gotravelant

I'd like to hear the experience of those with UA MP status getting benefits honored when flying Azul AD domestically in Brazil. I am UA Platinum and hope to get the free baggage allowance on flights SDU VCP and VCP CGR next month. Thanks in advance for any info!

KDS777

Azul is not a Star Alliance member.......so I'd say you'll get nothing.

Azul and United codeshare and allow members to earn and redeem miles, but the publicly available information about their arrangement says nothing about extending any other benefits of their FF programs. In fact, I have had zero success booking tickets on 016 stock for Azul, nor can the premier desk to even do it for me.

Let us know how it goes.

qfrodo

UA has a stake in Azul. They are kind of a special partner. If your domestic ticket on Azul is part of your UA itinerary on 016 stock you will earn everything, PQM, PQS, PQD. I even received the 500 mile minimum for a shorter flight. If not on 016 stock, you will received all but the PQD.

As for checking in, again as part of a UA itinerary, used the elite lane for Azul's elites without a problem. Baggage no problems.If your Azul ticket is purchased separately, I would imagine that Brazilian policies would apply. I normally do not purchase domestic separately, but had to once when I screwed up on a connection. No baggage problem, but no PQD.

As for booking on UA for Azul, I have looked at VCP-FLL or VCP-MCO, which has been available, but very expensive compared to UA's international flights between Brazil and the US. Haven't looked for anything strictly domestic on Azul thru UA.

KDS777

qfrodo.......

How recent was your last trip on 016 stock with Azul ?

We booked a trip in J on the UAL website (YYC-ORD-GRU-SDU) with the connection from GRU-SDU on Azul in October, and could not select seats online. So I called in and the desk told me they could not process the flight on Azul, nor could I ticket it, and that I had to rebook on United metal. I've always had trouble getting tickets on Brasilian carriers thru UAL, or getting their miles/segments to post on my MP account.

Ended up going YYC-IAH-GIG which was too bad, because we wanted to try to new Polaris lounge in ORD.

gotravelant

United now has this on its website: https://www.united.com/cms/en-us/mar...spx?itemid=635

• Premier Gold, Platinum and 1K® members are eligible for priority check-in, boarding and baggage delivery
• Premier Gold, Platinum and 1K members receive one additional complimentary checked bag

However, I travel to Brazil twice a year and know that things don't always work smoothly so what might be published on United's site may not be what is honored by Azul. I'll report back next month. Azul only charges R$60 = US$19 for a bag if paid at the airport but it would be nice to get UA elite benefits.

qfrodo

KDS777, my last UA itinerary that included an Azul flight was in July 2017. In Sep and Dec, I selected GOL flights for the connection as the times suited me better.

When I search for flights now on UA's web site they no longer show GOL, just Azul and TAM. Don't know why that changed.

When using Azul, at check-in stateside, a pseudo boarding pass would be printed for the Azul flight, after customs at GRU, Azul would print their own boarding pass. The bags have always been checked thru to final destination. The same normally happens with GOL and TAM .

Originating domestically in Brazil has also worked the same way normally. The boarding passes for the UA flight are printed along with the Azul/GOL/TAM boarding pass.This allows one to use the corridor between T2 and T3 and stay airside, still going thru a security check. Then go to the gate as boarding time nears and UA reprints the boarding pass on their stock.

(I've been connecting thru ORD to go to and from IAD for the Polaris lounge. Plus upgrading to first as it is still available.) :-)

KDS777

Thx for the info.

zackery149

For those that have been flying United through ORD, just curious how you like the 777's business class? They seem to be held in low esteem by many United flyers. I do Canada to Rio 2-3 times a year and have only been using IAH for the direct to Rio convenience and the 789 (up to last year, now 767 which I don't mind). I would like to try ORD for a change plus SDU is a much better departure point for me. I don't mind the additional transfer with Terminal 3 now in GRU and I only have carry-on.

qfrodo

I was on a maiden flight of the second 777 UA received. At the time, it had the barco loungers. When they started installing the lie flat seating that you find today on the 3-class 772s, everyone was singing their praises, except some didn't like sitting facing rearward. Now that the seating has been overtaken by newer and different layouts, on UA itself and other airlines, quite a few on FT now complain about the 2-4-2 seating in J. (777W excepted as that has the new Polaris seat.). I never minded it, and often preferred a rear facing aisle seat in the center section, as most of the time, the seat next to me would be unoccupied. Yes, there is limited or no storage around the seat itself. I did find them comfortable, however. Now, of course, the 772s are scheduled to be retrofitted again with the new Polaris seats. Just like when they put in the first lie flats, it will likely take several years for this to be completed. So far, I have seen the 777W used on EWR-GRU a few times, but not on ORD-GRU. UA has been using the retrofitted 763s on the IAH routes to GIG or GRU some of the time, so at the moment, your chances of experiences the Polaris hard product are better if you continue thru IAH. If you connected thru IAD, you would be back on a 788.

J2daP

I have the equivalent of an Azul BE ticket (no seat selection, no baggage allowance) EZE-VCP-GIG. I'm also Plat with UA, which according to UA's website gets me "one additional complimentary checked bag." Anyone have recent experience with this? Are they going to give me one free checked bag (like BE on UA for elites) or play games like some of the Euro carriers who don't give any baggage allowance even to their elites on BE-style tickets?

Not a huge deal to pay for the bag if necessary, but no need to pay if I'm gonna get it for free.

qfrodo

Which airline issued the ticket? If Azul, according to UA's web site, Azul is to recognize the UA status. I even wrote to Azul about this after an experience where they did not and it was confirmed that Azul is to recognize UA status. However, agents are often not up to speed and I have had varying success. Ended up status matching to Diamante on Azul, so now no problem.

J2daP

This is an Azul ticket. I have my MP number on the reservation. Both United's and Azul's website (in Portuguese) mention the extra baggage allowance for UA elites. My question is whether this applies on a ticket that otherwise has no other checked baggage allowance.

qfrodo

Most of my Azul flights are on a UA "016" tickets, so I can't say for sure. But here is the English version of Azul's Baggage policies. I believe TudoAzul Safira is the Plat equivalent. Within South America it would be 1 bag up to 23kg.

https://www.voeazul.com.br/en/baggage

But as I mentioned, sometimes their airport staff is not up to speed in recognizing the UA status. Good luck and safe travels. .