Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - CX/MPC: misplaced loyalty?

Hi,

I typically travel JFK/HKG two or three times a year, plus a very small amount of short-haul travels. So far I have been booking all my trans-pacific travels with CX, and banking all of my miles with MPC/AM.

Recently, however, I've been re-thinking this approach. My travel patterns mean I'll be at most SL with the Marco Polo Club. On the other hand, I could have booked the same trans-pacific flights with AA, bank my miles with AA, and easily achieve AAdvantage Platinum (OW Sapphire). Seems like the only downside is the fact that AA miles can't be used for upgrade awards on these CX flights, albeit they are code-shared - but seriously, with the introduction of Y+, it's not like Asiamiles are worth all that much in the upgrade award department.

By abandoning CX/MPC and directing all my trans-pacific travels to AA, I get marginally better treatment on CX (OW Sapphire > MPC SL), somewhat better treatment on OW airlines (Sapphire vs Ruby), and significantly better treatment on AA. Emotional ties aside (CX being my home carrier and all), it seems like my loyalty with CX is a bit misplaced and no longer makes economic sense. If you were in my shoes, would you ditch MPC?

However, during irregularities, MPC "elite" members clearly get priority treatment. I've experienced it several times myself, during snow storms at PVG in 2008 as well as the 2010 snow chaos at LHR etc.

CX (and KA) ground staff are some of the best in the industry, IMHO, and contribute greatly to the whole flying experience.

Note that many fares on CX do not earn you miles on AAdvantage so you'd have to book the AA codeshares which are generally more expensive than CX.

I agree it is a lot easier to earn status on AA (bar a lot lower than MPC), but BA offers more value for points for short-haul redemptions within Asia. I suppose you're based @ JFK and I'm not sure how are AA redemptions on BA's system. At least ex-HKG, BA's engine is quite good at finding redemption availability at lower prices than MPC.

However, during irregularities, MPC "elite" members clearly get priority treatment. I've experienced it several times myself, during snow storms at PVG in 2008 as well as the 2010 snow chaos at LHR etc.

CX (and KA) ground staff are some of the best in the industry, IMHO, and contribute greatly to the whole flying experience.

+1 to that. I've experienced IRROPS twice in the past two years with CX as a SL (one was during the Hurricane Irene fiasco two summers ago, and another was just a misconnect due to a delayed inbound), and both times the service from the CX ground staff was exemplary, even as a "lowly" SL. The amazing customer service they give to their own elite members (above OW elites) during these times of inconvenience is, IMHO, what sets CX apart from other carriers and what keeps me loyal to them.

OP - this is my 2 cents.

1. For OW systemwide, having OW Sapphire is always better than OW Ruby.

2. CX does treat its own elites better than other OW elites, especially with AA.

3. AA has a better mileage program than CX (like mileage expiration, earning opportunities, elite benefits, etc.)

If you need help to overcome the fare issue, I have one word for you - Costco.

for what its worth, WSJ is reporting devaluation of "silver" tiers but compensated by improved experience as "gold/Platinum" type of elite status:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444900304577577270459692532.html?m od=WSJAsia_hpp_MIDDLE_Video_second

in my view OW Saphire is a lot more valuable than CX Silver... remind you CX silver = OW Nobody in grand scheme of things.

Remember, even having OW Emerald on another OW carrier is not going to get you that cheapie economy class seat on CX during holiday travels if the flight is sold out !

MPC GO and DM members know what I mean. :p

MPC GO and DM members know what I mean. :p

Yep..this benefit saves me a couple thousand usd per year esp. during summer and xmas season flights.

Since many are speaking from the top end seeing some prior perk devalued over time, a view from the bottom tier:

I've never been anything more than CX SL. I've had the SQ and UA lowest tiers before that. Both were just useless nameplates, but not the CX one.

MPC Silver is a very visible tier in itself to a nobody used to being a nobody elsewhere. Priority tagging, J checkin and lounge access are perks I didn't imagine, coming to CX after being jaded with SQ. Not just that, but multiple instances of recognition by name and handwritten card, as well as transpac op-ups. My travel profile is typically two long-hauls a year, which keeps me in SL.

Unless they start devaluing MPC levels down to tightfisted SQ Krisflyer standards, I'll continue to consider MPC a very good program and SL in particular probably the best starting tier (GR doesn't count) of any prominent FFP out there.

