United Airlines new Virgin Australia/Velocity Partner

[Phoenix-1]

Have UA J seats disappeared? Normally there's a few to SFO/LAX ex-MEL, SYD or BNE released a few days before departure but I can't see a single one. Was plenty when I last checked on the 19th.

 

[MooTime]

Have UA J seats disappeared? Normally there's a few to SFO/LAX ex-MEL, SYD or BNE released a few days before departure but I can't see a single one. Was plenty when I last checked on the 19th.

seems that way, Nothing all year for MEL-SFO which I'm Iooking out for.

Was a few for 22nd Feb last week, but that's come & gone now.

 

[twiningb]

There are some for MEL-LAX UA0099 on Friday 24/03/23. There are four (four!) per United.com but I only searched for 1 pax at Velocity, where it does show up.

Unfortunately I need next weekend in order to replace my QF0093 award and try out the Polaris Lounge before my onward UA flight, but if 24/03/23 works for anyone have at it.

 

[keeneye]

Attempting to book a US domestic flight (EWR to LAX) Economy Reward with some leftover velocity points through the Virgin site, I get the whole way through my dummy booking without being able to add checked baggage:

Is it possible to add checked baggage at all? Is there an option after I've booked it or can I do it at the airport? Note I'm only a Red status on VA and no status on UA

 

[henrus]

Is it possible to add checked baggage at all?

Nope even on UA tickets it’s standard practice to purchase baggage at check in.

US$35 for the first bag and US$45 for the 2nd. You may be able to prepay once ticketed and save $5 per bag.

 

[twiningb]

Has anyone flown UA, on a UA code, in revenue domestic US "First" and can confirm they received Velocity points and status credits per "Business" in the Velocity chart? It specifically only says "Business" (although the fare buckets are aligned), and I don't want to spring for the extra fare for the extra credits if I don't get them.

I emailed the Platinum team at Velocity but the agent didn't seem to really understand the question.

To close the loop on this, I received the expected "business" status credits based on fare bucket per the Velocity site, for several UA-coded UA-operated "domestic First" flights on United. In each case the points and status credits were posted without any intervention on my part, within a couple of days.

(I also received the correct points and status credits for one UA domestic economy flight, FWIW.)

Post automatically merged: Mar 21, 2023

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.

Can also confirm that my one UA domestic flight in economy, recognised my free bag from Velocity Platinum without any need to request an agent override.

 

[HS-TQE]

It seems that BNE-SFO has been downgauged to the 788 for the next few weeks into mid May.

Seems forward bookings (including the Queensland School Easter Holidays) isn't up to what UA and Tourism Queensland / Queensland Government had hoped for.

 

[henrus]

Seems forward bookings (including the Queensland School Easter Holidays) isn't up to what UA and Tourism Queensland / Queensland Government had hoped for.

It's crazy because throughout all of April/May the return Economy price from BNE-SFO is around $6000 (over $16k in Business), this drops to a cheaper $4k in economy after may. The cheapest I can find all year is around $3k which is still over priced for what it is, I flew UA from SFO-SYD in Economy last year and it was nothing special.

Now I should note it's cheaper to go elsewhere, for example it's also $3k from BNE-SFO-EWR but at the same time both Korean Air (with an only slightly total time) or Air Canada is cheaper.

 

[Stealthflyer]

It's crazy because throughout all of April/May the return Economy price from BNE-SFO is around $6000 (over $16k in Business), this drops to a cheaper $4k in economy after may. The cheapest I can find all year is around $3k which is still over priced for what it is, I flew UA from SFO-SYD in Economy last year and it was nothing special.

Now I should note it's cheaper to go elsewhere, for example it's also $3k from BNE-SFO-EWR but at the same time both Korean Air (with an only slightly total time) or Air Canada is cheaper.

