). That means you’re getting extra-extra rewarded for flying with Virgin Australia and on eligible flights with our partner airlines. Pretty sweet deal, right?