United Airlines new Virgin Australia/Velocity Partner

[bcworld]

Anyone flown UA international J recently?

May be forced to fly them in a few weeks.

Do they still give you that memory foam pillow for your back/hip in J to help with their rock hard seats??

Yes....the bedding is great...there's the cool gel pillow (I guess that's the one you mean?), a large pillow and duvet...I found it all very comfortable. On LAX-MEL I got a bulkhead set (9A on the 789) and that was even better.

 

[HS-TQE]

There are reportedly plenty of J redemptions and/or available J seats on the 3x weekly BNE-SFO outside of the peak holiday periods. Although good for FFs and/or last minute buyers, probably not a good look for the Queensland Government and the future of the service considering the BNE-SFO service is meant to be government subsidised under the AAIF

 

[jakeseven7]

Yes....the bedding is great...there's the cool gel pillow (I guess that's the one you mean?),

Yes that’s the one! Thank you.

Are you ever happy with anything?

Yes if they provide the ‘gel/foam’ pillow thing to soften the bed, then it’s fine.

 

[Happy Dude]

Should I be able to book all UA routes with velocity points (assuming availability)? Most destinations aren't available on the VA website so I thought I'd ask here before calling. Is the availability the same as on the UA site?

I just booked 4 x whY rewards MEL-CDG via SFO on UA using Velocity points for an easter departure, so I guess anything is possible.

Anyone know if I can add a stopover in SFO somehow? I've never been there and would like to check it out.

 

[henrus]

Anyone know if I can add a stopover in SFO somehow? I've never been there and would like to check it out.

VA awards don't and have never allowed stop overs (anything over 24 hours). To add a stop in SFO you'd esentially need to change the single ticket from MEL-CDG to two separate tickets MEL-SFO and SFO-CDG.

Obviously this would greatly increase the cost from 59,800 points one way to 79,600 points oneway (44,800 points for MEL-SFO plus 34,800 for SFO-CDG).

 

[spottyb]

Any recent datapoints on recognition of Velocity status (Platinum in my case) when travelling within the US on United?

Obvs there's no lounge access on a domestic-only itinerary even with status, but I'm interested in whether I can expect to get my free checked bag without too much trouble?

Annoyingly, United's website talks about Virgin and the benefits available to United elites, but has no corresponding info (as far as I can find) on benefits for Virgin elites on United. I don't necessarily expect a United agent at (say) DEN to know that I am entitled, or to accept the Velocity website's word for it.

I’ve just joined this page but I got a platinum status match for 90 days on UA in Sept 22. Just search UA platinum match. You get all
The benefits for 90 Day but if you don’t meet their requirements to keep it in that time yoh lose the match.
Got lounge access, extra baggage etc without needing to worry about them recognising VA platinum.

 

[twiningb]

VA awards don't and have never allowed stop overs (anything over 24 hours). To add a stop in SFO you'd esentially need to change the single ticket from MEL-CDG to two separate tickets MEL-SFO and SFO-CDG.

Obviously this would greatly increase the cost from 59,800 points one way to 79,600 points oneway (44,800 points for MEL-SFO plus 34,800 for SFO-CDG).

What are the flight times, @Happy Dude? If I look at UA economy award space on Easter Sunday (for example), the MEL-SFO flight arrives 07:05 and the SFO-CDG flight departs 14:40.

Assuming a couple of hours to clear immigration/customs then redrop your bags, and wanting to be back at the airport by probably 13:00 at the latest, you could still take BART or an Uber into town and see a couple of things. It wouldn't be the full San Francisco Experience but you could walk along the Embarcadero and Fisherman's Wharf, maybe ride a cable car.

 

[Happy Dude]

What are the flight times, @Happy Dude? If I look at UA economy award space on Easter Sunday (for example), the MEL-SFO flight arrives 07:05 and the SFO-CDG flight departs 14:40.

Assuming a couple of hours to clear immigration/customs then redrop your bags, and wanting to be back at the airport by probably 13:00 at the latest, you could still take BART or an Uber into town and see a couple of things. It wouldn't be the full San Francisco Experience but you could walk along the Embarcadero and Fisherman's Wharf, maybe ride a cable car.

