United Gold on Avianca metal but TACA codeshare
 

Hello

I am flying EWR -> UIO on an award ticket in December. I have United Gold status and I booked the award flight through their website (Mileage Plus).

The flights I will be on are all Avianca metal (Flight# AVXXXX). However, they say they are operated by Taca Airlines, which is not a Star Alliance member.

Will I be able to make use of any of my Gold status perks? Extra baggage? Lounge access? Thanks!

United Gold on Avianca metal but TACA codeshare
 

The marketing flight number does not necessarily mean that the flight is operated by the same carrier. In your example the marketing carrier is avianca and the actual metal or operating carrier is Taca. As for lounge access you will need to check and see what start lounges are available.

thanks for the clarification!

Avianca and TACA merged last year. It's all Avianca now, though TACA still operates separately. Similar to sUA and sCO under the United Airlines banner.

You will have *A benes, including access to departure lounges. Be sure to bring your card, it can be difficult to get past lounge security if you don't have it with you.

*A awards are never booked on codeshares. Most likely a wetlease due to the merger mentioned.

It's not a codeshare.

Nor is it a wetlease.

As stated above, it's an Avianca flight, but it's operated by the TACA subsidiary.

It's exactly like flying a United flight operated by the Continental operating subsidiary. Avianca is just more transparent about operating subsidiaries than UA is.

Thanks for all the info

And what makes you think it is not an wetlease?
By the way TACA isn't a subsidary of Avianca rather than a sister.
But sister or not it clearly seems to be an ACMI.

Yes, in fact, TACA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Avianca Holdings, S.A. You can read about it here: Avianca Corporate Profile

If you look at how AV displays flight options, it will describe the flights operated by its wholly owned TACA subsidiary as "AVxyz operated by TACA Airlines International."

The suggestion that this is a wetlease is simply absurd.

btw, just try to go and book a flight on the TACA website. You'll find yourself redirected to Avianca because "TACA is now Avianca."