EJRofChicago

Status benefits only apply if the carrier through which you have the status is operating the flight (so in your case, you would have the benefits on a flight operated by United, regardless of the marketing/ticketing carrier). What you may be thinking of is the alliance benefits, Star Alliance Silver in this case, which are unfortunately the weakest of entry-level alliance tiers, providing only priority standby/waitlisting.

Johhny5Alive

EJRofChicago Appreciate the quick reply! Thanks for the explanation!

WineCountryUA

Your UA Silver provides very little benefit at another Star Alliance operated flight (book directly with the carrier or with UA)
* Priority Reservations Waitlist

* Priority Airport Stand-by

Additionally AC (nor other *A carriers) does not have E+ nor CPU. AC does have eUpgrade program for their elites.

Kacee

Most airlines do have preferred economy seating for a charge though. Free preferred seating is not a published Star Alliance benefit, either (though some carriers will give *G preferential seating).

WineCountryUA

Generally it is aisles, bulkhead, exit rows, ... type sitting -- E+/Comfort+/... is mostly a domestic carrier configuration and extra leg space in non-exit / bulkhead seats in partner carriers is not common.

bocastephen

UA status in general provides very limited benefits on Air Canada, it doesn’t matter if you’re silver or GS. Gold and higher receive checked bag benefits, lounge access and zone 2 boarding and that’s it.

No preferred seating and absolutely no upgrades at all except for a very very rare operational upgrade that should not be expected.

emcampbe

this. Virtually zero alliance benefits on AC, even at the higher levels.

in terms of seats, free seat selection is only given to those on flex or higher fares for North America (and I think Sun destinations, ie, Caribbean, and probably Mexico), and standard fares for longer-haul international. I think you need 75K status with AC to get free seats (or maybe 50K, which would be UA gold equivalent). AC elites don’t have the same upgrade ability (only with certs, and only higher levels get those).

Say Vandelay

I flew AC last month and this was my experience. And Maple Leaf was just as crowded as any UC these days. The extra leg room seats were about $30 for a short haul flight and you even needed to pay $15 for regular seats if you wanted one before check-in. So many of their flights to the Eastern US are CR9/E175, so you are guaranteed a window or aisle anyways.

rbakker

Sorry if there is a better place for this but I can only find very old threads.
I'm flying Air Canada on a United ticket (Economy) and the United website tells me I have to pay C$30 for my first checked-in bag, given my Confirmation Number.
Yet when I look at the AC website it says that Star Alliance Gold (which I am) has the first bag free.
I called the United 1K line and they put me hold for 40 minutes while they checked this, then cut me off.
I called again and they just read what the United website said. My mention of Star Alliance Gold was met with a blank silence then "Well, our system says...".

Does anybody know if you get one free checked bag on a United ticket on Air Canada if you are Star Alliance Gold?

Thank you

WineCountryUA

You will be checking in with AC and UA will not be involved. Believe AC.

NY-FLA

We get one free checked bag up to 50 pounds, most times. (Exception was at SEA; Mrs. NY-FLA's ticket didn't have her United number on it, so that was obviously a challenge.) Ensure your MP number is in your reservation and try and contact AC via FB messenger if you want them to confirm.... works sometimes, also. You didn't ask but the only positive I can give about flying AC is that their domestic FC business is far superior to UA's typical FC experience.

rbakker

But which AC employee do you believe :-)
I just called AC and they told me I had to pay for my first checked bag as a Star Alliance Gold member. When I suggested he may be wrong he hung up on me.
I called again and got someone else who told me the exact opposite - first bag free. She got it from the website, as did I:
https://www.aircanada.com/us/en/aco/...checked.html#/

Before this, I checked in online at Air Canada and they asked how many bags I had to check in so they could calculate the fee. If I put 1 bag: $0. If I put 2 bags: $0. If I put 9 bags: $0.

Anyway, I'll be going to the airport armed with a screenshot from Air Canada's own website saying the first bag is free.

WineCountryUA

Undertrained, uninformed, inconsistent agents are not unique to UA.

nacho

When I check the same route today, it doesn't show anything about basic economy. 2 bags free.

gpicur

Oh wise UA FlyerTalkers,

Bought a business class ticket CVG-DXB-CVG on United.com. I have Gold status with United based on million miler status. I checked in this morning for My first two legs, CVG-YYZ & YYZ-DXB, both of which are on Air Canada. When I checked my boarding passes, they list “FREQUENT FLYER” but the status is blank. Is this normal or does AC not recognize Gold status from United ? I ask as I have a 10 hour layover in YYZ and I was sure hoping to spend some of that time in the AC Maple Leaf Lounge. Your keen responses are appreciated.

FWIW: the first segment is on AC affiliate “Jazz”. I noticed at check in I was only entitled to 1 fifty pound checked bag as opposed to the more generous baggage allowance.