VA2.0 International Partners

[antycbr]

Irrelevant anyway the Private Room of old is dead. Who knows what the experience in the new one will be like.

I suspect it will still be fairly silent and dead as a graveyard (isn’t that the point?). Which is bliss IMHO. The busier lounges are there for those who want a bit of noise and atmosphere.

I assume that it’s better than the KrisFlyer Gold lounge? Wouldn’t be hard hehe.

For such a premium airline their home base lounges sucked comprehensively pre covid.

 

[jase05]

DL has dried right up but AC seems to have come online fully. Finding 2xJ seats on AC SYD-YVR for pretty much every day from July to end of September. 104k in points plus $115 in fees is excellent value IMO. Plenty of availability for return at around same time too. If you are willing to search the system I also found on a couple of those dates that there is availability for SYD-YVR-YYC for no further cost.
I don’t know anything about their product but SYD-YVR on AC 777 for 14-15hrs a 3hr transit and then YVR-YYC on a 737 for another 90 minutes seems like a good use of 104k of points plus $115.

 

[jakeseven7]

DL has dried right up but AC seems to have come online fully. Finding 2xJ seats on AC SYD-YVR for pretty much every day from July to end of September. 104k in points plus $115 in fees is excellent value IMO. Plenty of availability for return at around same time too. If you are willing to search the system I also found on a couple of those dates that there is availability for SYD-YVR-YYC for no further cost.
I don’t know anything about their product but SYD-YVR on AC 777 for 14-15hrs a 3hr transit and then YVR-YYC on a 737 for another 90 minutes seems like a good use of 104k of points plus $115.

That’s great news that some availability has appeared on AC!

Their product is pretty average in my experience and their staff are reincarnated demons most of the time but hey it’s J seat avails on Velocity which is very good news and hopefully a good sign of things to come from the other partners too.

 

[bernardblack]

Quietly rolling-out AC SYD<>YVR award space (including some J) so soon after saying it was still under consideration, and within the first week of award redemptions, is actually quite pleasing.

 

[Long_20]

Looks like they've sorted out the domestic flights on Air Canada as well

 

[jase05]

Looks like they've sorted out the domestic flights on Air Canada as well

Yep, some real good availability and fees of only $20-30.
Heaps of US Dom J seats on DL available too

 

[bodog]

Quietly rolling-out AC SYD<>YVR award space (including some J) so soon after saying it was still under consideration, and within the first week of award redemptions, is actually quite pleasing.

Yes, I scored 2 x J class award seats on AC33 YVR-SYD on 1 June 2022 this morning - very happy to score those as it burns some Velocity points and provides a direct 15 hour flight (I had a JAL award booking via Qantas - Seattle - Narita - Haneda to Sydney which I've now cancelled)

Anyone got any comments on Air Canada J Class on this route?

I could book it online using the Velocity mobile app but not on the Velocity website - but because the website was acting up I ended up ringing Velocity and the agent did the booking for me - took him over an hour though as he really didn't seem confident and literally had to put me on hold for every step in the process

 

[henrus]

Then the Air Canada routes... I'm not surprised but a random date in April next year on Air Canada from Vancouver to Toronto reveals economy redemptions only at 20,000 points and $132.10 taxes. Meanwhile the same cash fare is $122.

Oddly the same option is now showing as 20,000 points and $27.20 taxes.

 

[bodog]

Oddly the same option is now showing as 20,000 points and $27.20 taxes.

Just on the site now and I'm seeing 20,000 plus $31.20 (25,500 with on taxes payment) for an economy class Toronto to Vancouver on 1 June 2022

 

[henrus]

Just on the site now and I'm seeing 20,000 plus $31.20 (25,500 with on taxes payment) for an economy class Toronto to Vancouver on 1 June 2022

It seems it's $27.20 taxes from Vancouver to Toronto and then a slightly more expensive $31.20 from Toronto to Vancouver.



The only tax Virgin is charging on AC domestic flights is the Canada Airport Improvement Fee AIF (SQ), the amount we're seeing is the CAD converted to AUD. A full list of the SQ surcharges per airport is listed on this page (noting that the prices listed are in CAD).

What are the additional charges in my Fare?

What's interesting is that the Air Travellers Security Charge listed on that page and also seen on cash tickets isn't showing on UA or VA award bookings but is on AC award bookings. On United the taxes are made up of the same airport improvement fee plus an extra Canadian GST of $1.40 meanwhile awards on Air Canada have the improvement fee, security charge and GST.

 

[Mr H]

I don’t know anything about their product

Anyone got any comments on Air Canada J Class on this route?

They used to advertise that their flights were so good, you wouldn't want to get off - so pretty awesome I imagine.

Just as a top tip - if you want to say Toronto properly, you have to imagine you are saying Tyrannosaurus Rex but without the Saurus Rex bit. You are very welcome.

