Nov 19, 2014, 9:27 am
Last edit by: Prospero
Awards: All Cathay Pacific / CX (Including First and Business Class)
Questions, Availability, Discussion
NOTE: Multiple reports starting in June 2021 that CX is allowing only a 24 hour hold and could cancel reservations not being ticketed beyond 24 hours.
Please feel free to use this thread for questions regarding CX Economy, Premium Economy, First and Business Class award redemption using AAdvantage miles, as well as questions regarding award availability, routings and related issues. Please go to the Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Forum to discuss or ask about meals, equipment, service, etc. on CX, as there is an existing wealth of information there - and this is the American Airlines AAdvantage Forum
.
AA Flight award chart for oneworld® and partner airlines
Other related threads that may be of interest:
FT Discrepancy between CX Award Search and AA availability: Discrepancy between QF and CX award search and AA availability
FT How , When to Select CX Seats on CX Award: How / when to select seat on a Cathay (CX) award / flight (consolidated)
FT Cathay Pacific Experience - Seats / Interline/ Baggage FAQs: Cathay Pacific Experience / Seats / Interline / Baggage FAQs
Also, for Rules about awards, see AA oneworld and Other Airline Partner Award information, rules (2015 on).
Expert Advice:
Only "MileSAAver" awards apply to oneworld and AA partners.
Premium Economy seats are not available with AAdvantage awards, may be soon as AA sells Premium Economy Feb 2017.
Be aware that what you see on the BA, JL, or QF sites may not be visible to the AA reservations folks. You may want to note the flight on which the F award seat is shown as "available" on those sites and if the AA agent doesn't see any availability suggest that the AA agent check that specific one again. If the AA agent still cannot see it, thank them, hang up, and call back a little later.
Sometimes CX will make flights available for award booking to CX frequent flyers, but not release the seats immediately for other oneworld frequent flyers. Usually though, the seats, if not taken by CX frequent flyers, are released after a while to other OW programs.
Although CX may release seats for award earlier, AA can book them no more than 331 days prior to departure. The awards that CX does release are available as early as 355 days prior to departure for CX and BA frequent fliers, and sometimes that means the awards you want w AA miles will be snatched up prior to the 331 day mark.
*** AA does not have a set schedule to load flights. They can load it anytime after midnight 331 days out. Most of the time it is within a couple to 12 hours of that. Other times, it can be a full day or a day and a half afterwards, especially on the weekends where there's most variability. Unlike JL award space, it is not a specific time of day.
4Keep in mind that when booking eastbound space to North America that it's one day later in HKG so that space usually becomes available 330 days in advance to North America; this is not always true, since CX has already loaded the availability a month prior to AA - it is just up to AA to load and release the seats on SABRE, so it typically ends up being 330 days out, but not necessarily.
Similarly... if you are trying to book westbound, US->HKG->Somewhere then AA may not be able to book the HKG->Somewhere segment 331 days in advance of the US->HKG flight, if it is still 332 days out in HKG. As it is the flights from US->HKG that are hardest to get, if you find a seat US->HKG at the 331 day mark when it is first available for booking through AA but cannot book the continuation, you can just put that US->HKG segment on hold with AA, then call back the next day when connecting flights will be loaded into the system to try to book the onward flight from HKG.
AA does not charge "YQ" surcharges [what they sometimes call "fuel surcharge"] on CX award segments (BA Avios does), thus the taxes and fees on your "free" ticket on CX or KA are almost always significantly less than for the same routing on BA.
There is a Hong Kong Departure Tax (HK) of $120 HKD (approx $15.50 USD) on every segment departing Hong Kong. Exemptions apply. If your ticket includes this tax and you qualify for an exemption, a refund can be applied for either in person at HKIA landside or via post to Civil Aviation Department. AA charges this tax for children under 12 years of age despite the exemption. In order to obtain a cash refund at HKIA, you will need passenger passport, passenger boarding pass, passenger ticket receipt showing the fare calculation line which will show the HK tax being charged. This receipt can be obtained at any AA counter worldwide including HKIA as well as Airport Express in-town check-in (AA check-in). As the AA counter at HKIA operates only during limited hours, Airport Express in-town check-in would be the the convenient option.
