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Choice Privileges announced a double header promotion giving you double points when converting your Choice points to Qantas Frequent Flyer or Virgin Velocity. During the promotion, you will receive 1,600 Virgin Australia or Qantas points for every 2,000 Choice Privileges points you transfer. The offer is valid for transfers through April 7, 2023.
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Choice Privileges to Qantas and Virgin Australia Transfer Bonus Key Terms
- Receive double points when you transfer your Choice Privileges points to Qantas Frequent Flyer and Virgin Australia Velocity.
- The promotion is valid for transfers through April 7, 2023.
- In both cases, you receive 1,600 airline miles/points for every 2,000 Choice Privileges points you transfer.
- The minimum transfer is 2,000 Choice Privileges points
- Only Choice Privileges points earned before March 8, 2023, can be transferred with this promotion.
- The offer is only open to Choice Privileges members in Australia and New Zealand.
- Allow 2 to 6 weeks for the bonus points to post to your Virgin Velocity account.
- Transfers must be completed through the website using the rewards exchange.
- In the case of Virgin Velocity, transfers can be done online or through the Choice service centre.
Maximizing Qantas Frequent Flyer Points
Although one of the lesser-known programs, Qantas Frequent Flyer has a wide range of partners and some awesome sweet spots. However, like a lot of carriers, the best value tends to be for awards on partner flights.
First, short hops under 600 miles within the US on AA are excellent value, with one-way awards in economy setting you back 8,000 points. For instance, consider a quick jump from Los Angels Ontario International to Phoenix PHX. Although you could drive this in over 7 hours, a much better option would be to take the quick 1:10-hour flight. That will only set you back 8,000 points.
If you transfer points with the promotion, you are on to a real winner since you would only need to transfer 10,000 Choice Privileges points to have enough miles to book a one-way award.
Another excellent option using Qantas points is heading to Israel from the East coast of the U.S. — as long as the distance is under 5,800 miles. This includes departures from New York, Boston, and Newark. One-way economy awards will set you back 37,800 points. If you want to splurge, one-way business class awards will set you back 90,000 points each way.
Again if you opt to transfer Choice Privileges points with the promotion, you would need to transfer 48,000 points for the economy award. For the business class awards, you would need to convert 114,000 Choice Privileges points.
Qantas Frequent Flyer Expiration Policy
Qantas has one of the shortest points expiration deadlines of major airlines. Your points will expire if there is no activity on your account for 18 months. That being said, Qantas also allows many different activities to qualify for resetting your points' validity.
Transferring hotel points to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program will count as an activity and should reset your points' validity. Keep in mind, though, the time it takes for the points to transfer. If you are a couple of months out, then the transfer can make a lot of sense. However, if you have a balance of points that is about to expire on a tighter deadline, you may want to look elsewhere for qualifying activity.
Maximizing Virgin Australia Velocity Points
Virgin Australia offers several excellent sweet spots on domestic and international partner awards that can make this promotion incredibly lucrative. With a quick look at the Virgin Australia award chart, we found some gems:
- Short hops in economy within Australia under 600 miles start from 7,800 points plus taxes and fees (or 10,000 Choice Privileges points with the promotion).
- Transatlantic business class awards (flights under 3,600 miles, such as from New York to London) with either United or Virgin Atlantic will set you back 49,500 points plus taxes and fees. That requires just 62,000 Choice Privileges points with the promotion.
Transferring and redeeming your points for premium travel can make this promotion extremely lucrative. On average AwardWallet members have been able to redeem Choice Privileges points for a value of 0.6¢ per point. That means 62,000 Choice points would be worth around $372.
Undoubtedly, the value of a one-way business class fare from New York to London far exceeds this making it an outstanding return.
Virgin Australia Expiration Policy
Virgin Australia has a relatively generous points expiration policy, although transferring points with this promotion can prevent your balance of Virgin points.
Although Virgin Australia Velocity points typically expire if you have no activity on your account for 24 months. The airline classes qualifying activity for resetting the validity of your points as earning or redeeming points.
In its terms and conditions, Virgin expressly states that points transferred from family members or pooled transfers from other accounts do not count towards resetting the expiration deadline. However, it does not expressly disqualify transfers from hotel or credit card partners.
Therefore transferring your Choice Privileges points to Virgin Australia should prevent your points balance from expiring and reset the expiration clock.
Bottom Line
If you are based in Australia or New Zealand, this promotion may be worth a closer look — especially if you have Virgin or Qantas points that are about to expire. Or this could be a good promotion if you want to maximize the returns from your Choice Privileges points balance for flights.
If your travel plans allow and you find the award space, then transferring some points to book an award can be a great option. Taking advantage of the promotion could let you leverage your Choice Privileges points for a value far in excess of what you would get redeeming them for a hotel stay.
Are you planning on taking advantage of this promotion? Let us know in the comments below!
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