United Airlines and Virgin Australia announce a surprise partnership that will increase connectivity between Australia and the Americas. Both companies’ customers will be able to get more benefits for MileagePlus and Velocity Frequent Flyer members. The agreement is subject to government approval.
Did we just become best friends, @VirginAustralia?
Beginning this April, we are making it easier to connect to destinations across Australia and allow MileagePlus members to earn award miles on our new partner. pic.twitter.com/8wJPLTiHgC
— United Airlines (@united) December 13, 2021
Effective April 2022, the partnership will introduce codeshare operations as well as access to unique connections across cities in the U.S., Australia, Mexico, the Caribbean and South America.
United, since inheriting Pan Am’s transpacific routes in the 1980s, has become the leading operator of routes between the United States and Australia, and this new partnership will expand the company’s presence in one of its most iconic markets in the Pacific and the opportunity to bring passengers additional connections to Australian cities such as Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide.
United Airlines currently operates daily flights from San Francisco (SFO) and Los Angeles (LAX) to Sydney (SYD) and expects to resume operation from Houston (IAH) and direct services to Melbourne (MEL) in 2022. This partnership will nearly triple Virgin Australia’s scope to the U.S., and MileagePlus and Velocity’s premier customers will enjoy the following benefits:
- Priority check-in
- Priority boarding
- Priority baggage delivery and additional baggage allowance
- Priority security clearance
- Lounge access
«Virgin Australia customers will have far more options for travel from Australia to the United States, with more than three times the number of services available, which is exciting news for Australian travelers. We are grateful to have such a strong partner as United, which is proud to be one of Australia’s most loyal and longest-serving aviation partners, and their strength in the market in both Australia and the United States brings enormous value to our customers» said Jayne Hrdlicka, Virgin Australia Group Chief Executive Officer.
Time to make this official. I mean, it’s cuffing season in the US after all, right @united? ???? #NewPartner ???????????????? https://t.co/sFJGMpIBLf pic.twitter.com/HuvJS2nJS1
— Virgin Australia (@VirginAustralia) December 13, 2021
«Looking forward, Virgin Australia is the perfect partner for United. Our partnership provides significant commercial value for both airlines and a shared commitment to providing the best travel experience for our customers,» said Scott Kirby, Chief Executive Officer of United Airlines.
After a long time, United Airlines once again has a strategic partner in Australia, following the bankruptcy of Ansett Australia in the early 2000s. Moreover, the airline has a joint venture with Air New Zealand.
Virgin Australia, following its restructuring resulting from the pandemic, removed its entire fleet of wide-body aircraft and consequently canceled its long-haul flights to the United States. The airline has a Joint Venture with Delta Airlines, which is now in doubt and may be dissolved as a result of this new partnership with United. The airline still remains the second-largest airline operator in Australia.
