No Velocity status benefits on Air Canada?

[Mattg]

I have some upcoming flights on Air Canada and have Velocity Gold status.

Just having a look at the Velocity Gold benefits page, and Air Canada is not even listed under "international airline parnters". I also can't see any mention of status benefits on the Air Canada page on the VA website.

Are there not any status benefits?

 

[jase05]

I have some upcoming flights on Air Canada and have Velocity Gold status.

Just having a look at the Velocity Gold benefits page, and Air Canada is not even listed under "international airline parnters". I also can't see any mention of status benefits on the Air Canada page on the VA website.

Are there not any status benefits?

I don’t believe there is any status benefits for members of either FFP’s as yet but it is apparently eventually coming

 

[oz_mark]

I think it's just a points/ status credit earning proposition

 

[odysseus]

As above, just points/redemptions at this stage. Here is their last announcement on the arrangements: Velocity Program Update Air Canada Partnership Update

 

[Mattg]

Seems like a fairly useless partnership then, other than the ability to earn/redeem points. Hopefully they'll improve this soon - Air Canada has already been flying to Australia since December.

Considering VA now only has a small handful of international partners, this doesn't bode well for the overall value of Velocity status overseas, I have to say

 

[odysseus]

Earning and redeeming are significant benefits of their own. Sure, I'd hope other benefits are added, but I wouldn't consider those useless.

 

[antycbr]

Earning and redeeming are significant benefits of their own. Sure, I'd hope other benefits are added, but I wouldn't consider those useless.

Especially when you can redeem for Business, which gives you all of the status benefits basically.

 

[clifford]

I have some upcoming flights on Air Canada and have Velocity Gold status.

Just having a look at the Velocity Gold benefits page, and Air Canada is not even listed under "international airline parnters". I also can't see any mention of status benefits on the Air Canada page on the VA website.

Are there not any status benefits?

I thought you also had Star Gold membership, so this I guess is an academic discussion?

 

[Mattg]

I thought you also had Star Gold membership, so this I guess is an academic discussion?

In my case, yes. Although, I haven't actually been able to get my United FF number added to my upcoming Velocity redemption booking in AC Y because I can't add it online and I still haven't managed to get through to Air Canada on the phone despite trying multiple times. (Their call centre wait times are 2+ hours.) At this stage, my Velocity number is stuck on the booking and will probably remain there until I check in for the flight.

My point remains that it's not really great for Velocity members that there are literally no reciprocal status benefits on one of VA's main international partner airlines.

The ability to earn and redeem points is still useful. Although, I'm a bit concerned that after a schedule change on another upcoming booking I have in AC J (booked using Velocity points) Air Canada can no longer see my ticket. It looks like my ticket is somehow broken ever since VA reissued it following the schedule change.

When I booked that ticket, I also had to call Velocity because the VA website was misquoting the taxes by several hundred dollars. Also not great.

I guess what I'm saying is that my experience so far with the VA/AC partnership is that it's just a bit of an all-round clunky experience, and not seamless.

 

[ozstamps]

Seems very odd there is not some seamless partner benefits for higher tiers, although I often had to fight Delta Lounge Matrons.

Pulled out a Virgin Plat card in ATL when they had that Visa card data on back that I for one never used, and Dragon said ''that is a credit card sir - carries no weight here'' We were flying paid Delta First Class domestically but of course that cut no favour there.

Matron 2 pointed to her screen, and Matron 1 with very bad graced allowed us in.

The joy of partners.

I have a lifetime multi Million Miler Star Alliance Gold card, and no idea if that has any pull in an AC lounge on a Virgin issued ticket.

Have done a few AC long hauls SYD-YVR in Biz, and was underwhelmed to be honest. Cannot face any long haul flight wearing face masks, lets pray that normalises soon.

 

[openseat]

Seems like a fairly useless partnership then, other than the ability to earn/redeem points. Hopefully they'll improve this soon - Air Canada has already been flying to Australia since December.

Considering VA now only has a small handful of international partners, this doesn't bode well for the overall value of Velocity status overseas, I have to say

I've only ever seen VA as useful for Domestic/Trans Tasman/ Pacific Islands airline, apart from the odd SQ flight. I think it's a matter of managing expectations.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

SQ was more of a "partner" pre pandemic/vol admin, nowadays of course, it a hard road/runway to be in for them, right now, but hopefully, things will/(can) only get better, VFF & KF wise.
Once the VFF points - SQ KF points transfer comes back, it might be better to fly to Canada via SIN, yes, it will take a while longer, but you will get the 380 instead of the 787, and you could burn points in F class, if you have enough points... better than J on the AC 787.
AC also does not have a lounge of its own in SYD, not sure which one they would put you on, if you are flying AC J, paying $$$ (whether or not you put your VFF # into the booking, or AC's own FF #, or AirNZ Airpoint$ #/SQ KF #.
At least if you fly SQ, with status or flying J/F, you would get entry to their SK lounge in PER/BNE/MEL/SYD.

 

[AIRwin]

Looks like the website has been updated for lounge access with AC:

Earn Velocity Points and Status Credits with Air Canada

Earn Velocity Points and Status credits when you fly as a Velocity Frequent Flyer member with Air Canada. Book a flight and find out how many Points and Status Credits you can earn when flying with Air Canada.

experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com

International lounge access

Discover our network of partner airline-operated lounges, available for access when traveling on flights operated by our esteemed international partners.

www.virginaustralia.com

 

[jase05]

Looks like the website has been updated for lounge access with AC:

Earn Velocity Points and Status Credits with Air Canada

Earn Velocity Points and Status credits when you fly as a Velocity Frequent Flyer member with Air Canada. Book a flight and find out how many Points and Status Credits you can earn when flying with Air Canada.

experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com

International lounge access

Discover our network of partner airline-operated lounges, available for access when traveling on flights operated by our esteemed international partners.

www.virginaustralia.com

I saw that.
Fantastic news

 

[Mattg]

Does anyone know if lounge access is also now given to Aeroplan members flying on VA? I can't find anything on Air Canada's website.

 

[HS-TQE]

Does anyone know if lounge access is also now given to Aeroplan members flying on VA? I can't find anything on Air Canada's website.

Doesn't seem to be case with Aeroplan on VA. However, lounge access information seems very minimal if any.

 

[antycbr]

Perfect timing as I have an AC flight YUL-YYZ on Sunday. Let’s see how things go when three platinums rock up to YUL Maple Leaf - hopefully AC have issued a memo to staff.

 

[AIRwin]

And now a competition:

https://competitions.virginaustralia.com/competition/air-canada-0822

 

[antycbr]

Success on YUL-YYZ. Initial attempt to say only valid for international service connections (this is a purely AC Domestic itinerary - points redemption) but once I showed the email and website we were admitted. Now enjoying a smoked meat sandwich. Choices also include meatballs, Thai beef curry and rice, soup, cold salads and free flow spirits and wine.

As an aside Air Canada operates on the Ansett model of having one of every aircraft ever made, so this leads to a lot of pushback bars…

 

[michaele]

Guessing also no baggage allowance/seating for VA status? Aeroplan really is horrible.. would much rather be crediting to VA