UA Premier benefits on AC operated flights
Jul 25, 2018, 12:43 am
#61
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,220
Another data point. I have an AC flight (codeshared with UA) on 016 ticket and my seat has been allocated for me in a preferred seat but if I try to change it I am told I need to pay. Have left the seat alone. YVR-SFO.
Jul 25, 2018, 7:05 am
#62
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,891
Last tiem I asked at the airport if there were any seats closer to the front for *G, I was told (at check in) to ask at the gate. I didn’t bother, so getting a seat toward the front may be a YMMV seat.
Jul 25, 2018, 11:31 am
#63
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,231
Just to clarify that point. During OLCI you can select a standard seat for free but anytime before check in you'll have to pay for seat selection (unless you're on a Flex fare or better or are Super Elite with Air Canada). I'm waiting for the day that AC actually charges to select a seat at check in forcing me to skip seat selection during check in and play the seat lottery at the gate!
Safe Travels,
James
Safe Travels,
James
Jul 25, 2018, 4:29 pm
#64
Suspended
Join Date: May 2018
Location: ord
Programs: UA 1k SPG Platinum
Posts: 365
Yes, this is correct - and for the record, provided a Preferred Seat is available, I am batting 1.000 on getting a lounge agent to assign it to me - at the check-in counter I am also about .900, but in some cases I needed to counsel the agent or escalate to a supervisor. When I was refused, I just rushed to the MLL and had that P-seat assigned there.
Jul 25, 2018, 6:18 pm
#65
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,092
that's normal. You might be able to change it at OLCI
Jul 26, 2018, 12:04 am
#67
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Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
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Thanks to all for the useful replies, but in particular...
Extremely helpful, James, Thanks very much !
Good idea. Thanks!
Hadn't known this, so thanks so much for the info. Wow, this makes the U.S. carriers look good in comparison. I think I'll need to fly AC to some extent on this trip, but for the flights where I have a choice I'll go with UA.
Thanks again.
Doesn't matter what airline program you use to book award flights with *A airlines the process is always the same, call the airline or go to manage reservations for the award ticket and update the frequent flyer number to your United one. The moment you do that you'll get access to all your *A Gold benefits. I've done this for LX, MS, AC and UA flights issued by Aeroplan as a UA Gold elite. In the case of AC I believe you have to call them update to do it (can't be changed online) but have done it before, literally takes a minute.
Alternatively, you can use the priority lane to check in, presenting your United card and telling them to update your FF card (can also be done at lounge) although doing it online or over the phone is by far the easiest. As others have noted, you won't get AC specific benefits like preferred seating since you're a UA elite, but you wouldn't get that anyways unless you're an elite with AC.
If travelling to/from Canada you'll have *A lounge (including all UC) the whole way, even if you're on a UA domestic leg like LAX -> SFO since the whole itinerary is marked as International.
Hope that helps.
Safe Travels,
James
Alternatively, you can use the priority lane to check in, presenting your United card and telling them to update your FF card (can also be done at lounge) although doing it online or over the phone is by far the easiest. As others have noted, you won't get AC specific benefits like preferred seating since you're a UA elite, but you wouldn't get that anyways unless you're an elite with AC.
If travelling to/from Canada you'll have *A lounge (including all UC) the whole way, even if you're on a UA domestic leg like LAX -> SFO since the whole itinerary is marked as International.
Hope that helps.
Safe Travels,
James
Just to clarify that point. During OLCI you can select a standard seat for free but anytime before check in you'll have to pay for seat selection (unless you're on a Flex fare or better or are Super Elite with Air Canada). I'm waiting for the day that AC actually charges to select a seat at check in forcing me to skip seat selection during check in and play the seat lottery at the gate!
Safe Travels,
James
Safe Travels,
James
Last edited by Thunderroad; Jul 27, 2018 at 12:38 pm
Aug 25, 2018, 5:56 am
#68
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: ORD
Programs: UA, WN
Posts: 7
Hi everyone,
Sorry if anyone has asked this already before. I'm looking to buy a flight from the US to India, and I was wondering if I booked the flight as a United flight on Air Canada/Lufthansa metal, would I be able to select seats in Economy Plus (or their equivalent) in advance, or am I treated as if I have no status (I have Gold on United right now).