MPC Silver is a very visible tier in itself to a nobody used to being a nobody elsewhere. Priority tagging, J checkin and lounge access are perks I didn't imagine, coming to CX after being jaded with SQ. Not just that, but multiple instances of recognition by name and handwritten card, as well as transpac op-ups. My travel profile is typically two long-hauls a year, which keeps me in SL.

Unless they start devaluing MPC levels down to tightfisted SQ Krisflyer standards, I'll continue to consider MPC a very good program and SL in particular probably the best starting tier (GR doesn't count) of any prominent FFP out there.

All valid points. I think CX Silver is one of the best intro-level elite statuses out there w/ lounge access, priority bags and J lines. Esp given the recent upgrade to the J side of the Wing.

Of the HK-based friends/colleagues I know who only fly regionally, a number of them (former GR members who got the elite bug, none of whom know what FT is) were thrilled to make SL because that entitles them to lounge access. Before when they could care less which airline they booked, now they actively book CX to keep their SL status. The irony is these guys very high income levels, yet something stupid enough as getting J lounge access, even if it's only 4 or 5 times a year, made them like kids in a candy shop when they first hit SL. They love CX. And now that they like SL, it has turned into a drug and they're trying to get to GO. Mileage programs are seriously addictive.

thanks everyone for the insightful responses.

However, during irregularities, MPC "elite" members clearly get priority treatment. I've experienced it several times myself, during snow storms at PVG in 2008 as well as the 2010 snow chaos at LHR etc.

CX (and KA) ground staff are some of the best in the industry, IMHO, and contribute greatly to the whole flying experience.

My only IRROP experience was when Hurricane Irene hit the US last summer. That's when I first realized the superiority of Marco Polo customer service: while the general CX line caved under the massive call volumes, I was able to get connected on the Marco Polo line after a somewhat short wait.

Note that many fares on CX do not earn you miles on AAdvantage so you'd have to book the AA codeshares which are generally more expensive than CX.

You're right. Just did some research on this. Looks like when booking as AA code-shares, even for the same flight, AA's website would always force you to buy at least one or two fare classes above what CX.com offers (when CX offers M, AA would offer H). Now the fare codes may or may not be directly comparable, but the outcome is that the AA fare is always higher, sometimes by a lot ($1606 USD on CX vs $2177 on AA for one of the flights I tried).

In that case staying with CX makes sense. Otherwise it means overpaying by a couple hundred USD every time.


If you need help to overcome the fare issue, I have one word for you - Costco.

are you just kidding, or is there really a way to get discounted AA fares via Costco? Sorry, couldn't tell :)


I've never been anything more than CX SL. I've had the SQ and UA lowest tiers before that. Both were just useless nameplates, but not the CX one.

My travel profile is typically two long-hauls a year, which keeps me in SL.

I think our travel profiles are quite similar - we fly enough to consistently maintain SL, but (frustratingly) not enough to reach GO. Fully agree that all SL perks are useful (J check-in actually saved my behind a couple times, when I arrived late at the airport for some OW flights and faced a ridiculous Y check-in line). I was just wondering if one could do better with OW Sapphire instead:

1. various AA platinum perks
2. marginally higher priority on CX op-up pecking order
3. +1 guest to CX lounge
4. access to other OW lounges

From a pure CX perspective, the only added benefits are #2 (which is almost insignificant) and #3 (could be helpful when you have travel companions). So OW Sapphire is kind of like an SL-plus: it is still very far from GO, in the sense that it doesn't give you the most important GO benefits (Y seat guarantee and much higher op-up priority). From what people mentioned, in exchange you give up CX's dedicated treatment (e.g. during IRROP), and pay higher fare (buying CX trans-pac as AA codeshares).

I guess it might make sense for those who fly as much OW US domestic as CX trans-pac. For me I fly mostly CX trans-pac, with a little bit of OW on the side. So looks like it probably makes sense to stay on as MPC SL instead of switching to OW Sapphire.

are you just kidding, or is there really a way to get discounted AA fares via Costco? Sorry, couldn't tell :)

I am not kidding - although it might be too late...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-aadvantage/1217005-aa-gift-cards-save-10-costco-only-remaining-supply-left-phasing-out.html

Not just that, but multiple instances of recognition by name and handwritten card, as well as transpac op-ups.