Not all CX flights offer First class; CX Business is markedly different on long haul and regionally configured aircraft.
If you're looking for multiple seats in First on a particular flight but can find only some but not all that you're looking for, take what's available in F, then take the rest of the seats you want on J (if available) on the same flight, and check back periodically to see if an F seat has opened up for award. There is no additional charge (in money, although there will be in miles) to change to an award to a higher cabin of service (e.g., J to F, Y to F, Y to J) as long as the award keeps the same origin/destination airports.
Be aware your award must conform to some rules on a) MPM (Maximum Permitted Mileage - your award routing can not exceed 125% of the most direct routing available); a useful tool is Great Circle Mapper.
The Most Significant Carrier (transpacific usually, CX in most of these posts,) must offer a non-"constructed" fare between your origin and destination (you might find an unconstructed fare between DFW and SIN, but might not from Killeen to SIN).
If you can't pick your CX seats online, either due to them being blocked or you just want to call, you need to first get the CX PNR from AAdvantage at 1-800-882-8880. Then call CX at 1-800-233-2742. Some seats that are blocked on CX website are assignable via AA reservations. Close to departure AA can even assign 2A, 2K.
Note: if the Cathay Manage booking tool doesn't appear to recognize your CX PNR, you need to enter your first name AND middle name, separated by a space, in the "First Name" field.
AAward bookings containing CX flights that are put on hold will be restricted to only 24hrs, not the usual 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the patterns for west coast routes?
Because LAX has 4 daily flights to HKG, it tends to be the easiest option for blocks of 3 or more J award seats. SFO and YVR only have 2 daily flights and even if 5 award seats were initially released at 355 days prior to departure, some of those may be gone by the time the 331 day mark rolls around. If you need 4 or 5 J award seats on these west coast routes, either use Avios to book at 355 days or consider routing through LAX where there may still be availability at 331 days out.
Can I visit my companion in First Class if I'm in Business Class?
"Up-cabin visits" are not permitted per CX policy, though have been granted under special circumstances. But putting crew in the awkward position of being asked to violate policy is generally frowned upon. Down-cabin visits are permitted ex-USA. However, on flights to the USA, down-cabin visits are not permitted and this rule is vigorously enforced.
Posts made in 2017 may be read in ARCHIVE: 2017 AA Awards in Cathay Pacific / CX, KA...
Posts made in 2016 may be read in ARCHIVE: AA Awards on Cathay Pacific (2016).
Posts made in 2015 may be read in ARCHIVE: AA Awards on Cathay Pacific (2015).
Posts made in 2014 may be read in ARCHIVE: Awards: CX / Cathay Pacific / (inc. F and J) - 2014.
N.B. Older posts have been moved and archived to: Cathay Pacific / CX (inc. First and Business Class) award - ARCHIVED.
Questions, Availability, Discussion
NOTE: Multiple reports starting in June 2021 that CX is allowing only a 24 hour hold and could cancel reservations not being ticketed beyond 24 hours.
Please feel free to use this thread for questions regarding CX Economy, Premium Economy, First and Business Class award redemption using AAdvantage miles, as well as questions regarding award availability, routings and related issues. Please go to the Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Forum to discuss or ask about meals, equipment, service, etc. on CX, as there is an existing wealth of information there - and this is the American Airlines AAdvantage Forum
.AA Flight award chart for oneworld® and partner airlines
Other related threads that may be of interest:
FT Discrepancy between CX Award Search and AA availability: Discrepancy between QF and CX award search and AA availability
FT How , When to Select CX Seats on CX Award: How / when to select seat on a Cathay (CX) award / flight (consolidated)
FT Cathay Pacific Experience - Seats / Interline/ Baggage FAQs: Cathay Pacific Experience / Seats / Interline / Baggage FAQs
Also, for Rules about awards, see AA oneworld and Other Airline Partner Award information, rules (2015 on).
Expert Advice:
Only "MileSAAver" awards apply to oneworld and AA partners.
Premium Economy seats are not available with AAdvantage awards, may be soon as AA sells Premium Economy Feb 2017.
