United Airlines new Virgin Australia/Velocity Partner

[FlyingKangaroo]

There are some interesting fares on UA...particularly for premium plus which can price up much cheaper than even discount economy.

I've booked MEL-LAX / stop 1 day / LAX-EWR-EDI / EDI - EWR / stop 2 days / EWR - LAX - MEL.

Christmas dates...departing a few days before Xmas...MEL-LAX-EWR and LAX - MEL are in premium plus (was able to book economy plus seating for no charge on all the other sectors). Fare very close to A$4k. And I'll earn a huge number of VA miles and SCs.

Discount economy for the same flights was about $5,500 at the time of booking.

+1 to this. I have an upcoming one-way SYD-USA in Premium Plus in October before continuing on a separate ticket to Europe and back to OZ. Last week I looked at adding a return sector to the one-way United ticket to get me back to SYD next June as I'd just booked a cheap Fiji reward in J to the US next June.

While the cost to add that return flight 8 months later was nothing to write home about, I started playing around and discovered that the added cost to convert the ticket into a multi-city to continue on from the US to more than a dozen cities in Europe 8 months later was. $300-$500 USD to continue on to Europe in PP + Lufthansa, which I couldn't turn down, so I'll go see some of my mum's family in Sweden and Finland.

I thought it was a glitch because I could not reproduce the fare starting from scratch, but in reading this now I suspect maybe that was only because the original sectors I already had purchased have gone up significantly, whereas the "change flight" feature had already locked in the original fare and was just pricing in the additional "good" fare on top of it.

I have no idea, but I'm not complaining about what is effectively a $313 USD one-way flight in Premium Plus from South Nowhere, Utah to Helsinki, 8 months after my inbound flight from Sydney.

 

[cbourl]

Thats why many or some of us that are not Kwnatas decipels maintain UA 1K AND Lufthansa SENATOR status We can use lounges world wide, including domestic flights in the USA using our SENATOR LUFTHANSA card The USA can't stand it but thats the price they have to pay for United to CONTINUE be included in *A, as a founding member of Star Alliance Ueber Alles! WunWeld don't often cut it except in Australasia

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Thats why many or some of us that are not Kwnatas decipels maintain UA 1K AND Lufthansa SENATOR status We can use lounges world wide, including domestic flights in the USA using our SENATOR LUFTHANSA card The USA can't stand it but thats the price they have to pay for United to CONTINUE be included in *A, as a founding member of Star Alliance Ueber Alles! WunWeld don't often cut it except in Australasia

Why earn status with UA and LH at the same time? Or are you flying Star so much that it truly isn't a question of strategy?

A non-US based Star Gold status will get you into all of the Star lounges, and even United flyers could just buy a United Club membership for domestic itineraries, which would presumably be more cost effective than chasing full Gold status elsewhere?

 

[bcworld]

I'm flying UA in October with my VA number rather than Star Gold as the trip will get me to VA Platinum and my Star status is set. There are 2 domestic sectors from ports with United Clubs, but as it's all one ticket from Sydney, I shouldn't have lounge issues, though I will report back with any updates.

The following appears on the UA website though:



So I'm flying LAX-EWR-EDI. This seems to suggest that although I'll be holding an international boarding pass for the second sector, I won't be eligible for club access at LAX

 

[cbourl]

Why earn status with UA and LH at the same time? Or are you flying Star so much that it truly isn't a question of strategy?

A non-US based Star Gold status will get you into all of the Star lounges, and even United flyers could just buy a United Club membership for domestic itineraries, which would presumably be more cost effective than chasing full Gold status elsewhere?

No some of us like to maintain DUAL *A GOLD More cost effective LONG TERM, including LH E-Vouchers than a simple *A Gold and United Club membership......

 

[QF WP]

The following appears on the UA website though:

View attachment 289590

So I'm flying LAX-EWR-EDI. This seems to suggest that although I'll be holding an international boarding pass for the second sector, I won't be eligible for club access at LAX

That was my reading of their rules and your flights. Don't be in a hurry to check in hours before the LAX/EWR flight and just get something to eat/drink from the F&B concessions on the way to the Gate

 

[bcworld]

That was my reading of their rules and your flights. Don't be in a hurry to check in hours before the LAX/EWR flight and just get something to eat/drink from the F&B concessions on the way to the Gate

It does contradict Velocity's version though! But I wouldn't be getting into an argument with the lounge agents over it!

