Virgin Australia takes flight with United Airlines
Dec 13, 2021, 2:45 pm
#1
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Virgin Australia takes flight with United Airlines
From VA Newsroom (14 Dec 21)--->Virgin Australia takes flight with United Airlines
Commencing in April 2022, the partnership will establish codeshare co-operation, as well as reciprocal loyalty benefits for Velocity Frequent Flyer members to earn, redeem and receive tier benefits when travelling on United’s vast domestic and international network, connecting from the carrier’s multiple Australian gateways.
The partnership will also extend United’s large Australian presence, as the airline offering more flights to Australia than any other U.S. carrier, including daily direct flights from San Francisco and Los Angeles to Sydney, with flights from Houston and direct services to Melbourne expected to resume later in 2022. Under this new partnership United’s customers will now have seamless access to top Australian cities right across the country through Virgin Australia’s extensive domestic network.
<snip>
Velocity and Mileage-Plus tier benefits
Eligible Velocity and MileagePlus members will receive the following benefits when travelling on Virgin Australia and United services worldwide:
From VA Newsroom (14 Dec 21) --->Virgin Australia thanks Delta Air Lines
VA long haul to USA now even further in the future, if at all.
UA have sold VA tag on flights to the USA-->AU long haul flights
And VA closer to the Star Alliance?
TravExec AU--->Virgin Australia ditches Delta for new United Airlines partnership
- Virgin Australia Group will partner with United Airlines from April 2022, tripling the number of U.S. cities Virgin Australia customers can reach, while providing United customers seamless connectivity to Australia’s most popular destinations.
- United Airlines will offer Virgin Australia customers more non-stop flights from Australia, and 92 seamless one-stop connections to points across the USA.
- Members of Virgin Australia’s Velocity Frequent Flyer loyalty program will have the ability to earn Points, Status Credits and receive tier benefits when travelling on United’s extensive services.
- Virgin Australia and United Airlines to offer reciprocal lounge access.
Commencing in April 2022, the partnership will establish codeshare co-operation, as well as reciprocal loyalty benefits for Velocity Frequent Flyer members to earn, redeem and receive tier benefits when travelling on United’s vast domestic and international network, connecting from the carrier’s multiple Australian gateways.
The partnership will also extend United’s large Australian presence, as the airline offering more flights to Australia than any other U.S. carrier, including daily direct flights from San Francisco and Los Angeles to Sydney, with flights from Houston and direct services to Melbourne expected to resume later in 2022. Under this new partnership United’s customers will now have seamless access to top Australian cities right across the country through Virgin Australia’s extensive domestic network.
<snip>
Velocity and Mileage-Plus tier benefits
Eligible Velocity and MileagePlus members will receive the following benefits when travelling on Virgin Australia and United services worldwide:
- Priority check-in
- Priority boarding
- Priority baggage delivery and additional baggage check allowance
- Priority security clearance
- Lounge access
VA long haul to USA now even further in the future, if at all.
UA have sold VA tag on flights to the USA-->AU long haul flights
And VA closer to the Star Alliance?
TravExec AU--->Virgin Australia ditches Delta for new United Airlines partnership
Last edited by Mwenenzi; Dec 13, 2021 at 2:58 pm
Dec 13, 2021, 6:25 pm
#2
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
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This is pretty shocking. I thought the VA relationship with DL was pretty strong. Obviously without VA international fights it does make more sense to partner with UA. But it happened pretty quickly... They had just re-instated DL redemptions (and I booked a DL flight two days ago!)
