Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - Marco Polo Club and the All Asia Pass

I have bought an ALL ASIA PASS for my Dad and he is planning to visit a bunch of counties (Korea, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnan) during the month of September.

He is not an experienced traveller.

The All Asia Pass does not allow advance seat requests and seat assignments are made at the time of check-in.

I have been told that Marco Polo Club members have their own check-in counter and I was wondering if it is worth the $50 membership fee to make the seven or so check-ins less of a hassel. Also, is there a special Marco Polo check-in desk at all airports? How about the transfer desk in HKG?

Are there any other advantages/disadvantages of spending the $50?

If you bought this All Asia Pass from Australia, then your fare will allow the accrual of miles. If bought from USA/Canada, then no miles.

$50 fee is to join the Marco Polo Club which will permit advanced seat selection but it does not have a counter of its own until your dad reaches SILVER level which requires 30K miles a year... and eventually lounge access on CX flights as well.

For some, advance seat assignment is crucial to a comfortable flight. For some, no. The choice is up to you.

Read this for more info: http://www.cathaytalk.com/showthread.php?t=164

I don't know if the pass accrues Asiamiles and MPC status. If the only benefit you get from the USD 50 fee is access to the MPC check-in line, then I suspect it is better to spend that money on drinks at an airport bar. Maybe I'm spoiled as I only use the F check-in desk, but it seems that CX is pretty well staffed and the lines for check-in are not so long (like some other airlines with their huge lines).

I don't know if the pass accrues Asiamiles and MPC status. If the only benefit you get from the USD 50 fee is access to the MPC check-in line, then I suspect it is better to spend that money on drinks at an airport bar. Maybe I'm spoiled as I only use the F check-in desk, but it seems that CX is pretty well staffed and the lines for check-in are not so long (like some other airlines with their huge lines).

If OP bought this airpass from Australia: For one low airfare, which includes your return travel from Australia to Hong Kong, our Asia Passport airfare offers you the flexibility to visit as many as 4 cities from a choice of 47 Asian destinations in the Cathay Pacific, Dragonair, China Eastern, China Southern and Air China networks, in Economy or Business Class*.

Are you a member of Asia Miles? ...then sit back and relax, because you’ll also earn Asia Miles on all Cathay Pacific flights on your Asia Passport airfare. Or you can use your membership of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program to earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points on all Cathay Pacific flights.

http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_AU/offerspromotions/offerdetails?refID=1d7b0d0180b5b010VgnVCM10000021d 21c39____

Joining the MPC entitles you to select seats in advance. There will be a desk that says "For Marco Polo members" but generally this is for SILVER and above members. But no one would specifically kick you out of line if you show up and is just basic Green.

$50 fee is to join the Marco Polo Club which will permit advanced seat selection but it does not have a counter of its own until your dad reaches SILVER level which requires 30K miles a year... and eventually lounge access on CX flights as well.



For Economy class, Green MPC members can reserve seats ONLY when their booking classes are Y or B. (ie not H,K,M, L, V ...etc...)

For special check-in counter, Green members can check-in at counter that has "Macro-Polo Club" sign. But Green members can NOT check-in at "Business Class" signed counter.

http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_INTL/ffp/mpo/benefits

For Economy class, Green MPC members can reserve seats ONLY when their booking classes are Y or B. (ie not H,K,M, L, V ...etc...)
http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_INTL/ffp/mpo/benefits


I'm Green, and can reserve seats in cheaper fare classes. I think someone posted a link that conditions for advanced seat selection, which I believe is also available to non-MP members in published fare classes.