Australia's best cardsfor Velocity points.

Ready to turn your everyday spending into a Business Class seat with Virgin Australia or its world-class partners like Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways? You’re in the right place.

1. Understand the two paths to earning Velocity Points

Just like with Qantas, there are two main ways to get Velocity Points from a credit card.

A) Direct-earn cards (the “no-fuss” path)

This is the simplest option. These cards are co-branded with Velocity, and any points you earn are automatically swept into your Velocity Frequent Flyer account each month. It’s a “set and forget” strategy.

• Pros: It’s incredibly simple, and these cards often come with exclusive Virgin Australia perks like lounge passes.
• Cons: Your points are locked into the Velocity program. You can’t send them anywhere else.

B) Indirect-earn cards (the savvy strategist’s path)

These cards earn points in a bank’s own rewards program, like ANZ Rewards or Amex Membership Rewards. You collect these flexible points first, then manually transfer them to an airline partner, including Velocity.

• Pros: Massive flexibility. You can send points to different airlines or wait for a juicy transfer bonus promotion (like an extra 15–20% points) to maximise your value.
• Cons: It requires an extra step. You need to be aware of the transfer rates, which aren’t always 1:1.

The best Velocity cards for every Aussie traveller

The all-round champion: American Express Velocity Platinum Card

The flagship card for the serious Velocity points collector.

• Sign-up bonus: Up to 100,000 bonus Velocity Points. You get 70,000 when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months, and 30,000 more when you spend another $5,000 in the first 3 months of year two. New Amex Card Members only (no Amex card in the last 18 months); apply by 13 October 2026.
• Annual fee: $440.

Why we rate it:

• Annual return flight: You get a complimentary domestic economy return flight with Virgin Australia each year, which can easily offset most of the annual fee.
• Unlimited lounge access: The holy grail for frequent flyers. Enjoy the Virgin Australia lounge at selected domestic airports every time you fly Virgin Australia domestically, plus two guest passes a year.
• Status credit boost: Earn 50 bonus Status Credits when you spend $25,000 in a membership year, and another 50 at $50,000, fast-tracking you to Silver or Gold status.

The savvy starter: Virgin Money Velocity Flyer Card

One of the best-kept secrets for beginners, offering incredible value.

• Sign-up bonus: Up to 70,000 bonus Velocity Points: 25,000 a month for your first 2 months when you spend $1,500 or more, plus 20,000 when you keep the card open past 12 months.
• Annual fee: $149, rising to $169 from 1 October 2026.

Why we rate it:

• The ultimate fee hack: You receive a $129 Virgin Australia gift voucher each year (make a purchase on the card in the 2 months before you request it). Use it on a Virgin Australia flight and your effective annual fee drops to $40 once the new $169 fee applies.
• Great for beginners: It’s a straightforward card with no complicated strategies. Just know the everyday earn rate is modest: from 1 October 2026 it’s 0.5 Velocity Points per $1 on the first $1,500 each statement period, then 0.25. The voucher, not the earn rate, is the reason to hold it.
• Accepted everywhere: As a Visa card, it’s accepted almost everywhere, so you never miss out on earning points.

The premium all-rounder: Westpac Altitude Velocity Black Card

Premium perks with the wide acceptance of a Mastercard.

• Sign-up bonus: Up to 150,000 bonus Velocity Points over two years: 90,000 when you spend $6,000 in the first 90 days, and 60,000 more when you spend $6,000 in the 90 days after your first card anniversary. Not available if you’ve held a Westpac credit card in the last 24 months.
• Annual fee: $370 ($295 card fee plus a $75 rewards program fee). Existing Westpac customers pay a $200 card fee in year one.

Why we rate it:

• Lounge passes: Get complimentary Virgin Australia domestic lounge passes each year to travel in style.
• Economy X upgrades: Score two complimentary Economy X seat upgrades on domestic flights for extra legroom.
• Accepted everywhere: As a Mastercard, you won’t have any issues using it, so you never miss a point.

Your secret weapon: the Flybuys partnership

The link between Velocity and Flybuys is the most powerful way to supercharge your balance without stepping on a plane. Our groceries to business class guide has the full playbook.

• Link your accounts: Head to the Flybuys website to link your Velocity and Flybuys accounts.
• Turn groceries into gold: You can transfer 1,000 Flybuys points into 500 Velocity Points. Watch for frequent bonus offers to get even more value!
• Earn status on the ground: Here’s the game-changer. For every $100 you spend across Coles, Liquorland and First Choice Liquor each month, you’ll earn 1 Velocity Status Credit. You can earn up to 10 Status Credits a month this way, giving you a massive boost towards elite status just from your weekly shop.

Final approach: what’s your move?

• If you’re a beginner wanting maximum value for a low fee, grab the Virgin Money Velocity Flyer Card.
• If you’re a frequent Virgin Australia flyer who lives for the lounge, the Amex Velocity Platinum is your key to the good life.
• If you want great perks and the peace of mind of a Mastercard, the Westpac Altitude Velocity Black is the perfect fit.
• If you’d rather keep your options open, the ANZ Rewards Platinum from our top 3 beginner picks earns flexible points you can move to Velocity.