May 8, 2022, 10:45 pm
#4
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From UA https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...australia.html
So guess the same for VA freq flyers on UA
MileagePlus members can earn award miles on eligible Virgin Australia flights. To receive mileage credit, present your MileagePlus number when you make reservations and make sure that it appears on your boarding pass at check-in. Also, MileagePlus members receive the following benefits on Virgin Australia-operated flights:
For flights flown on and after May 23, 2022
Earning miles on Virgin Australia flights
If your ticket was purchased directly from united.com, by calling the United Customer Contact Center (including a United specialty desk, such as United Groups, United Meetings or the Premier Priority Desk), from a United representative at the airport, or through a United ticket office, you'll earn miles based on the fare 2, 3 and your MileagePlus status. Please reference the "Ticket number starts with 016" section below.4Otherwise, you should reference the "Ticket number does not start with 016" section.5 You'll earn miles based on flight distance6 and the purchased fare class and/or fare class flown.7
If you don't know how your ticket was purchased, in most cases your ticket number can be found on your confirmation email or receipt
For flights flown on and after May 23, 2022
- Premier Gold, Platinum and 1K®: members are eligible for priority check-in, boarding and security clearance where available
- Premier Gold, Platinum and 1K®: members receive one additional complimentary checked bag 1
- Premier Gold, Platinum and 1K®: members are eligible for access to Virgin Australia operated lounges
Earning miles on Virgin Australia flights
If your ticket was purchased directly from united.com, by calling the United Customer Contact Center (including a United specialty desk, such as United Groups, United Meetings or the Premier Priority Desk), from a United representative at the airport, or through a United ticket office, you'll earn miles based on the fare 2, 3 and your MileagePlus status. Please reference the "Ticket number starts with 016" section below.4Otherwise, you should reference the "Ticket number does not start with 016" section.5 You'll earn miles based on flight distance6 and the purchased fare class and/or fare class flown.7
If you don't know how your ticket was purchased, in most cases your ticket number can be found on your confirmation email or receipt
May 10, 2022, 9:21 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: SYD+TYO+GFK
Programs: UA 1K, QF Plat, VA Gold, IHG Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, Coles FlyBuys
Posts: 2,805
It would appear that you can't earn United PQD (Premier Qualifying Dollars = status) on VA?
I'm in a bit of a pickle, since I'm VA Platinum and UA 1K... I would love to keep UA 1K for the PlusPoint upgrades but I can't see how to achieve the 15,000 PQD required to retain 1K. So maybe I just focus on VA Platinum ... I was thinking I could earn United PQDs by crediting my Virgin flights to United but it would seem this is a no-go...?
I'm in a bit of a pickle, since I'm VA Platinum and UA 1K... I would love to keep UA 1K for the PlusPoint upgrades but I can't see how to achieve the 15,000 PQD required to retain 1K. So maybe I just focus on VA Platinum ... I was thinking I could earn United PQDs by crediting my Virgin flights to United but it would seem this is a no-go...?
May 10, 2022, 10:01 pm
#6
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It would appear that you can't earn United PQD (Premier Qualifying Dollars = status) on VA?
I'm in a bit of a pickle, since I'm VA Platinum and UA 1K... I would love to keep UA 1K for the PlusPoint upgrades but I can't see how to achieve the 15,000 PQD required to retain 1K. So maybe I just focus on VA Platinum ... I was thinking I could earn United PQDs by crediting my Virgin flights to United but it would seem this is a no-go...?
I'm in a bit of a pickle, since I'm VA Platinum and UA 1K... I would love to keep UA 1K for the PlusPoint upgrades but I can't see how to achieve the 15,000 PQD required to retain 1K. So maybe I just focus on VA Platinum ... I was thinking I could earn United PQDs by crediting my Virgin flights to United but it would seem this is a no-go...?
From the VA Qatar email
Update on United Airlines
I’m also pleased to confirm that our new partnership with United Airlines will commence in two weeks on Tuesday 24 May 2022. We appreciate your patience as we’ve worked to connect our IT systems over the past few months, and we look forward to sharing detailed information about your benefits shortly.
I’m also pleased to confirm that our new partnership with United Airlines will commence in two weeks on Tuesday 24 May 2022. We appreciate your patience as we’ve worked to connect our IT systems over the past few months, and we look forward to sharing detailed information about your benefits shortly.
