Velocity Status > United Airlines Booking

[hot_rocks_84]

G'day Everyone!

Long time lurker, first time poster. I used to be Qantas Plat for a long time and travelled intl and always had a relatively seamless process with bookings, applying for upgrades etc with partner airlines.

I haven't travelled intl for a long time but have been Velocity Plat for ages, and have recently booked a trip via Virgin going Adl > Syd (Virgin) then Syd > SFO and SFO > IOH via United airlines. I was hoping to at least choose some preferential seats on the United Airlines flights, but when logging into Velocity and choosing seats on the United flights it won't let me do it. So I logged in via the United site and it appears to just disregard my status and charge me for and exit row / extra leg room seats, and there's no real upgrade options? Has anyone got any tips for trying to get an upgrade or better seat, or is it just tough luck and you have to do it via United? In a perfect world I'd love to be able to use my Velocity points to upgrade the United airlines flight.

Also I assume the lounge access is pretty straightforward and reciprocal when transiting through United airlines lounges using my Velocity Plat status?

 

[Human]

Welcome to AFF @hot_rocks_84 !

Point Hacks did a very comprehensive article on flying United as a Velocity Platinum last year. It’ll answer all of your questions and more, but in short, Velocity status does NOT get you preferred seating, but it DOES get you lounge acces in SFO as long as your domestic flight is on the same ticket as the international flight.

What it's like to fly United as a Velocity member

I pack my bags and my Velocity card to road test United Airlines on international and US domestic flights.

www.pointhacks.com.au

 

[hot_rocks_84]

Welcome to AFF @hot_rocks_84 !

Point Hacks did a very comprehensive article on flying United as a Velocity Platinum last year. It’ll answer all of your questions and more, but in short, Velocity status does NOT get you preferred seating, but it DOES get you lounge acces in SFO as long as your domestic flight is on the same ticket as the international flight.

What it's like to fly United as a Velocity member

I pack my bags and my Velocity card to road test United Airlines on international and US domestic flights.

www.pointhacks.com.au

Cool thanks for that, a good informative read.

So now for any chance of an upgrade I need to find a way to transfer Velocity Points > United Mileage Plus (I've opened a account), or just bite the bullet and purchase some United milage points to get an upgrade

 

[Human]

Cool thanks for that, a good informative read.

So now for any chance of an upgrade I need to find a way to transfer Velocity Points > United Mileage Plus (I've opened a account), or just bite the bullet and purchase some United milage points to get an upgrade

You can't transfer Velocity points to United Mileage Plus points. If you want the upgrade, you may have to bite the bullet.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

1+ is that, as with QF linked PNR, you just have to show passport to VAd staff at the VA check in desk, and they should be able to issue you BP for all the way, or up to LAX.
You will have lounge access at ADL airport, and the flight will be VAd.
But at SYD T2, you are on your own in getting to T1, so have to go outside to the road, and get the tbus to T1.
Hopefully, they have given you enough time to get to T1.
VA does not have a lounge of their own at SYD, neither does UA, they might put you to either the Koru/SQ/the House lounge at T1, if you have been given enough time to do immi and int sec screening.
Even tho seat selection might not be recognized as a VFF WP, the BP might show it, and might give you lounge access at T1.
Get your ESTA too, as Aussies cant get Global Entry.
Most likely you might get the better seat if you ask at ADL airport, for the VAd flight, they might put you into econX, or opup to J.
If UA wants you to pay, and you do really want the aisle seat, up ahead of the Y cabin, why not just pay for it, better than leaving it to the last minute.

 

[hot_rocks_84]

1+ is that, as with QF linked PNR, you just have to show passport to VAd staff at the VA check in desk, and they should be able to issue you BP for all the way, or up to LAX.
You will have lounge access at ADL airport, and the flight will be VAd.
But at SYD T2, you are on your own in getting to T1, so have to go outside to the road, and get the tbus to T1.
Hopefully, they have given you enough time to get to T1.
VA does not have a lounge of their own at SYD, neither does UA, they might put you to either the Koru/SQ/the House lounge at T1, if you have been given enough time to do immi and int sec screening.
Even tho seat selection might not be recognized as a VFF WP, the BP might show it, and might give you lounge access at T1.
Get your ESTA too, as Aussies cant get Global Entry.
Most likely you might get the better seat if you ask at ADL airport, for the VAd flight, they might put you into econX, or opup to J.
If UA wants you to pay, and you do really want the aisle seat, up ahead of the Y cabin, why not just pay for it, better than leaving it to the last minute.

Cheers, yeah the VA seats I'm all sorted for seat selection and up the front. I've bitten the bullet and paid for better seats via the United website, just economy 'preferred' seats, as United wouldn't let me pay extra for their Premium economy or business class offerings It seems the only way to do that is to purchase additional miles, then do the points + pay thing, but by the time I do that for Prem economy its an extra $1.5k or so and for business its minimum $2k+ per way. Now my only hope is some sort of luck asking for an upgrade at the check in, but I highly doubt it.

Oh yeah the ESTA, thanks for that...I have been caught filling those out just before a flight before

I bit bummed out as I have heaps of VA points so I'd love to use them for an upgrade...and being 6ft tall economy long haul isn't exactly on the top of my to do list oh well....

 

[jase05]

Cheers, yeah the VA seats I'm all sorted for seat selection and up the front. I've bitten the bullet and paid for better seats via the United website, just economy 'preferred' seats, as United wouldn't let me pay extra for their Premium economy or business class offerings It seems the only way to do that is to purchase additional miles, then do the points + pay thing, but by the time I do that for Prem economy its an extra $1.5k or so and for business its minimum $2k+ per way. Now my only hope is some sort of luck asking for an upgrade at the check in, but I highly doubt it.

Oh yeah the ESTA, thanks for that...I have been caught filling those out just before a flight before

I bit bummed out as I have heaps of VA points so I'd love to use them for an upgrade...and being 6ft tall economy long haul isn't exactly on the top of my to do list oh well....

UA release plenty of award seats in J about 2 weeks out from travel. You could always monitor the situation and pull the trigger closer to travel dependant on cancellation fees on your revenue flight.

 

[antycbr]

UA release plenty of award seats in J about 2 weeks out from travel. You could always monitor the situation and pull the trigger closer to travel dependant on cancellation fees on your revenue flight.

Thread hijack: are UA seat selection fees refundable if you cancel a VA Y reward booking? I have a redemption in March SYD-IAH in Y but will cancel and rebook it J opens up. I don’t want to buy an exit or similar on the UA flight if it’s non refundable.