United Airlines new Virgin Australia/Velocity Partner

[Mattg]

Anyone know if we're likely to get VFF-MP transfers?

Extremely unlikely.

 

[angelaorourke]

That’s not a reward seat if it’s 200k it’s converted to cash first (at a very poor rate). Look for the 80k seats. I’ll have a look too when I get home

FYI Update - found 2 Business Reward Seats on DL40 to LAX 29th August - released overnight. YAY

 

[mich717]

Has anyone who is gold done a domestic flight on United yet? Want to make sure I will get a free checked bag...

 

[Ewing]

Just catching up - pretty disappointed to read that UA members get VA domestic lounge access, but VA members only get UA lounge access on an international ticket.

Domestic lounge access into United Airlines owned and operated lounges within the USA is only available to Platinum and Gold Velocity members in conjunction with an International journey, where both flight sectors are booked on a single ticket. Lounge access is not available where a Velocity member is holding a domestic flight and an international flight on separate tickets.

I guess the UA flights I booked for next month in anticipation of getting domestic lounge access will be my last - should have waited to see the full details before booking.

 

[Revenge]

Just catching up - pretty disappointed to read that UA members get VA domestic lounge access, but VA members only get UA lounge access on an international ticket.

You win some, you lose some. I'm a UA Gold living so the lounge access is nice, but I am disappointed that UA members can't earn status of VA flights, even though VA members can earn VA status on UA flights.

 

[Happy Dude]

You win some, you lose some. I'm a UA Gold living so the lounge access is nice, but I am disappointed that UA members can't earn status of VA flights, even though VA members can earn VA status on UA flights.

Struggling to see any win for VA members here at all.

 

[cbourl]

Struggling to see any win for VA members here at all.

You can use your VA points for redemption on UA, and if you have already made eg United 1K and don't want to credit points to UA you can credit them to VA instead. MileagePlus ahead of Qantas wher it is just easier to do everything, including redemptions on Qantas and the rest of Oneworld via AA AAdvantage

 

[Happy Dude]

You can use your VA points for redemption on UA, and if you have already made eg United 1K and don't want to credit points to UA you can credit them to VA instead. MileagePlus ahead of Qantas wher it is just easier to do everything, including redemptions on Qantas and the rest of Oneworld via AA AAdvantage

So it seems there's more wins for the UA member who holds some VA points?

 

[cbourl]

So it seems there's more wins for the UA member who holds some VA points?

Yes better for an elite UA FFlyer with VA Points and low VA status. I guess thats the benefit of US ownership of VA and possible Star Alliance membership for VA. Lets watch this space, I lost 320K Ansett Global Rewards points with the favoritism by AU Gov and Au of then 50% BA owned Qantas Its kinda Payback time for the years of Qantas debacle upon debacle, upon gov bailout for COVID, upon call centre woes, upon massive Qantas CEO and exec salaries and bonuses with massive erosion of Qantas The good thing abou US owners is that they are like elephants, they have a good long term memory, as opposed to QF and QFF decipels

 

[Revenge]

Struggling to see any win for VA members here at all.

Being able to earn VA status credits on UA flights is good (if you need the SCs and are travelling within the US).

So it seems there's more wins for the UA member who holds some VA points?

Potentially. The down side is it's hard for a UA member in Australia to retain status without being able to earn status on VA flights.

 

[Happy Dude]

Yes better for an elite UA FFlyer with VA Points and low VA status. I guess thats the benefit of US ownership of VA and possible Star Alliance membership for VA. Lets watch this space, I lost 320K Ansett Global Rewards points with the favoritism by AU Gov and Au of then 50% BA owned Qantas Its kinda Payback time for the years of Qantas debacle upon debacle, upon gov bailout for COVID, upon call centre woes, upon massive Qantas CEO and exec salaries and bonuses with massive erosion of Qantas The good thing abou US owners is that they are like elephants, they have a good long term memory, as opposed to QF and QFF decipels

So as a VA member with no UA status/membership, not a lot of wins. My interest level remains at "meh, it was better before".

 

[Happy Dude]

Being able to earn VA status credits on UA flights is good (if you need the SCs and are travelling within the US).

