Jun 28, 2017, 8:46 pm
Last edit by: eponymous_coward
Cathay Award Guide Using Alaska Airlines Miles
Note: Cathay flights cannot be booked using alaskaair.com. Mileage requirements in chart form available on alaskaair.com.
Routing Rules:
North American Gateway Cities:
Western
Vancouver
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Seattle (Spring 2019)
Eastern (Can not be used if traveling to west coast)
Boston
Chicago
New York (JFK & EWR)
Toronto
Washington
Award Chart Links*:
Asia
Australia
Europe
India/Middle East
North America
Anyone with 90 posts and 90 days can edit the wiki. Everyone else if you want something added to the wiki please comment in the thread.
Note: Cathay flights cannot be booked using alaskaair.com. Mileage requirements in chart form available on alaskaair.com.
Request your Partner Award reservation on Cathay Pacific by calling Alaska Airlines Reservations at 1-800-252-7522 (TTY: Dial 711 for Relay Services) 5:00 a.m. - Midnight (PT), daily.
- If it's not on the award chart, it's not allowed. For example EUROPE is To/From HKG only.
- Stopover are only allowed on any CX award for North America awards as destination or origin. For instance: intra-Asia awards do not get a stopover. It must be a North America->Somewhere or Somewhere->North America award to qualify for a stopover.
- The only awards that do not break at HKG are intra-Asia or North American ones. For instance, Australia-Europe/Middle East/Asia outside of HKG will be two awards (breaking at HKG). The AS award chart can be misleading about this and give you the impression you can fly an award like Australia/Europe-ICN, but the chart for these award types will show "Hong Kong".
- One stop-over allowed on one way award. You can build open jaw and other advanced routings by booking multiple one way awards. Please note change fee rule below.
- Allegedly stop-over only in Hong Kong, but some have posted success in other enroute cities such as YVR or SEA.
- As of 5 June 2018 changes/cancellations made to a booking will incur a $125 fee which is waived for MVPG/MVPG75K. Bookings made prior to 5 June will be allowed one complimentary change or cancellation for up to 60 days prior to date of travel.
- Awards can be booked 330 days in advance.
- Cathay and Alaska (or an Alaska flight operated by SkyWest/Horizon on behalf of Alaska) are the only airlines allowed on a Cathay award. No other partner airlines may be used on a single award (e.g. American, JAL, Emirates).
North American Gateway Cities:
Western
Vancouver
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Seattle (Spring 2019)
Eastern (Can not be used if traveling to west coast)
Boston
Chicago
New York (JFK & EWR)
Toronto
Washington
Award Chart Links*:
Asia
Australia
Europe
India/Middle East
North America
Anyone with 90 posts and 90 days can edit the wiki. Everyone else if you want something added to the wiki please comment in the thread.
Cathay Pacific (CX) Award Redemption, Booking and Availability – 2017 and Later
May 17, 2017, 8:48 pm
#631
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,053
It's entirely up to you. NH is hardly a hardship and neither is sitting in CX regional J for the four hours to HKG. If I were you it would all be up to optimizing long term use of my points across the various programs so that none go to waste. One other thing.... I assume you are on the 6am NH flight out of SIN. That means out of bed in the middle of the night. CX is likely to have a much more civilized departure time... either ~10am or ~12:30pm depending on which flight you are able to get from HKG to JFK.
May 17, 2017, 8:56 pm
#632
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,272
It's entirely up to you. NH is hardly a hardship and neither is sitting in CX regional J for the four hours to HKG. If I were you it would all be up to optimizing long term use of my points across the various programs so that none go to waste. One other thing.... I assume you are on the 6am NH flight out of SIN. That means out of bed in the middle of the night. CX is likely to have a much more civilized departure time... either ~10am or ~12:30pm depending on which flight you are able to get from HKG to JFK.
May 18, 2017, 3:20 am
#633
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: The Internet
Programs: Alaska Mileage Plan
Posts: 714
Yes, it is silly. Cathay first class is nice, but it's not nice enough to justify the time involved in doing this. You did really well with your redemption - enjoy it! 
Is it silly for me to switch to Cx F if it opens up for a SIN-NYC flight with layover in HKG if I already have a redemption on ANA F for SIN-NRT-JFK all in F with $290 in fees? I'm just wondering if CX F would be a huge step up. Obviously the first class lounges in HKG are outstanding and I was at The Pier shortly after it opened and have not found a lounge to match that anywhere yet. I used the first class ANA F lounge when I had a suites class on SQ out of Tokyo and it was nice but not near the level of the CX lounges and HKG has some great food.