Sorry if anyone has asked this already before. I'm looking to buy a flight from the US to India, and I was wondering if I booked the flight as a United flight on Air Canada/Lufthansa metal, would I be able to select seats in Economy Plus (or their equivalent) in advance, or am I treated as if I have no status (I have Gold on United right now).
Aug 25, 2018, 7:00 am
#69
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,470
Hi everyone,
Sorry if anyone has asked this already before. I'm looking to buy a flight from the US to India, and I was wondering if I booked the flight as a United flight on Air Canada/Lufthansa metal, would I be able to select seats in Economy Plus (or their equivalent) in advance, or am I treated as if I have no status (I have Gold on United right now).
Sorry if anyone has asked this already before. I'm looking to buy a flight from the US to India, and I was wondering if I booked the flight as a United flight on Air Canada/Lufthansa metal, would I be able to select seats in Economy Plus (or their equivalent) in advance, or am I treated as if I have no status (I have Gold on United right now).
Aug 26, 2018, 12:41 pm
#70
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
Hi everyone,
Sorry if anyone has asked this already before. I'm looking to buy a flight from the US to India, and I was wondering if I booked the flight as a United flight on Air Canada/Lufthansa metal, would I be able to select seats in Economy Plus (or their equivalent) in advance, or am I treated as if I have no status (I have Gold on United right now).
Sorry if anyone has asked this already before. I'm looking to buy a flight from the US to India, and I was wondering if I booked the flight as a United flight on Air Canada/Lufthansa metal, would I be able to select seats in Economy Plus (or their equivalent) in advance, or am I treated as if I have no status (I have Gold on United right now).
However, IME booking UA codeshares sometimes you can get the AC agent to give you a seat selection. The line I usually use is, "I'm a United Gold, and am flying United to XYZ. It says the flight is operated by you and that seat selections must go through you guys. Here's the seat I want, can you select that for me. Thanks, bye!". If I get pushback I'll ask for a supervisor and/or loop in the Premier Desk to get them to squeeze that seat selection out for me. However, it's far from guaranteed that any *A partner will honour your "paid" seat selection for free. It's for these reasons why I prefer to book with UA or with * partners that don't charge fees for seat selection **cough** NH **cough**
Safe Travels,
James
Aug 26, 2018, 8:09 pm
#71
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,891
IME, at least this year, when booking AC flights on UA.com, as UA codeshares, Ive has seats selected for me for free, even on lowball fares that are almost 100% certainly equivalent to standard fares if booked through AC, and I beleive in both cases so far that was the same pricing as with AC. Now, for example, got row 12 on a CRJ when seats further forward that we’re available. Also IME this year, booking with Chase points on 016 stock on UA codeshare/AC flight didn’t get me a seat selection at all, and I had to call AC for it. When calling to get or change seats I never had an issue, though don’t know what would happen if traveling on my own as opposed to with a kid - on standard fares, at least, AC will give seat selection to those traveling with a child on fares that normally require a fee for it (and IMO, good on AC for this).
Sep 11, 2018, 6:21 am
#72
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: BWI, PHL, IAD
Programs: Marriott LT Titanium; Mileage Plus 1K, 1 MM; Global Entry
Posts: 1,516
Wife and I (both UA Plat) flew PHL-YYZ yesterday and were upgraded. Had booked through UA as a codeshare and had paid to move to seats with more legroom. Were upgraded to first at the gate.
Dec 15, 2019, 6:26 pm
#73
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 167
United Gold luggage benefit on Air Canada flight
Am booking a flight on AC metal with united Gold. Ac is saying that the star alliance gold benefit is a "free second piece of luggage", ie $55 for the first and $0 for the second.
Tell me that isn't true. If it is, I hope united does the same thing to all Air canada elites.
Tell me that isn't true. If it is, I hope united does the same thing to all Air canada elites.