Be aware that what you see on the BA, JL, or QF sites may not be visible to the AA reservations folks. You may want to note the flight on which the F award seat is shown as "available" on those sites and if the AA agent doesn't see any availability suggest that the AA agent check that specific one again. If the AA agent still cannot see it, thank them, hang up, and call back a little later.
Sometimes CX will make flights available for award booking to CX frequent flyers, but not release the seats immediately for other oneworld frequent flyers. Usually though, the seats, if not taken by CX frequent flyers, are released after a while to other OW programs.
Although CX may release seats for award earlier, AA can book them no more than 331 days prior to departure. The awards that CX does release are available as early as 355 days prior to departure for CX and BA frequent fliers, and sometimes that means the awards you want w AA miles will be snatched up prior to the 331 day mark.
*** AA does not have a set schedule to load flights. They can load it anytime after midnight 331 days out. Most of the time it is within a couple to 12 hours of that. Other times, it can be a full day or a day and a half afterwards, especially on the weekends where there's most variability. Unlike JL award space, it is not a specific time of day.
4Keep in mind that when booking eastbound space to North America that it's one day later in HKG so that space usually becomes available 330 days in advance to North America; this is not always true, since CX has already loaded the availability a month prior to AA - it is just up to AA to load and release the seats on SABRE, so it typically ends up being 330 days out, but not necessarily.
Similarly... if you are trying to book westbound, US->HKG->Somewhere then AA may not be able to book the HKG->Somewhere segment 331 days in advance of the US->HKG flight, if it is still 332 days out in HKG. As it is the flights from US->HKG that are hardest to get, if you find a seat US->HKG at the 331 day mark when it is first available for booking through AA but cannot book the continuation, you can just put that US->HKG segment on hold with AA, then call back the next day when connecting flights will be loaded into the system to try to book the onward flight from HKG.
AA does not charge "YQ" surcharges [what they sometimes call "fuel surcharge"] on CX award segments (BA Avios does), thus the taxes and fees on your "free" ticket on CX or KA are almost always significantly less than for the same routing on BA.
There is a Hong Kong Departure Tax (HK) of $120 HKD (approx $15.50 USD) on every segment departing Hong Kong. Exemptions apply. If your ticket includes this tax and you qualify for an exemption, a refund can be applied for either in person at HKIA landside or via post to Civil Aviation Department. AA charges this tax for children under 12 years of age despite the exemption. In order to obtain a cash refund at HKIA, you will need passenger passport, passenger boarding pass, passenger ticket receipt showing the fare calculation line which will show the HK tax being charged. This receipt can be obtained at any AA counter worldwide including HKIA as well as Airport Express in-town check-in (AA check-in). As the AA counter at HKIA operates only during limited hours, Airport Express in-town check-in would be the the convenient option.
Not all CX flights offer First class; CX Business is markedly different on long haul and regionally configured aircraft.
If you're looking for multiple seats in First on a particular flight but can find only some but not all that you're looking for, take what's available in F, then take the rest of the seats you want on J (if available) on the same flight, and check back periodically to see if an F seat has opened up for award. There is no additional charge (in money, although there will be in miles) to change to an award to a higher cabin of service (e.g., J to F, Y to F, Y to J) as long as the award keeps the same origin/destination airports.
Be aware your award must conform to some rules on a) MPM (Maximum Permitted Mileage - your award routing can not exceed 125% of the most direct routing available); a useful tool is Great Circle Mapper.
The Most Significant Carrier (transpacific usually, CX in most of these posts,) must offer a non-"constructed" fare between your origin and destination (you might find an unconstructed fare between DFW and SIN, but might not from Killeen to SIN).
If you can't pick your CX seats online, either due to them being blocked or you just want to call, you need to first get the CX PNR from AAdvantage at 1-800-882-8880. Then call CX at 1-800-233-2742. Some seats that are blocked on CX website are assignable via AA reservations. Close to departure AA can even assign 2A, 2K.
Note: if the Cathay Manage booking tool doesn't appear to recognize your CX PNR, you need to enter your first name AND middle name, separated by a space, in the "First Name" field.
AAward bookings containing CX flights that are put on hold will be restricted to only 24hrs, not the usual 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the patterns for west coast routes?
