We have great news for Velocity Frequent Flyer members!
United Airlines has dropped a heap of business class award seats on routes from Australia to the United States.
Redeemable with Velocity Points, these long-haul business class awards are up there with some of the best value redemptions in the sky.
While scoring a seat up at the pointy end has generally become increasingly more difficult due to dwindling award availability, United Airlines could be your ticket to a truly aspirational redemption.
Here’s what to know.
United Airlines routes
American-based United Airlines operates the following five non-stop services between Australia and USA:
- Brisbane-San Francisco
- Melbourne-Los Angeles
- Melbourne-San Francisco
- Sydney-Los Angeles
- Sydney-San Francisco
United also currently operates a direct Auckland-San Francisco flight from New Zealand.
By the end of 2023, we will see the Virgin Australia partner fly ten routes between Australia, New Zealand and the USA, as part of the largest South Pacific expansion to ever take place.
United Airlines award availability
Reward availability varies across each of the abovementioned routes, with the Melbourne-San Francisco service currently showing the most seats.
Melbourne-San Francisco
Velocity Frequent Flyer members can currently choose from a good selection of dates between now and August, with slightly less availability showing from then until November.
To book a business class seat you’ll need 95,500 Velocity Points (plus $110.80 in carrier charges), while an economy will require 48,800 points (plus $110.80 in carrier charges).
There’s still excellent award availability showing for the rest of the month, with a family of four able to lock in a business class redemption across several dates including 29 May.
Sydney-San Francisco
We’re also seeing excellent award availability on the Sydney-San Francisco route, with business class seats available to book during the July school holidays.
There are even more seats available across both cabins for those planning to head off in June.
How to book an United award with Velocity Points
Velocity members can enjoy good award availability across United’s trans-Pacific network, here’s how:
- Visit the Virgin Australia website
- Search your flight and select ‘Use Velocity Points’
- Look for UA coded flights with the ‘Reward seats available’ icon
Summing up
By the end of this year, Australia’s East Coast will have more ways to connect to the U.S. than ever before, thanks to United’s move to add 40% more flights to Australia and New Zealand.
United already flies to more destinations in Australia and New Zealand than all other U.S. carriers combined and is now offering almost unheard-of award availability for Australian-based Velocity members.
We’re seeing especially good availability on the Melbourne-San Francisco route, with business class and economy seats bookable from May through to November.
With connections all throughout the U.S., as well as Central America and South America, the United and Virgin Australia partnership is an important one for Velocity members who can now use their points to book more flights than ever.
Will you jet off to the U.S. on Velocity Points this winter?
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Hey Zoe! How do we know when they will add more business reward seats? I’m looking for my wife and I to fly business next year and I want to use my points!
Hi Benny, unfortunately, following the pandemic, there’s no specific timeframe for the release of seats. Velocity and their airline partners take into consideration a range of factors and releases seats sporadically. With this in mind, it’s best to keep checking as regularly as possible. All the best for your travels.