May 11, 2022, 1:16 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: SYD+TYO+GFK
Programs: UA 1K, QF Plat, VA Gold, IHG Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, Coles FlyBuys
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I think you're correct Mwenenzi ... it'll be interesting to see what the reciprocal arrangement is with VA. I'm pretty sure we used to earn Status Credits for DL flights? Or am I misremembering that? The only grey matter ain't what it used to be!
May 11, 2022, 9:53 am
#8
Join Date: May 2006
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I think you're correct Mwenenzi ... it'll be interesting to see what the reciprocal arrangement is with VA. I'm pretty sure we used to earn Status Credits for DL flights? Or am I misremembering that? The only grey matter ain't what it used to be!
I'd probably disagree with Mwenenzi and say that close non-alliance partnerships normally include reciprocal status earning. Emphasis on close partnerships.
I am sure that there will be some way to earn UA status via flying VA. I don't know enough about UA's program now to say how that might work (I was last a 1K in 2008). Now that $$ spend is a factor, it is more complex how they handle other carriers and other currencies.
May 11, 2022, 10:57 am
#9
Join Date: May 2003
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Not the same with SQ, it was never reciprocal, you could VA status credits flying SQ - either SQ or VA marketed, but could only earn SQ KF Elite miles when flying on an SQ code, when operated by VA. IIRC, DL MQMs etc could be earnt even on VA coded flights (could be wrong).
May 11, 2022, 11:12 am
#10
Join Date: May 2006
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Not the same with SQ, it was never reciprocal, you could VA status credits flying SQ - either SQ or VA marketed, but could only earn SQ KF Elite miles when flying on an SQ code, when operated by VA. IIRC, DL MQMs etc could be earnt even on VA coded flights (could be wrong).
DL definitely was reciprocal, I earned DL MQM, MQD on VA coded fights most definitely.
EY was also reciprocal. I guess besides being wrong about SQ, I could be wrong about NZ, not sure. But for all four I could earn VA status credits....
May 11, 2022, 7:29 pm
#11
Join Date: May 1998
Location: australia
Posts: 5,762
Thanks for the correction. I'd earned VA status credits on SQ so I assumed it was reciprocal.
DL definitely was reciprocal, I earned DL MQM, MQD on VA coded fights most definitely.
EY was also reciprocal. I guess besides being wrong about SQ, I could be wrong about NZ, not sure. But for all four I could earn VA status credits....
DL definitely was reciprocal, I earned DL MQM, MQD on VA coded fights most definitely.
EY was also reciprocal. I guess besides being wrong about SQ, I could be wrong about NZ, not sure. But for all four I could earn VA status credits....
VA needed international partners that allowed elite qualification to compete in some way with QF
On another point - is the UA lounge access for VA elites when flying a UA domestic flight restricted to those connecting to an international flight like the restriction added to the DL partnership when it was in its death throws?
May 12, 2022, 4:07 am
#12
Join Date: May 2003
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I guess wait and see. The hope is that UA lounge access will be based on the same rules that it has with those who hold status with UA's star alliance partners which, except for UA status holders themselves, allows star gold members lounge access on domestic itineraries. (Whereas DL does not grant the same to Skyteam partners, and in the last few months VA either).
May 12, 2022, 3:46 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2006
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I think the difference is though that VA isn't part of any alliance - they just partnered with several international airlines all of which were their "alliance" and qualifying for elite earning. The partners in the main had their alliances which allowed elite earning on alliance partners but VA was never a part of those so by and large VA flights were not elite earners for them.
I guess wait and see. The hope is that UA lounge access will be based on the same rules that it has with those who hold status with UA's star alliance partners which, except for UA status holders themselves, allows star gold members lounge access on domestic itineraries. (Whereas DL does not grant the same to Skyteam partners, and in the last few months VA either).
