Velocity frequent flyers earn points with ride-sharer Ola

Traveling to and from Australian airports has joined the lengthy list of activities for which passengers can earn frequent flyer points thanks to deal between Virgin Australia and ride-sharing company Ola. The partnership will allow members of Virgin’s Velocity frequent flyer program to earn one point for every $1 spent on everyday Ola rides with a double serving for rides from to and from eligible airports. The eligible airports are Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. READ: New design aims to end the middle seat nightmare. Velocity members also get a generous 1000 points when they take their first Ola ride and can multiply their points earn by using credit card linked to the frequent flyer program. Founded in India, Ola is a competitor to Uber and operates in major cities in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and India. The deal with Virgin, the first of its kind for the ride-sharing company in Australia,  gives Ola access to Velocity’s nine million members as it moves to grow its operations. Ola managing director Simon Smith said the partnership provided an integrated door-to-door experience for travelers and another way for Velocity members to earn points. “Australians are increasingly choosing Ola for airport trips and to move around our cities because the platform is a convenient, reliable option that offers a better deal for both riders and drivers,’’ he said. “The new Velocity partnership gives passengers another very attractive reason to ride with Ola.” Velocity boss Karl Schuster said the deal would help members accumulate Velocity points sooner. “Alongside our multi-award-winning reward seat availability and redemption opportunities, we are confident that this partnership strengthens our position as Australia’s best value airline loyalty program,” he said. Travelers can download the Ola app from Google Play and the App Store, register for an Ola account and begin booking rides. To earn points members must link their Velocity membership in the Ola app.