May 18, 2017, 7:07 am
#634
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
Id take NH for the steak ex Japan
May 18, 2017, 8:41 am
#635
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,272
May 18, 2017, 8:54 am
#636
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,305
May 18, 2017, 9:24 am
#638
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Worldwide
Posts: 12,949
The 4 C seats on 18 Mar are definitely available as a Partner redemption -- you need to find an Agent who is able to do a Long-Sell:
[KVS Tool 8.4.7/Diamond - Awards/JL-OneWorld/US]
[KVS Tool 8.4.7/Diamond - Awards/JL-OneWorld/US]
[KVS Tool 8.4.7/Diamond - Awards/JL-OneWorld/US]
Code:
HKG Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok Intl HK [VHHH] YYZ Toronto Lester B Pearson Intl ON CA [CYYZ] SAT 17 Mar 2018 Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C St Award Availability --------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ------------------ CX 826 HKG 18:15 YTO 21:10 77W 0 CS0 YS0
Code:
HKG Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok Intl HK [VHHH] YYZ Toronto Lester B Pearson Intl ON CA [CYYZ] SUN 18 Mar 2018 Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C St Award Availability --------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ------------------ CX 828 HKG 10:40 YTO 13:30 77W 0 CS4 YS0 CX 826 HKG 18:15 YTO 21:10 77W 0 CS0 YS0
May 18, 2017, 1:00 pm
#639
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
May 19, 2017, 4:18 am
#640
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: BNE
Programs: QF,US,ANA
Posts: 323
I would like to book a EWR-SEA (stop) LAX-HKG-SYD award , I would like to book the EWR-SEA Alaska leg as soon as my dates are available , will I be able to add the CX legs at a week later after the CX awards open up or would I have to book it all at once ?
May 19, 2017, 4:43 am
#641
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,536
The answer is yes. However, CX awards are released before the AS booking window opens, so not sure why this is an issue. CX award will be hanging out there for three weeks, during which time their members (and BA members) are free to grab it. Then it's AS' turn after that.
May 19, 2017, 1:16 pm
#642
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: PBI
Programs: AS MVP 75K, DL PM
Posts: 248
Can you book a mixed F-J award? e.x. JFK-HKG (F)-SIN (J).
What will it price at the F award pricing?
What will it price at the F award pricing?
May 19, 2017, 1:33 pm
#643
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,053
Very (very [very]) occasionally CX will swap in a 777 with an F cabin on the HKG-SIN route but it is very very rare. If it does then you will not get to sit in F unless you have your ticket reissued. If you are going to get all depressed because you paid for F and can't sit in F in the (very unlikely) event that CX does swap in an aircraft with an F cabin then set up an equipment change alert on ExpertFlyer.
Did I put in enough qualifiers there to convey just how rare this is... over the next 2 weeks only CX 735 on May 27th is flying with an F cabin. That is like 1 flight out of 100... and yes it is available for sale as an award... but CX could do an equipment swap in the next 7 days and take away the F cabin.
DAK
May 20, 2017, 11:11 pm
#644
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 454
I need some last minute F award help! Alright, here are the facts:
- Flight (HKG-US) is less than 48 hours out
- F = 5 on ExpertFlyer, Business Class looks open, and even has available award inventory
- I begin my outbound journey in around 6 hours from TLV.
I'm trying to upgrade into F to sit with my companion, who is already in F. When things look this open, should I expect them to release seats within 24 hours of the flight, and if my outbound has already begun, will they be able to change mid-journey? We'll check both bags under the F passenger if that makes a difference. Thanks!
- Flight (HKG-US) is less than 48 hours out
- F = 5 on ExpertFlyer, Business Class looks open, and even has available award inventory
- I begin my outbound journey in around 6 hours from TLV.
I'm trying to upgrade into F to sit with my companion, who is already in F. When things look this open, should I expect them to release seats within 24 hours of the flight, and if my outbound has already begun, will they be able to change mid-journey? We'll check both bags under the F passenger if that makes a difference. Thanks!
May 21, 2017, 6:26 am
#645
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
The answer is yes. However, CX awards are released before the AS booking window opens, so not sure why this is an issue. CX award will be hanging out there for three weeks, during which time their members (and BA members) are free to grab it. Then it's AS' turn after that.