Verdict up front: Neither program wins universally, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something. Qantas Points are easier to earn in bulk – more credit cards, more partners, more ways to top up your balance without thinking about it. Velocity Points are often worth more per point on domestic redemptions, and reward seat availability on Virgin’s own routes is generally friendlier. The real answer to “velocity points vs qantas points” is boring but true: the better program is the one whose flights you’ll actually book. Pick your airline first, then build your earning around it.
Last updated: June 2026 | [Affiliate disclosure: I earn a commission if you apply via the credit card links on this page – it never affects my analysis.]
Why this comparison matters more than it used to
For years the lazy answer was “just collect Qantas Points, they’re the default”. That’s no longer automatic. Virgin Australia has rebuilt itself into a serious domestic competitor, Velocity has kept its earn rates competitive, and the supermarket duopoly has split neatly down the middle: Woolworths feeds Qantas, Coles feeds Velocity.
That supermarket split is the bit most people miss. If you do your weekly shop at Woolworths, you’re already on a conveyor belt toward Qantas. Shop at Coles and you’re on the Velocity one. Fighting against that current is possible, but it’s friction you don’t need.
My take: The program you choose should follow your life, not the other way around. Your supermarket, your home airport’s route map, and the airline your work flies you on matter more than any points guru’s spreadsheet.
How the earning side stacks up
Groceries: the silent engine
This is where most Australians earn the bulk of their points without spending a cent extra.
- Everyday Rewards (Woolworths) to Qantas: 2,000 Everyday Rewards points convert to 1,000 Qantas Points. That’s a 2:1 ratio.
- Flybuys (Coles) to Velocity: 1,000 Flybuys points convert to 500 Velocity Points. Also 2:1.
So the ratios are identical – the only question is which supermarket you actually walk into. Both programs also run periodic transfer bonuses from their grocery partners, typically in the 15-25% range, so it pays to hoard your supermarket points and convert during a promo rather than auto-transferring. I’ve covered the supermarket side in detail in my Everyday Rewards vs Flybuys comparison.
Credit cards: where Qantas has the numbers
Qantas simply has more cards pointed at it. Two examples I keep coming back to:
- Qantas Premier Platinum – $399 annual fee, 1 Qantas Point per $1 up to $10,000 per statement period. Solid, unspectacular workhorse. Full review here.
- Amex Qantas Ultimate – $450 annual fee, 1.25 Qantas Points per $1, and the $450 Qantas Travel Credit effectively cancels the fee if you’d have booked a Qantas flight anyway.
Velocity’s card lineup is smaller but genuinely competitive:
- Amex Velocity Platinum – $440 annual fee, 1.25 Velocity Points per $1, rising to up to 2.25 on Virgin Australia spend.
- Amex Velocity Escape Plus – $95 annual fee, 1 point per $1 with a cap. The budget entry point.
- Virgin Money Velocity High Flyer – $329 annual fee, 1 point per $1 capped at $8,000 per statement period.
There’s also a back door into Velocity that Qantas can’t match as cheaply: flexible points. Amex Membership Rewards transfer to Velocity at 2 MR = 1 Velocity Point, and NAB Rewards do the same at 2 NAB = 1 Velocity. If you like keeping your options open, that flexibility quietly favours the Velocity side. I’ve ranked the full field in my best Qantas points credit cards and best Velocity credit cards roundups.
My take: If you’re optimising for raw earning volume across cards, partners, shopping portals and the kitchen sink, Qantas wins on breadth. If you’re optimising for a simple one-card setup, the Amex Velocity Platinum’s 1.25 base earn is hard to argue with at the price.
What the points are actually worth
Here’s where the conversation gets honest. A point is worth nothing until you redeem it, and both programs have a wide spread between their worst and best uses.
- Gift cards and merchandise: roughly 0.5-0.6 cents per point in both programs. This is the floor. Don’t redeem here unless your points are about to expire.
- Domestic economy reward seats: roughly 1-1.5 cents per point in both programs, depending on route and date.
- Premium cabins: higher again, and this is where the patient hoarders win.
On paper that looks like a draw. In practice, Velocity often edges ahead on domestic redemptions because of one unglamorous factor: you can actually get the seat. Qantas reward seat availability is notoriously tight on popular routes and dates – the points are easy to earn and hard to spend well. Virgin’s network is domestic plus short-haul international, extended through partner airlines (check current partners before you count on them), and reward availability on Virgin’s own metal has generally been the friendlier experience.
Expiry matters too. Qantas Points expire after 18 months of inactivity. Velocity points expire under their own inactivity rules – around 24 months, but check the current terms before relying on that. Either way, one transfer from your supermarket program every year or so keeps the clock reset. I’ve written more on this in do Qantas Points expire?