Together with the chance to use VA points on international flights, this is a good thing. But it's not really any different to DL before.

Potentially. The down side is it's hard for a UA member in Australia to retain status without being able to earn status on VA flights.

I guess the same could be said for pretty much any other airline/country combo.

 

[Tannin]

Trying to work out whether to credit UA or VA for an upcoming AU<>US flight in Prem Economy (booked into A so reduced PE level), with 2 US domestic legs (booked into B so full[ish] economy - 1 short, 1 medium). UA ticket, all UA flight numbers. I've got no status on either, 2 segments on VA, 40K miles on UA. I think I'd hit VA silver but not UA silver (dollar requirements). Did I incorrectly see a cap somewhere if crediting VA on UA? Future US flight possibility is a soft maybe. Thanks in advance.

 

[SYD]

Trying to work out whether to credit UA or VA for an upcoming AU<>US flight in Prem Economy (booked into A so reduced PE level), with 2 US domestic legs (booked into B so full[ish] economy - 1 short, 1 medium). UA ticket, all UA flight numbers. I've got no status on either, 2 segments on VA, 40K miles on UA. I think I'd hit VA silver but not UA silver (dollar requirements). Did I incorrectly see a cap somewhere if crediting VA on UA? Future US flight possibility is a soft maybe. Thanks in advance.

UA dropped the dollar requirements in their overhaul of the Premier qual/requal process.

MileagePlus Updates

mileageplusupdates.com

I thought there was a seperate thread discussing these changes but it’s not leaping out at me…

 

[cbourl]

Unless l

Together with the chance to use VA points on international flights, this is a good thing. But it's not really any different to DL before.


I guess the same could be said for pretty much any other airline/country combo.

Unless, like some of us, you prefer to stick to UA and AA within USA and avoid Delta completely........So UA Good, Delta Bad And yes I agree it is hard for us Aussies to maintain our UA, Lufthansa, AA status when there is a distinct favouritism of Asian carriers, until now with VA!

UA dropped the dollar requirements in their overhaul of the Premier qual/requal process.

MileagePlus Updates

mileageplusupdates.com

I thought there was a seperate thread discussing these changes but it’s not leaping out at me…

Australians are still excluded from Minimum $ requirement

 

[Tannin]

UA dropped the dollar requirements in their overhaul of the Premier qual/requal process.

MileagePlus Updates

mileageplusupdates.com

I thought there was a seperate thread discussing these changes but it’s not leaping out at me…

The devil is in the detail. They dropped PQD but 1 PQP = 1 USD. International exemption ended then too (per https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/help/faq/premier-qualifying-points-pqp.html). On the basis of PQP & PQF from this flight, I won't make UA Silver.

 

[Revenge]

@Tannin you mentioned you don't have status on VA or UA, do you have status with any other carrier? UA has a good status challenge option. I did it late last year with Qantas Gold to match to UA Premier Gold. You may find that the flights you're doing are enough to qualify for UA Premier Gold on the reduced requirements of the status match.

https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/mileageplus/offers/promos/SM2022.html

 

[Tannin]

@Tannin you mentioned you don't have status on VA or UA, do you have status with any other carrier? UA has a good status challenge option. I did it late last year with Qantas Gold to match to UA Premier Gold. You may find that the flights you're doing are enough to qualify for UA Premier Gold on the reduced requirements of the status match.

https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/mileageplus/offers/promos/SM2022.html

Thanks for raising this but unfortunately I've lost all airline status. I couldn't find a challenge that didn't rely on existing status, nor a "free" status jump with another airline I could utilise.

 

[Mattg]

Australians are still excluded from Minimum $ requirement

Australians aren't treated any differently to anyone else under the new MileagePlus program rules.

There's no longer an explicit minimum spend, but status earn is now based on PQPs, which are tied to spend for United flights.

 

[kamchatsky]

I am looking to book some UA flights wholly within the USA. Does VA Gold member get the first checked bag free? I couldn't see it on their website.

I currently put my SQ *Gold number there but prefer to collect status and points to VA ..... as I am pooling my other 3 family members to my VA account as well.