I was hoping for a week or so stop over rather than a dash into town between flights. Thanks to @henrus for that excellent and most appreciated information, but neither is going to happen.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

There are reportedly plenty of J redemptions and/or available J seats on the 3x weekly BNE-SFO outside of the peak holiday periods. Although good for FFs and/or last minute buyers, probably not a good look for the Queensland Government and the future of the service considering the BNE-SFO service is meant to be government subsidised under the AAIF

I got excited in seeing this comment, but I just searched across the year ahead and found only one date with a reward seat in United Polaris from BNE to SFO. It's available for booking using both Velocity Points and KrisFlyer miles (much better value via Velocity at 95,500 points versus 146,500 SQ miles for the same). Haven't checked SFO-BNE though, if there might be more on that AU-bound leg.

 

[Mattg]

Haven't checked SFO-BNE though, if there might be more on that AU-bound leg.

Out of interest, I just had a look - there are currently ZERO seats available as business rewards on SFO-BNE in the next year.

 

[PeterE]

My wife and I flew on UA 60 from SFO-MEL in J on 6 December 2022 as part of Lufthansa RTW ticket. Very comfortable and excellent service. Will definitely fly them again

 

[tm.smile]

I was meant to be flying SYD-IAH-LGA in September. It seems like UA100 has been canned and I’m now routing SYD-SFO-IAH-LGA.

I’ve phoned twice asking if it’s possible to be routed differently (I would prefer SYD-SFO-EWR). Speaking with united its possible but obviously they can’t touch it cos it’s VA issued. First VA agent said any changes meant cancelled and rebooked. Second VA agent says reward seats have to be available and they can’t request UA open seats up (even though under UA’s fare policy that is possible as a result of schedule changes).

Anyway have any idea how I can get this change requested from UA by VA?

 

[MELso]

So I've booked SYD-SFO on a VA award on Boxing Day but haven't managed to get the seat selection of a free seat to 'stick' when on UA's site. Is there any trick to selecting seats?

 

[ChrisFlyer]

So I've booked SYD-SFO on a VA award on Boxing Day but haven't managed to get the seat selection of a free seat to 'stick' when on UA's site. Is there any trick to selecting seats?

Perhaps try setting your region on the United site to the USA before selecting a seat (or, if you're on USA, set it to Australia). Didn't have any issues recently on a VA award. Even got my seat selection fee back automatically from United when I had to cancel the Velocity booking!

 

[MELso]

Perhaps try setting your region on the United site to the USA before selecting a seat (or, if you're on USA, set it to Australia). Didn't have any issues recently on a VA award. Even got my seat selection fee back automatically from United when I had to cancel the Velocity booking!

Thanks - I think it was being logged into my MileagePlus account that caused it. It worked fine logged out.

 

[Phoenix-1]

Has VA unloaded their AA/AC reward inventory? Was working earlier today but now I don't see any reward seats at all. I can see QR and VA seats.

 

[MELso]

Did VA ever have AA award inventory?

But there's plenty of domestic AC inventory.

 

[Phoenix-1]

Oops, meant to say UA. Not seeing a single SYD-SFO or SYD-YVR. I've been checking these routes everyday (including this morning) and there were plenty of seats.

 

[MELso]

Oops, meant to say UA. Not seeing a single SYD-SFO or SYD-YVR. I've been checking these routes everyday (including this morning) and there were plenty of seats.

I definitely think there's something screwy with VA talking to UA at the moment - there's heaps of economy Saver availability from SYD-SFO in late December showing on UA but nothing on VA...

 

[Happy Dude]

VA awards don't and have never allowed stop overs (anything over 24 hours). To add a stop in SFO you'd esentially need to change the single ticket from MEL-CDG to two separate tickets MEL-SFO and SFO-CDG.

Obviously this would greatly increase the cost from 59,800 points one way to 79,600 points oneway (44,800 points for MEL-SFO plus 34,800 for SFO-CDG).

To settle an argument of sorts between the wee wife and I, I called the redemptions centre to [paraphrasing wife] "just ask them to change the SFO flight date - how hard can it be?".

So apparently, I could have changed the SFO-CDG flight date, effectively resulting in a stopover, without needing to change the ticket or reference number. A points or cash fee would be payable, something like 7,000 points or $60 per person.

I say could have, because there were no award savers available visible around my flexible June dates. I could see award savers on the UA website that included a stop somewhere (eg SFO-ZUR-CDG), but not for direct flights SFO-CDG. Nothing at all, still, on the VA website. I doubt that I could have changed to an indirect flight as that would be a different route.

I'm going need an ambulance if the wife rubs it in any harder.