Because LAX has 4 daily flights to HKG, it tends to be the easiest option for blocks of 3 or more J award seats. SFO and YVR only have 2 daily flights and even if 5 award seats were initially released at 355 days prior to departure, some of those may be gone by the time the 331 day mark rolls around. If you need 4 or 5 J award seats on these west coast routes, either use Avios to book at 355 days or consider routing through LAX where there may still be availability at 331 days out.
Can I visit my companion in First Class if I'm in Business Class?
"Up-cabin visits" are not permitted per CX policy, though have been granted under special circumstances. But putting crew in the awkward position of being asked to violate policy is generally frowned upon. Down-cabin visits are permitted ex-USA. However, on flights to the USA, down-cabin visits are not permitted and this rule is vigorously enforced.
Posts made in 2017 may be read in ARCHIVE: 2017 AA Awards in Cathay Pacific / CX, KA...
Posts made in 2016 may be read in ARCHIVE: AA Awards on Cathay Pacific (2016).
Posts made in 2015 may be read in ARCHIVE: AA Awards on Cathay Pacific (2015).
Posts made in 2014 may be read in ARCHIVE: Awards: CX / Cathay Pacific / (inc. F and J) - 2014.
N.B. Older posts have been moved and archived to: Cathay Pacific / CX (inc. First and Business Class) award - ARCHIVED.
AA Award: Cathay Pacific / CX availability, etc. (2018-2022 archive)
Oct 31, 2018, 8:06 am
#676
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: New York
Programs: Marriott Gold, AA, United, Delta, Alaska
Posts: 144
If it's the latter, you won't be able to upgrade one segment and keep the other, unless the other segment still has availability in the lower class at the time of the request, since you'd effectively be creating a new booking with a new routing from a ticketing perspective.
Oct 31, 2018, 9:49 am
#677
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,453
I don't think that is true. AA allows for award ticket changes to higher class of service without a change fee. I've been able to upgrade one segment to F (of a two-segment trip) while keeping the second segment in J and keeping the same booking for the whole trip. It's taking a voluntary downgrade on the 2nd leg, but since it's a change, you're able to keep the seat of the 2nd leg without problems. There's no need to create a new booking. Of course, you're releasing the J seat of the first leg in the process.
In this case, if the OP's booking is ticketed as JFK-YVR-HKG-DPS, then it will be no problem to change class of service on the JFK-YVR without affecting anything else.
But if the OP's booking is JFK-HKG-DPS, with the JFK-YVR-HKG ticketed as a single through flight, then changing just the JFK-YVR segment will probably cause issues, i.e. they may need to drop the entire JFK-HKG through flight segment in order to split the classes of service, at which point if business award space is no longer available on YVR-HKG then you might not be able to get it back.
Oct 31, 2018, 10:02 am
#678
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: New York
Programs: Marriott Gold, AA, United, Delta, Alaska
Posts: 144
This is true but is not the same issue that dkc was talking about.
In this case, if the OP's booking is ticketed as JFK-YVR-HKG-DPS, then it will be no problem to change class of service on the JFK-YVR without affecting anything else.
But if the OP's booking is JFK-HKG-DPS, with the JFK-YVR-HKG ticketed as a single through flight, then changing just the JFK-YVR segment will probably cause issues, i.e. they may need to drop the entire JFK-HKG through flight segment in order to split the classes of service, at which point if business award space is no longer available on YVR-HKG then you might not be able to get it back.
In this case, if the OP's booking is ticketed as JFK-YVR-HKG-DPS, then it will be no problem to change class of service on the JFK-YVR without affecting anything else.
But if the OP's booking is JFK-HKG-DPS, with the JFK-YVR-HKG ticketed as a single through flight, then changing just the JFK-YVR segment will probably cause issues, i.e. they may need to drop the entire JFK-HKG through flight segment in order to split the classes of service, at which point if business award space is no longer available on YVR-HKG then you might not be able to get it back.
Oct 31, 2018, 11:34 am
#679
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 29
I've heard since AA doesn't show Cathay Pacific availability for award tickets, that the BA site does and when BA shows availability, call AA to book.