 

[antycbr]

They used to advertise that their flights were so good, you wouldn't want to get off - so pretty awesome I imagine.

I'm keen to try their product out in business YVR-SYD - already have SYD-SIN-EWR booked in business on SQ for the outbound, and a QF Y (the horror) placeholder for September next year.

Anxiously refreshing the website to see if they release availability into September as every day in August is available until 31/08.

Interesting from my reading even if you're in business you won't get access to the Signature level of the lounge at YVR as you're on a redemption, have to slum it in the Maple Leaf lounge...

 

[bodog]

Interesting from my reading even if you're in business you won't get access to the Signature level of the lounge at YVR as you're on a redemption, have to slum it in the Maple Leaf lounge...

I’m more concerned about no complimentary pyjamas

Yes I’d read that about the lounge access but it doesn’t worry me - I’ll slum it in the Maple Leaf lounge (I guess it’s like the difference between the Qantas First and Business lounges in Sydney)

 

[jase05]

I'm keen to try their product out in business YVR-SYD - already have SYD-SIN-EWR booked in business on SQ for the outbound, and a QF Y (the horror) placeholder for September next year.

Anxiously refreshing the website to see if they release availability into September as every day in August is available until 31/08.

Interesting from my reading even if you're in business you won't get access to the Signature level of the lounge at YVR as you're on a redemption, have to slum it in the Maple Leaf lounge...

If you do want to maximise value you can tack on a Dom J leg in Canada for nothing extra on a few routes.
YYC-YVR-SYD was one example I found good availability on.
Not sure if a glitch or not but still no DL availability LAX-SYD but found 2xJ seats on DL on various dates for IAD-MSP-LAX-SYD for 127,500 points plus $111 fees.

 

[Vic]

How are you all searching for international flights. I can only see limit destinations to Asia pacific, not including Sinapore. Nothing else international.

Edit: ignore me, I was looking for paid flights, not awards. Personally with thousands in travel bank being able to buy a fare with cash is more important...

 

[HS-TQE]

Not forgetting it was a 1 to 1 transfer rate between points transfer of VFF and KF in the start of it a few years ago.
If it comes back it might possibly be 1 VFF point to get 0.34 KF mile, or 0.5.

My tip would by 1.75:1 (VFF to KF).

I can see surcharges applied by Bain in the VFF to KF direction if they keep the former rate 1:55:1 or revert it back to the original 1:35:1

And that's if VFF/KF are able to bring it back.

 

[antycbr]

I've been trying to book an AC flight from YVR to CUN on Velocity points but the VA website doesn't seem to think Cancun exists as a destination, despite being on the AC network and there being rewards booking available on the AC Aeroplan webiste.

They also serve DCA and IAD, but have made DCA = IAD.

 

[dajop]

For such a premium airline their home base lounges sucked comprehensively pre covid.

The real problem, from a VA WP status holder point of view is the SQ philosophy that better lounges are tied to business or first class (i.e. you only get access flying J or F, or having spent sufficient $$$ in J or F cabins). Even frequent economy fliers on SQ get short shrift. Someone flying on a $1k economy fare back and forth between SIN & BKK every fortnight, is not considered worthy, and gets the cough lounge. Someone who pays $4K to travel on a J fare from Sweden to Australia, gets the J lounge access and even a modest amount of PPS value to contribute to status ... even though the former almost certainly contributes more to the profitability of the airline. So "foreign carrier" status holders, even W@##er Platinums from VA, get treated the same, in economy - no good lounge. Let's see what the revamped KF Gold lounge will be like. IMHO, the main downside was no in lounge toilets or showers, not sure if that is being addressed though.

 

[antycbr]

The real problem, from a VA WP status holder point of view is the SQ philosophy that better lounges are tied to business or first class (i.e. you only get access flying J or F, or having spent sufficient $$$ in J or F cabins). Even frequent economy fliers on SQ get short shrift. Someone flying on a $1k economy fare back and forth between SIN & BKK every fortnight, is not considered worthy, and gets the cough lounge. Someone who pays $4K to travel on a J fare from Sweden to Australia, gets the J lounge access and even a modest amount of PPS value to contribute to status ... even though the former almost certainly contributes more to the profitability of the airline. So "foreign carrier" status holders, even W@##er Platinums from VA, get treated the same, in economy - no good lounge. Let's see what the revamped KF Gold lounge will be like. IMHO, the main downside was no in lounge toilets or showers, not sure if that is being addressed though.

I agree but I also got to use the J lounge through class of service entitlement and was underwhelmed for their “home” lounge.

I suspect that I’m thinking about this the wrong way - that you don’t really need to impress at home as you have a captive market there. SQ at Sydney is nicer than SQ Singapore.

 

[jase05]

They also serve DCA and IAD, but have made DCA = IAD.

Still a heap of glitches but at least we are starting to see some action. Hopefully it’s sorted soon