In addition, VA members can only access UA-run lounges. Which means no lounge access for any AU international departures either. A big devaluation over the DL arrangement (at least pre-2021). It sure would be nice if UA could strike a deal with SQ so that VA members could access the SQ lounges too....
May 12, 2022, 9:26 pm
#14
Join Date: Oct 2009
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This is posted on the Velocity Site now:
United Airlines joining the Velocity Program
Effective 24 May 2022, United Airlines will be a new Velocity Program Partner. Points and Status Credit earn on United Airlines will commence for flights taken on/after 24 May 2022. The ability to book Reward seats on United Airlines will likewise commence 24 May 2022.
Access to United Airlines Owned and Operated Lounges
Commencing 24 May 2022.
Domestic lounge access into United Airlines owned and operated lounges within the USA is only available to Platinum and Gold Velocity members in conjunction with an International journey, where both flight sectors are booked on a single ticket. Lounge access is not available where a Velocity member is holding a domestic flight and an international flight on separate tickets.
International lounge access into United Airlines owned and operated lounges is only available to Platinum and Gold Velocity members in conjunction with an international same day boarding pass. Access to 3rd party lounges (e.g. Star Alliance owned and operated) lounges is currently not included in your ticket unless you travel in Business Class on a United Airlines operated flight.
United Airlines joining the Velocity Program
Effective 24 May 2022, United Airlines will be a new Velocity Program Partner. Points and Status Credit earn on United Airlines will commence for flights taken on/after 24 May 2022. The ability to book Reward seats on United Airlines will likewise commence 24 May 2022.
Access to United Airlines Owned and Operated Lounges
Commencing 24 May 2022.
Domestic lounge access into United Airlines owned and operated lounges within the USA is only available to Platinum and Gold Velocity members in conjunction with an International journey, where both flight sectors are booked on a single ticket. Lounge access is not available where a Velocity member is holding a domestic flight and an international flight on separate tickets.
International lounge access into United Airlines owned and operated lounges is only available to Platinum and Gold Velocity members in conjunction with an international same day boarding pass. Access to 3rd party lounges (e.g. Star Alliance owned and operated) lounges is currently not included in your ticket unless you travel in Business Class on a United Airlines operated flight.
May 13, 2022, 3:11 pm
#15
Join Date: May 2006
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The lounge restrictions are disappointing.
There are no UA operated lounges in Australia, so departing Australia offers no lounge access. Also, restricting it to a journey 'on one ticket' makes things difficult; I have more than once found that VA doesn't offer a ticketing option from certain AU-US city pairs, or it is many times the price of two bookings. I'm sure this wouldn't be a large amount of lounge traffic, and they'd all be elites flying an international ticket anyway, why not just accommodate them.
I also dislike the lack of domestic flight UA lounge access, but I can also kind of understand it. But surely VA should at least find a way to let their elites get lounge access when leaving Australia.
I would have considered switching to UA from Delta if this was a program equivalent to the old DL/VA relationship. But it's a far cry from it. I think I'll stick to DL in the USA and fly QF more in the future (I hold status in both). I guess this is the beginning of the end for my VA status...
There are no UA operated lounges in Australia, so departing Australia offers no lounge access. Also, restricting it to a journey 'on one ticket' makes things difficult; I have more than once found that VA doesn't offer a ticketing option from certain AU-US city pairs, or it is many times the price of two bookings. I'm sure this wouldn't be a large amount of lounge traffic, and they'd all be elites flying an international ticket anyway, why not just accommodate them.
I also dislike the lack of domestic flight UA lounge access, but I can also kind of understand it. But surely VA should at least find a way to let their elites get lounge access when leaving Australia.
I would have considered switching to UA from Delta if this was a program equivalent to the old DL/VA relationship. But it's a far cry from it. I think I'll stick to DL in the USA and fly QF more in the future (I hold status in both). I guess this is the beginning of the end for my VA status...