Does anyone know for sure or from experience that Cathay releases the same inventory to BA and AA at the same time?
I've been calling AA once or twice daily even when BA doesn't show coach availability and would like to know if I am wasting my time because if BA doesn't have it, AA won't either.
Thanks.
Does anyone know for sure or from experience that Cathay releases the same inventory to BA and AA at the same time?
I've been calling AA once or twice daily even when BA doesn't show coach availability and would like to know if I am wasting my time because if BA doesn't have it, AA won't either.
Thanks.
Oct 31, 2018, 11:41 am
#680
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 90
Been really frustrated with the lack of awards lately from the US to Asia on CX. Do you think I have a better chance of scoring JAL close in or has CX returned to releasing seats close to departure? I used to find 5 + seats in J within 2 weeks of travel, now not even withing 2 days! I have been checking married segments since that issue has been brought up...
Oct 31, 2018, 12:55 pm
#681
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,453
I've heard since AA doesn't show Cathay Pacific availability for award tickets, that the BA site does and when BA shows availability, call AA to book.
Does anyone know for sure or from experience that Cathay releases the same inventory to BA and AA at the same time?
I've been calling AA once or twice daily even when BA doesn't show coach availability and would like to know if I am wasting my time because if BA doesn't have it, AA won't either.
Thanks.
Does anyone know for sure or from experience that Cathay releases the same inventory to BA and AA at the same time?
I've been calling AA once or twice daily even when BA doesn't show coach availability and would like to know if I am wasting my time because if BA doesn't have it, AA won't either.
Thanks.
Oct 31, 2018, 7:34 pm
#682
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: LGA/JFK
Programs: AA PL, DL Gold, Hyatt Dia, SPG Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 220
Friends...thank you for all of your help over the last few weeks. Thankfully no need to book segments as the full thing opened this evening! We are headed to HKG in F!
Oct 31, 2018, 9:14 pm
#683
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
Been really frustrated with the lack of awards lately from the US to Asia on CX. Do you think I have a better chance of scoring JAL close in or has CX returned to releasing seats close to departure? I used to find 5 + seats in J within 2 weeks of travel, now not even withing 2 days! I have been checking married segments since that issue has been brought up...
Nov 1, 2018, 12:51 pm
#684
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,535
I would look at both CX and JL, and try to be as flexible as possible in terms of gateways (assuming that there is AA domestic availability, not always a given). In my opinion, JL J is better than CX J, unless you are on a flight with JL’s angled flat seats. As a last resort, generally there is good availability on those JL flights with angled seats (e.g., YVR).
Jamie
Nov 7, 2018, 2:03 am
#685
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: AA
Posts: 1
Just book two biz tickets (SFO-PVG) through AA on Dec 11. From what I found, Qantas is way better than the BA. BA shows 0 tickets for every single day I've tried.
Nov 8, 2018, 2:06 pm
#687
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 130
Dumb question: If CX shows flight as available (lowest award level) but BA doesn't..... is it available to AA booking or not?
Nov 8, 2018, 2:58 pm
#688
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,052
DAK
Nov 8, 2018, 8:50 pm
#689
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
Yep, CX sometimes has lowest level award level flights on its site that are not shared with partners. Need to check partner sites as mentioned, BA, QF, or JL. I have seen some CX flights (IIRC, HKG-australia) that have different availability on BA vs QF which was evidently because CX sometimes offers different inventory based on the point of sale.
Nov 8, 2018, 9:26 pm
#690
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 2,028
There’s been some discussion of this in the past few pages, but not much. It really does seem like close-in availability is nowhere near like anything even 6 months ago (even past the 6/22 changes). Looking at the next week, I see zero HKG-BOS in J or F. Same with HKG-JFK, with the exception of the occasional flight or two.
I’m all about flexibility on award tickets, but I’m just very surprised as to the stark contrast as to what it used to be. I’ve flown to/from Asia countless times over the years without a return flight booked. Now, I’m a little nervous to do that...
I’m all about flexibility on award tickets, but I’m just very surprised as to the stark contrast as to what it used to be. I’ve flown to/from Asia countless times over the years without a return flight booked. Now, I’m a little nervous to do that...