Such odd pricing. I was only looking today at flights to Lima from Hobart with VA/UA (via MEL, SFO, IAH… the cost of living in Tasmania). Return flights are $2911, even though it’s 4 flights each way, rather than the single BNE-SFO.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Such odd pricing.

Definitely some interesting ones with UA. It's been discussed here already but having a look now shows it's often still cheaper to buy either a one-way or return to Europe via the States than just to California... and you can set those up as multi-cities with many months in between the actual trips.

 

[bcworld]

Definitely some interesting ones with UA. It's been discussed here already but having a look now shows it's often still cheaper to buy either a one-way or return to Europe via the States than just to California... and you can set those up as multi-cities with many months in between the actual trips.

...and that can generate very interesting fares in premium plus too.

 

[Stealthflyer]

Definitely some interesting ones with UA. It's been discussed here already but having a look now shows it's often still cheaper to buy either a one-way or return to Europe via the States than just to California... and you can set those up as multi-cities with many months in between the actual trips.

Yep, I had a look at the fare rules and I could add multiple free stopovers if I wished. Given the elapsed time of the return flights is 40+hrs, I reckon it’s a good idea.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

...and that can generate very interesting fares in premium plus too.

Indeed, that's why I'm going to Finland later this year.

 

[bcworld]

Yep, I had a look at the fare rules and I could add multiple free stopovers if I wished. Given the elapsed time of the return flights is 40+hrs, I reckon it’s a good idea.

That's what I did. E.g. I was flying MEL-LAX-EWR-EDI. In one direction I stopped for 25 hrs at LAX (while everyone else was missing their connections to EWR!)...and in the opposite direction 2 days at NYC.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

That's what I did. E.g. I was flying MEL-LAX-EWR-EDI. In one direction I stopped for 25 hrs at LAX (while everyone else was missing their connections to EWR!)...and in the opposite direction 2 days at NYC.

Hard to down a quick visit to Europe! I set mine up one-way as I was able to snag a very cheap fare in J back from Helsinki to Sydney through Etihad. Ultimately cheaper to go round the world with sectors in J than to the US and back in PY.

 

[Stealthflyer]

Hard to down a quick visit to Europe! I set mine up one-way as I was able to snag a very cheap fare in J back from Helsinki to Sydney through Etihad. Ultimately cheaper to go round the world with sectors in J than to the US and back in PY.

Do you book directly through the airlines? Whenever I look at one way flights they always end up being almost as much as a return. What’s your trick?

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Do you book directly through the airlines? Whenever I look at one way flights they always end up being almost as much as a return. What’s your trick?

I did book this one directly (and usually do for all flights). The one-way SYD-LAX + LAX-HEL via FRA was actually a bit cheaper than the one-way SYD-LAX, but granted it would have been better value to do a return (I just already had a return flight at that stage).

It usually will be better value to do a return, but it pays to look around. I'm flying to South Africa tomorrow but as I already had a return on Qatar, I only needed a one-way, and it was significantly better value to book Singapore one-way than say Qantas.

Obviously you have to be a bit flexible and it usually will always be better value to book return whether you're doing this creative style itineraries or not, but you often won't have to end up paying as much for a one-way as a return.

 

[AIRwin]

Fly UA for a chance to win 1 million Velocity points:

https://competitions.virginaustralia.com/competition/Points-jet-setter-0423

 

[MooTime]

MEL-SFO J cabin.
A heap of dates in May, even some in June n July. October a sprinkle.

Most days there's 4 reward J, yes amazing can grab 4.
VFF points the rather valuable I believe

I have an alert for family.

 

[Jurahn]

MEL-SFO J cabin.
A heap of dates in May, even some in June n July. October a sprinkle.

Most days there's 4 reward J, yes amazing can grab 4.
VFF points the rather valuable I believe

I have an alert for family.

Which dates have you seen those on, if you don’t mind me asking? I’ve tried doing some random searches on various dates throughout May, but can only find Y reward, every date (and flights where it states reward seats) says J reward unavailable?