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Hmm. Looks like I might have to dredge up the Star Gold card for those two domestic sectors after all.

Rather lame if the agreement only provides access immediately before the international sector, only to arrive at UA's connecting hub for the connecting domestic flight and get nothing. But little surprises me from airlines these days when it comes to lame and stingy policies.

 

[Revenge]

Given none of the three major US airlines allow lounge access on solely domestic itineraries to even their own Gold (or Gold-equivalent) members, I can understand why United isn't racing to offer such access to VA Gold members.

It's reasonably safe to assume that the Big 3 US carriers only begrudgingly allow Gold-equivalent members from other carriers within their alliance lounge access on domestic itineraries because the alliances' rules have effectively forced them to do so, not because they want to. Of course, selfishly, seeing VA join Star Alliance would still solve this problem for me as a VA Gold, not a United one.

I'm flying UA in October with my VA number rather than Star Gold as the trip will get me to VA Platinum and my Star status is set. There are 2 domestic sectors from ports with United Clubs, but as it's all one ticket from Sydney, I shouldn't have lounge issues, though I will report back with any updates.

Peripherally, +1 for Air Canada. They need to get something sorted. It feels a bit silly flying an airline to get SCs to maintain status, while sacrificing the benefits of said status to do so. I flew AC last week with my VA number but managed reasonable upgrades to J from PY on both sectors so didn't need get the Star Gold card out for any benefits. I wasn't particularly impressed with their J product, however, so won't be rushing to drop the cash again flying back. I read on a recent FlyerTalk forum for AC that some people input their Star Gold number when they first check-in online, and then modify it to another carrier to credit the flights as apparently AC's desktop (but not mobile) version of their online check-in will allow this. They've then reported successfully using the original boarding passes with the Star Gold benefits showing for priority screening and boarding, and showing their Star Gold card at lounges where the agents are likely to actually look at the reservation. This isn't against any published Star Alliance rules, so I don't have a problem with it, and may give it a go on my way back. Will report back on that as well.

Agree 100%
I recently took quite a few AC flights. I’m UA Gold and working on building up my VA status. I booked with my UA number, printed my boarding pass with *Gold, then changed my FF number to my VA number. It worked, I was able to get lounge access and credit to VA.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Agree 100%
I recently took quite a few AC flights. I’m UA Gold and working on building up my VA status. I booked with my UA number, printed my boarding pass with *Gold, then changed my FF number to my VA number. It worked, I was able to get lounge access and credit to VA.

Beautiful thanks for the additional data point. Will definitely give it a go then.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

I've just dug around extensively and it appears there is absolutely no mention of priority benefits extending to VA status-holders on United's website except with respect to lounge access, and even that is unambiguously more restrictive on UA's website than VA's. I can't even find a press release in their newsroom, despite articles on various news outlets referring to United in their articles as the "source" of the partnership.

I hope someone can correct me (or that UA simply delivers on what VA claims it will), but if one goes off UA's website alone (as their employees are understandably likely to do), most of the benefits VA is advertising don't actually exist. That's disappointing and potentially problematic, as without an official United source to point to, it's going to be far more challenging interacting with a difficult UA employee. Pointing to a news article or the VA website isn't likely to cut it there's nothing actually from UA to show an agent who insists there's nothing on their system to confirm the benefits.

I highly doubt VA is blatantly advertising benefits that don't exist, but without United publicly doing the same, the risk of agent-roulette needlessly introduces ambiguity and potential friction, especially if the UA system isn't automatically offering priority boarding, additional baggage allowance, etc.

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

Spot on. Earlier this month when traveling UA domestic my Velocity number was printed on the BP, but no acknowledgement of status there. Very strange, but I figured it was just a start-up issue with the VA/UA relationship.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Found it. Curiously wasn't searchable anywhere except within United's newsroom: https://www.united.com/en/us/newsroom/announcements/cision-125202'

This would at least be useful to point to for priority benefits, but lounge access isn't defined, so not much help on that one.

