If I book VA reward flight to US can i then use United points to upgrade to premium or business?

You can ONLY upgrade a United Airlines operated flight to the USA if it was purchased as a cash fare (not a reward flight) and booked using the United Airlines flight number. If the booking is using the VA codeshare flight number (i.e. booked through the VA web site or app), either as a VA Velocity reward booking or as a VA paid fare, there is no option to upgrade with either VA or UA points/miles.
 
You can ONLY upgrade a United Airlines operated flight to the USA if it was purchased as a cash fare (not a reward flight) and booked using the United Airlines flight number. If the booking is using the VA codeshare flight number (i.e. booked through the VA web site or app), either as a VA Velocity reward booking or as a VA paid fare, there is no option to upgrade with either VA or UA points/miles.
So as long as a cash fare, and I use United points I can upgrade and then submit as a manual reward for the points and status credits to be credited to my Velocity account
 
So as long as a cash fare, and I use United points I can upgrade and then submit as a manual reward for the points and status credits to be credited to my Velocity account
Must be booked using the UA flight number, and be a fare type that is eligible for upgrade using UA miles, and have upgrade availability. Any VA points earning will be dependent on the eligibility of the actual fare class/type purchased (not the upgraded ticket) for points/status earning in the VA Velocity program.

However, in order to upgrade the UA fare with UA miles, you will need to have your UA FF details attached to the booking which would mean you earn UA miles for the originally purchased fare. So to earn VA point/status you will need to later change the UA FF membership details to your VA FF details, which UA may be reluctant to do - I have absolutely no experience with such FF program link changes on UA fares following upgrade using UA points, others may have experience with this scenario.
 
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