How come I never get the handwritten card as a GO?

However, during irregularities, MPC "elite" members clearly get priority treatment. I've experienced it several times myself, during snow storms at PVG in 2008 as well as the 2010 snow chaos at LHR etc.

CX (and KA) ground staff are some of the best in the industry, IMHO, and contribute greatly to the whole flying experience.

You would not have been saying that if you had been at HKG 2 weeks ago along with tens of thousands of CX customers who were left to fend for themselves regardless of status

You would not have been saying that if you had been at HKG 2 weeks ago along with tens of thousands of CX customers who were left to fend for themselves regardless of status

When flights were eventually getting sorted, CX elites (some) got priority. The DM+'s you wouldn't even know about - all behind the scenes work ;)

How come I never get the handwritten card as a GO?
I got them all when I was asleep on either India-HK KA flights or on HKG-SFO. Try sleeping more, perhaps ? The HK guy - who was GR I think - seated next to me on BLR-HKG that time asked if I was DM :)

My experience as SL has been good enough that I wouldn't think of going back to SQ unless they cut and paste MPC onto Krisflyer (fat chance!) or fares were remarkably different.

I don't know how much I'd value GO. I don't do the China runs, and was recently able to snag a TPE-SFO J award for later this month without waitlisting . The only tempting thing is guaranteed seat. But overall I think I'll live a charmed life as a SL than become GO with bigger expectations and be disappointed...

+1 to that. I've experienced IRROPS twice in the past two years with CX as a SL (one was during the Hurricane Irene fiasco two summers ago, and another was just a misconnect due to a delayed inbound), and both times the service from the CX ground staff was exemplary, even as a "lowly" SL. The amazing customer service they give to their own elite members (above OW elites) during these times of inconvenience is, IMHO, what sets CX apart from other carriers and what keeps me loyal to them.

I would say SL is a crap shoot. I wasn't too impress with how CX treated SLs when I was a SL. Definitely as I am adjusting my career to have less travels in the new future I will switch to AA (assuming they are still around...)

I would say SL is a crap shoot. I wasn't too impress with how CX treated SLs when I was a SL. Definitely as I am adjusting my career to have less travels in the new future I will switch to AA (assuming they are still around...)

Makes sense, it probably isn't a good deal for JFK-based fliers like yourself. SL's benefits definitely skew heavily towards HK-based flyers, and particularly those who fly a lot of ex-HKG short-haul. The best SL benefits aren't on-board, but rather at the airport. It's a helluva deal for people who fly a lot of economy class for short-hauls on CX or KA ex-HKG (say 10-15 round-trips to China each year on KA). Definitely not as great a deal if you're based somewhere far away and do CX for long-haul only.

Imagine for each of the HK-based SL's short economy hops they still get priority check-in, priority bags and access to four of CX's HK lounges despite booking EY. Not a bad deal at all for the HK-based flier doing 15 short-haul round-trips annually in economy. Not as good for the US-based MPC SL who might only fly 3x round-trips a year to/from HKG.

Makes sense, it probably isn't a good deal for JFK-based fliers like yourself. SL's benefits definitely skew heavily towards HK-based flyers, and particularly those who fly a lot of ex-HKG short-haul. The best SL benefits aren't on-board, but rather at the airport. It's a helluva deal for people who fly a lot of economy class for short-hauls on CX or KA ex-HKG (say 10-15 round-trips to China each year on KA). Definitely not as great a deal if you're based somewhere far away and do CX for long-haul only.

Imagine for each of the HK-based SL's short economy hops they still get priority check-in, priority bags and access to four of CX's HK lounges despite booking EY. Not a bad deal at all for the HK-based flier doing 15 short-haul round-trips annually in economy. Not as good for the US-based MPC SL who might only fly 3x round-trips a year to/from HKG.

As a SL who does 2-3x long-haul a year US-Asia and the odd OW flight here and there, I would say SL is definitely a great deal for what it is, an entry-level elite tier. You can't compare it to the likes of GO and DM, but getting lounge access and priority baggage for 30K miles a year definitely sets it apart from most other entry-level tiers, such as BA and AA which offer only priority check-in, and, worse, SQ, with *no* tangible airport benefits. And in times of IRROPS, as I've mentioned before, CX has treated me very well. YMMV in those situations, but for me CX has always been a winner during times of uncertainty/chaos.