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
So yes, you can do 2F far out.
Jan 20, 2017, 2:01 pm
#92
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 794
BA, AA all showed 1F, 4J. Had 2 separate F bookings but wanting to change the date to this flight because it's closer to the date we want. 1 booking confirmed to F, the other one is J but with F waitlisted. 2 days after the change, the second one is confirmed to F. At this point, AS reissue both tickets. So yes, it's possible to book 2 F far in advance with CX if the agent is willing and of course CX is willing to release to the waitlist that far in advance.
Jan 20, 2017, 2:14 pm
#93
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2006
Location: DTW, but drive to/from YYZ/ORD
Programs: Chase Ultimate Rewards 2MM, Diner Club points
Posts: 31,895
Jan 20, 2017, 4:17 pm
#95
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2006
Location: DTW, but drive to/from YYZ/ORD
Programs: Chase Ultimate Rewards 2MM, Diner Club points
Posts: 31,895
Jan 20, 2017, 4:49 pm
#96
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,534
No, doesn't look like CX is releasing it as it would normally. This is not a close-in booking.
BA, AA all showed 1F, 4J. Had 2 separate F bookings but wanting to change the date to this flight because it's closer to the date we want. 1 booking confirmed to F, the other one is J but with F waitlisted. 2 days after the change, the second one is confirmed to F. At this point, AS reissue both tickets. So yes, it's possible to book 2 F far in advance with CX if the agent is willing and of course CX is willing to release to the waitlist that far in advance.
BA, AA all showed 1F, 4J. Had 2 separate F bookings but wanting to change the date to this flight because it's closer to the date we want. 1 booking confirmed to F, the other one is J but with F waitlisted. 2 days after the change, the second one is confirmed to F. At this point, AS reissue both tickets. So yes, it's possible to book 2 F far in advance with CX if the agent is willing and of course CX is willing to release to the waitlist that far in advance.
Perhaps it's because you had an F award already and wanted to change date? In my case I have J but want to get F on same flight/date.
Thanks for your input and effort - jamie
Jan 20, 2017, 7:31 pm
#97
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 3,693
I spoke with two agents who both claimed to be able to directly access the partner desk. Yet they couldn't see HKG-LAX on one day where BA showed 3 J seats and HKG-LAX on another day where BA showed 2 J seats. (They can see PY availability on those flights.) Update: Tried a 3rd date where BA is showing 3 J seats, and still nothing. They appear not to be able to see any of the flights departing late-afternoon and evening.
Would it help to call back after a couple of days? Any suggestions?
Would it help to call back after a couple of days? Any suggestions?
Do we know for sure that CX doesn't give AS a separate fare bucket than oneworld partners, as in the case that Aer Lingus gives different availability to UA than BA (which seems well established)?
Jan 20, 2017, 8:34 pm
#98
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 794
I just asked them to change the date and willing to downgrade from F to J. Nothing else. All the extra legwork are done by the agent. It just means they can do it. Don't know how they were able to do it which is why it's a surprise.
Jan 20, 2017, 9:06 pm
#99
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: Kettle Class
Posts: 796
Same experience with PEY awards on CX. Could not select seats until check in opened at 48h. Calling them did not yield any more favorable outcome.
Are there non-obvious rules about seat assignments in premium economy? I booked a one-way on CX in premium economy (T class, according to both AS and CX's sites), and the CX website won't let me pick a seat, even though it says
Do I just need to call Cathay, or do they not do seat assignments for non-J/F awards?
On the plus side, I got a stopover in SEA with no hassle.
Do I just need to call Cathay, or do they not do seat assignments for non-J/F awards?
On the plus side, I got a stopover in SEA with no hassle.
Jan 21, 2017, 12:12 pm
#100
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: AA MM PP, MR LT Plat, Globalist
Posts: 999
AS has a flawed process and system
They were finally able to "see" the J seats so I changed my booking again. They took a whole week to ticket. During that time, CX.com was giving a warning that the reservation wasn't ticketed. Also, AS.com was still showing my old AS ticket number.
Now the AS agent says there were some difficulties but the reservation is ticketed. However, the ticket number is no longer showing on the AS confirmation page. Last three times, AS agent told me I will get a confirmation email showing the flight changes. But I never got any confirmation email after the first one.
Now, Alaska's whole clumsy process leaves me with little faith that my reservation won't be canceled by accident. I had a tough time getting these seats on JNB-HKG-LAX, so would appreciate any advice:
- Does it look like they ticketed my reservation correctly?
- How do I auto-track my booking for next 10 months to alert me if something goes awry?
Now the AS agent says there were some difficulties but the reservation is ticketed. However, the ticket number is no longer showing on the AS confirmation page. Last three times, AS agent told me I will get a confirmation email showing the flight changes. But I never got any confirmation email after the first one.
Now, Alaska's whole clumsy process leaves me with little faith that my reservation won't be canceled by accident. I had a tough time getting these seats on JNB-HKG-LAX, so would appreciate any advice:
- Does it look like they ticketed my reservation correctly?
- How do I auto-track my booking for next 10 months to alert me if something goes awry?
Jan 21, 2017, 12:57 pm
#101
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,381
How on earth can you know if you don't have the ticket numbers? Get them, if you have to call AS. Get the CX PNR. Then you should see things in CX's system or CheckMyTrip.com.
Jan 21, 2017, 3:20 pm
#102
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: YVR, KUL
Programs: AC, MH, BA, AF-KL
Posts: 2,903
Is CX particularly stingy with YVR-HKG space, or are they all snapped up quickly? Checking 331 days out and there's nothing, but plenty out of LAX/SFO/JFK
Jan 21, 2017, 5:05 pm
#103
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: AA MM PP, MR LT Plat, Globalist
Posts: 999
When I went to my AS reservation page, the CX Confirmation Code is also now gone. Seems like someone at AS missed something. How do I auto-track this booking now to make sure it doesn't get canceled later on?
Jan 22, 2017, 10:17 am
#104
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,381
All of those markets have more daily frequencies than YVR, while YVR punches well above weight due to HK expats, so yes, YVR is a more difficult get.
Jan 22, 2017, 12:24 pm
#105
Join Date: May 2003
Location: PDX USA
Programs: AS MVPG, AA, BA, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold, Hyatt Platinum, IHG, Hertz 5*
Posts: 690
In short, it's a 10k mileage gamble.