Also, in practice, can I really imagine myself arguing with a gate agent and trying to show them this press release on my phone to board in the correct zone? No. I can also understand some teething problems, but I would hope (and expect) that benefits advertised by both airlines will be offered without having to be armed with a press release.

 

[bcworld]

This would at least be useful to point to for priority benefits

Well, it also just says 'eligible members'...it doesn't define that eligibility.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Well, it also just says 'eligible members'...it doesn't define that eligibility.

Sigh.

As you've likely noticed, I haven't let it go. I can't help it. I'm a solicitor who drafts junk like this all day and I still can't convince even myself with it.

 

[Milefest]

Rather lame if the agreement only provides access immediately before the international sector, only to arrive at UA's connecting hub for the connecting domestic flight and get nothing. But little surprises me from airlines these days when it comes to lame and stingy policies.

Agree, the Delta partnership was much stronger in that regard. Eliminating domestic lounge access in the states for VA status pax is very scummy

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Agree, the Delta partnership was much stronger in that regard. Eliminating domestic lounge access in the states for VA status pax is very scummy

Agree and, as noted, UA's refusal to allow even Star Golds to choose standard seats that aren't at the back of the bus is likewise lame and feels cheap.

 

[flightaway]

I've just dug around extensively and it appears there is absolutely no mention of priority benefits extending to VA status-holders on United's website except with respect to lounge access, and even that is unambiguously more restrictive on UA's website than VA's. I can't even find a press release in their newsroom, despite articles on various news outlets referring to United in their articles as the "source" of the partnership.

I hope someone can correct me (or that UA simply delivers on what VA claims it will), but if one goes off UA's website alone (as their employees are understandably likely to do), most of the benefits VA is advertising don't actually exist. That's disappointing and potentially problematic, as without an official United source to point to, it's going to be far more challenging interacting with a difficult UA employee. Pointing to a news article or the VA website isn't likely to cut it there's nothing actually from UA to show an agent who insists there's nothing on their system to confirm the benefits.

I highly doubt VA is blatantly advertising benefits that don't exist, but without United publicly doing the same, the risk of agent-roulette needlessly introduces ambiguity and potential friction, especially if the UA system isn't automatically offering priority boarding, additional baggage allowance, etc.

Just flown usa domestic full fare economy SFO, ORD, BOS. No staff had heard of the velocity united partnership. I'm velocity platinum and both united app and website on check in kept on charging baggage fees. When I challenged this at airport check in staff just relied on app and checkin system and said I must pay the fees. Boarding pass had my velocity number and premier access on it but neither staff at airport app or website said what the benefits were. Pretty bad setting up a new partnership and not getting the basics right. I've emailed both velocity and united.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Just flown usa domestic full fare economy SFO, ORD, BOS. No staff had heard of the velocity united partnership. I'm velocity platinum and both united app and website on check in kept on charging baggage fees. When I challenged this at airport check in staff just relied on app and checkin system and said I must pay the fees. Boarding pass had my velocity number and premier access on it but neither staff at airport app or website said what the benefits were. Pretty bad setting up a new partnership and not getting the basics right. I've emailed both velocity and united.

Sorry to hear, and agree 100%.

Realistically, you're never going to succeed getting a workforce of that size in a country that large to understand or remember the benefits of what to most of America is going to be a pretty niche partnership with a non-Star Alliance carrier.

The only way to implement this properly is to ensure the systems are integrated to manage it automatically, and have a proper, comprehensive explanation of the benefits and associated eligibility on the public website so that passengers and employees have some useful resource if the system fails.

It'd also be nice for that explanation from United to match what Virgin Australia advertises, but hey.

 

[bcworld]

Boarding pass had my velocity number and premier access on it

That is at least something! That should mean priority check-in, security, boarding and bags. If that is on the boarding pass it's a start! Although I have my VA number (gold) against an upcoming UA booking it is happy to sell me these benefits for the sectors that are not in Premium Plus ( I guess that is fair enough as my status could change between now and then...although it's more likely that status isn't taken into account at all when offering the upsale).