Velocity and Hawaiian Airlines privliges

[wendlle]

Hi.
I haven't flown with HA before but have just booked flights for May.
I have gold status with Velocity and last year flew with Delta and was able to take my Husband and Daughter (2 years old) into the Delta lounges in the USA, we were also able to use the Delta Gold lines at the Airport and got extra baggage etc.
Can anyone advise if there are similar benefits with Hawaiian Airlines? I tried to look but couldn't find anything of relevance (mind you I am a bit sleep deprived at the moment so may have missed the obvious)

Also with Delta I didn't have to "do" anything, I just added my Velocity number to the booking and it automatically changed to their gold level.

 

[CPMaverick]

If you've booked the flights through HA with HA flight numbers, there is no access to lounges. The only access would be when flying on VA codeshare flights.

VA and DL have a very close partnership, with many reciprocal benefits. You shouldn't expect much with HA, except earning a few points and SC, if your fare class qualifies.

 

[wendlle]

bummer, thanks. We booked via HA as the flights were half the price of the ones listed on Virgin.
We do have a fare class that earns points and status.

Must say I'm quite bummed about the Lounge access, having a 2 year old with us on such a late night flight I was looking forward to letting her wind down in the lounge rather than being out with the masses.

 

[clarkkent]

We used to have access to a Delta lounge at HNL on HA-ticketed flights to Australia (at least back in 2015), bummer that it's now codeshares only.

 

[CPMaverick]

The DL HNL lounge is tiny. You'll find more space to let a 2-yr old unwind in the terminal.

To be honest last time I was in HNL I didn't even go to the lounge even though I was flying J. It's a nice airport to walk around and plenty of seating.

 

[wendlle]

It's more the outgoing flight from Sydney I was concerned about.
The HNL to Sydney flight is at lunchtime so no big issues there.
The only flight HA do out of Sydney is at 10pm, very late for a 2yo used to bedtime at 8pm

 

[Lord_Lenny]

You should have access to the Skyteam Lounge in Sydney - assuming the flight is a VA Codeshare, which from what I can see the 9.40pm departure is (VA5100) all Hawaiian flights to and from Australia are code shares I believe. The problems arise when you're flying Hawaii - Mainland US or within Hawaii.

 

[CPMaverick]

You should have access to the Skyteam Lounge in Sydney - assuming the flight is a VA Codeshare, which from what I can see the 9.40pm departure is (VA5100) all Hawaiian flights to and from Australia are code shares I believe. The problems arise when you're flying Hawaii - Mainland US or within Hawaii.

You can definitely buy HA coded flights from Australia, and the OP said they did just that already. So, no lounge access.

I've never seen an airline operating only codeshares on a route, that would be a very curious thing indeed.

Unfortunately the VA codeshares on HA tend to be seriously more expensive.

 

[Lord_Lenny]

Sorry, badly worded response, missed 2 key letters

I meant to say all Hawaiian flights are VA codeshares, at least out of Sydney that I can see. There's one in and one out per day, each of these has a VA code.

The follow up to that is whether or not access is granted if you bought the ticket through Hawaiian rather than VA, and where the distinction is drawn - does booking and ticketing via Hawaiian, adding your Velocity number to the booking make a difference compared with booking and ticketing through Virgin direct?? Your status will still appear on the boarding pass.

 

[CPMaverick]

VA doesn't fly their own metal to Hawaii, that is correct.

 

[CPMaverick]

I meant to say all Hawaiian flights are VA codeshares

That is incorrect. And the poster alread confirmed they booked through HA, which means they are on a HA flight number. So all this discussion about codeshares is irrelevant.

 

[wendlle]

Yes we have HA flight numbers.
We paid extra to upgrade the fare class from O to L which does earn status and miles.
I can't see anything on our tickets that has anything to do with Virgin other than our Velocity number which is on there.

 

[andrewgalvin]

I would still try and access the sky lounge in sydney, the worst they can say is no.......................

 

[CPMaverick]

I would still try and access the sky lounge in sydney, the worst they can say is no.......................

To each their own, personally for me it isn't worth the effort just to be embarrassingly turned away. Why stop at the Skyteam lounge? Why not try all the lounges? HA is not a Skyteam airline, and Velocity is not a Skyteam program, you have the same odds....

If VA or HA had their own lounge, I'd say it is worth a shot, but unfortunately they don't.

 

[Ribbo83]

Do you have an Amex - you could use the Amex lounge. Apart from earning points there are zero benefits between the two airlines. Last time I flew HA I was VA WP and there’s not status recognition, no priority boarding or anything. Good work paying the extra to earn status points, its often missed by most people.