ashsong

http://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/sc_C....html?switch=Y

How I wish I have a Visa Platinum or Visa Infinite card... (Visa Signature not supported).

Apparently, if you have one of these, there is an additional 5~8% discount on the already cheap I fares. It even works on the 70th anniversary fares discussed here.

There is an extra 15,000 asia miles for I class bookings, on top of the am and cp included in the fare.

This is 3,000 am for PEY. If a trip in PEY is booked towards literally any international destinations, the domestic leg will be upgraded to J class too.

The catch?

The visa plat/infinite card has to be issued in mainland China...

Visa issues infinite cards in these 7 banks only [LINK]

I'd most certainly not be able to get an invite...

My only hope is HSBC CN, which is launching its premier credit card in China hopefully in the last quarter of this year.

sscywong

So CX management really think that once they tried flying with CX / KA J/PEY the PRC passengers will stick with CX/KA?

"Too simple, always naive"...

ashsong

Assuming a trip as follows:

PEK-HKG-JFK-HKG-PEK

booked in I class with the 70th anniversary fare.

The original price is CNY 17,080.

With visa platinum discount, this would be CNY 16,226.

The club points would be 25+100+100+25=250.

The asiamiles would be:
Base mile: 1546+10074+10074+1546=23240
Bonus mile: 15000
Credit card spending mile conversion: 2704 (conservative assumption of CNY 6 = 1 mile)

Total miles earned: 38240



With only CNY 16,226, you can get
1. 250 club points, which is almost green to silver.
2. 38240 asia miles, which is good for a round trip long haul upgrade, or roundtrip economy class ticket to a lot of places.

Oh god why.... WHY.