Qantas vs Velocity points: side by side
| Feature | Qantas | Velocity |
|---|---|---|
| Ways to earn | Broadest in Australia – cards, partners, portals | Fewer, but solid card lineup + flexible points (Amex MR, NAB Rewards at 2:1) |
| Grocery feed | Everyday Rewards (Woolworths), 2,000 ER = 1,000 QF | Flybuys (Coles), 1,000 FB = 500 Velocity |
| Card examples | Qantas Premier Platinum ($399, 1/$1 to $10k); Amex Qantas Ultimate ($450, 1.25/$1 + $450 travel credit) | Amex Velocity Platinum ($440, 1.25/$1, up to 2.25 on Virgin); High Flyer ($329, 1/$1 to $8k); Escape Plus ($95) |
| Expiry | 18 months of inactivity | Inactivity-based, around 24 months – check current terms |
| Sweet spot redemption | Premium cabin international (if you can find the seat) | Domestic reward seats on Virgin routes – better availability |
| Weak spot | Reward seat scarcity on popular routes/dates | Smaller international network, partner-dependent |
Don’t split yourself across both
Here’s the mistake I see constantly: people earn a bit of both. Woolworths shop feeding Qantas, an old Velocity card in the drawer, a few thousand points scattered in each program, and neither balance ever reaches a redemption worth having.
Points programs reward concentration. Most Australians shouldn’t split across both. Pick the airline you genuinely fly – based on your home airport, your usual routes, and where your supermarket loyalty already sits – then funnel everything into that one program: groceries, credit card, flights, the lot. Keep an account open in the other program for the odd flight you’re forced onto, but treat it as passive scraps, not a strategy.
My take: A focused 150,000 points in one program beats 75,000 in each, every single time. Concentration is the whole game.
The one question that decides it
When you picture your next two or three flights – the ones you’ll actually take, not the Tokyo business class daydream – which airline is operating them?
If the honest answer is Qantas (or you’re chasing long-haul premium cabins through its broader network), go Qantas: shop at Woolworths, run a card like the Qantas Premier Platinum, and accept that you’ll need flexibility to find reward seats. If the answer is Virgin – especially for domestic hops on the golden triangle or to see family interstate – go Velocity: shop at Coles, earn at 1.25 per dollar on an Amex Velocity Platinum, and enjoy reward seats you can actually book. The program whose flights you’ll book is the program that’s worth more. For you. That’s the whole answer.
FAQ
Can you convert Velocity Points to Qantas Points?
No. They’re separate, competing programs and there’s no direct transfer between them in either direction. The closest thing to flexibility is earning Amex Membership Rewards or NAB Rewards, which transfer to Velocity (not Qantas) at 2:1.
Which is easier to earn: Qantas or Velocity Points?
Qantas, on breadth – more credit cards, more earning partners, more everyday touchpoints. But an individual spender on an Amex Velocity Platinum earning 1.25 points per $1 can out-earn plenty of Qantas card setups. Breadth favours Qantas; a single well-chosen card can favour Velocity.
Which points expire faster?
Qantas Points expire after 18 months without earning or redeeming activity. Velocity uses its own inactivity rules, around 24 months, though you should check the current terms. Either way, a small supermarket transfer once a year keeps both alive.
Are Velocity Points worth more than Qantas Points?
Often, on domestic redemptions – both sit around 1-1.5 cents per point for domestic economy reward seats, but Velocity availability on Virgin routes tends to be easier, so you’re more likely to achieve that value. Qantas can deliver higher value on premium international redemptions if you find the seats.
Can you have both Qantas and Velocity accounts?
Yes, both are free to join and there’s no rule against holding both. Just don’t actively earn into both – concentrate your spending in one and let the other collect passive scraps.
Which credit cards earn Qantas Points and which earn Velocity?
For Qantas: cards like the Qantas Premier Platinum ($399, 1 point per $1 to $10,000 per statement) and Amex Qantas Ultimate ($450, 1.25 per $1). For Velocity: Amex Velocity Platinum ($440, 1.25 per $1), Amex Velocity Escape Plus ($95) and Virgin Money Velocity High Flyer ($329). Full rankings in my Qantas and Velocity roundups.
← All guides | Best Qantas points credit cards → | Best Velocity credit cards →
This article is general information only. Credit cards are financial products – consider whether each product suits your personal circumstances and read the product disclosure statement before applying. Program rules are accurate at time of publishing and subject to change. I earn a commission if you apply via the affiliate links on this page.
