Jun 28, 2017, 8:46 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

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.

Quote:

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.

Routing Rules:

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

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Mar 20, 2018, 3:52 pm

#1831

SanDiego1K

Community Director Emerita

Join Date: Oct 2000

Location: Anywhere warm

Posts: 33,755

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfingboy

OWR is eligible to pick seats in row 1... I added my AA FF # in the CX reservation (AS Award) and viola all seats opened up except the window seats in row 2.

Most valuable thing I learned on FlyerTalk today. I'm very happy to have moved from 2D to 1A.

golfingboy likes this.

Mar 20, 2018, 5:40 pm

#1832

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Mar 2001

Location: AU

Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)

Posts: 14,408

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanDiego1K

Most valuable thing I learned on FlyerTalk today. I'm very happy to have moved from 2D to 1A.

Any OW status will open up all seats except those blocked for bassinet/special needs. OWR and above for example can select all bulkheads and emergency exits in coach, free of charge at any time.

For first class, 2A/K are held for bassinet. Calling HK will get those released (if they haven't already been taken by another passenger). You'll be warned you could be moved if the seats are required by an infant/special needs on day of departure.

2A is probably a better seat than 1A - a little more private.

SanDiego1K likes this.

Mar 20, 2018, 7:26 pm

#1833

Happy

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jul 2003

Location: Florida

Posts: 29,767

Depends on cabin load, if one is lucky enough to have an empty cabin or just one other fellow passenger, I would gladly trade the 2A to the D/K side, with one seat for watching TV one seat for sleeping.

That said, calling HK and just pick the option of already having a booking, ignore the phone menu, would get the human agent who would assign 1A or 2A if not already taken.

OWR does not get privilege in KA's seat assignment in my experience.

I dont really like to change the AS FF number to AA FF number because once you do that, the reservation would drop off from AS site I guess you could still pull it up by AS PNR, but that is a hassle. I prefer to be able to see it when I get to AS site. This way, if there is any schedule changes, not just the CX segment, but also the AS segment, I can see the warning right away. I generally only do this very close to departure time. But in recent years I dont bother to do so any more. Just called CX to get the seats. Or some mentioned twitter worked also.

Also it seems once you change the FFP number, you cannot change it back - at least that was the experiences using QR / AY sites to do it on BA issued tickets. This is particularly annoying when it comes the need to cancel a BA award. Had to dig up BA PNR to make the reservation showed up so I could cancel it.

Mar 20, 2018, 9:26 pm

#1834

seawolf

Original Member

Join Date: May 1998

Location: NYC

Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 14,640

IME,calling HK is not required for 2A. Had success calling US hotline as well.

Mar 21, 2018, 12:10 am

#1835

PhlyCalifornia

Join Date: Feb 2018

Posts: 13

Quote:

Originally Posted by NWplatinum

Either call their 1800 number when they are open, or alternatively you can reach them 24/7 365 on Twitter and give them your Cathay confirmation number and tell them which seat you want.

Thanks, I was able to get a 2A seat. CX USA line was busy for 30 minutes so I called the Hong Kong call center. Answered quickly within 2 minutes and assigned me a seat with advanced warning of potential seat changes if baby on board.

Mar 21, 2018, 12:18 am

#1836

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Mar 2001

Location: AU

Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)

Posts: 14,408

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy

OWR does not get privilege in KA's seat assignment in my experience.

Worked for me on KA, both exits and bulkheads - unless a recent change?

Mar 21, 2018, 2:48 am

#1837

NWplatinum

Join Date: Oct 2003

Location: Seattle

Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold

Posts: 3,215

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfingboy

Ok so another interesting development. I called AS again and only asked to search intra-Asia tickets and the representative explained that CX does not permit AS awards from certain destinations... I learned BLR, MAA, and CMB are “blacked out”...

This is totally false. I had an agent try to tell me that CMB was blacked out for AS, it is not true. I have also solely booked intra-Asia flights (NRT-HKG, BKK-HKG, SIN-HKG) on CX before all the time no problem. In fact, yesterday I just booked a CMB-HKG-LAX-SEA and I’m in the highest available cabins (J and F) on CX. Get a competent agent on the line, or ask to speak to a international award desk supervisor. The mis-informed, and new agents don’t even know the airport code for Colombo, one had to ask me for it one time.

I don’t know how this got to be a thing that a large number of agents repeat. It probably started off with one, and spread around among the new agents. Rest assured it’s not true.

golfingboy likes this.

Mar 21, 2018, 2:57 am

#1838

NWplatinum

Join Date: Oct 2003

Location: Seattle

Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold

Posts: 3,215

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhlyCalifornia

The easiest way to get 2A, or a good seat assignment in any cabin with blocked out seats is speaking to Cathay on Twitter. Their twitter support team is the absolute best, friendliest, and quickest to reply. They will even tell you if the cabin is full or empty, or what seats are occupied and are not.

For example when I ask them about the first class cabin capacity being open, and it happens to be empty F cabin, I always switch to 2K because then there isn’t a wall and you can have the middle seats made up for you into a bed and have a second seat. Whereas with a crowded F cabin I stick with 2A or 1A so there is a wall, and I can be on the side of the aisle where there are only two customers to serve.

Always use Twitter support for Cathay

seawolf likes this.

Mar 21, 2018, 3:13 am

#1839

golfingboy

Ambassador: Alaska Airlines

Join Date: Nov 2008

Location: BWI

Posts: 7,390

Quote:

Originally Posted by NWplatinum

This is totally false.

I don’t know how this got to be a thing that a large number of agents repeat. It probably started off with one, and spread around among the new agents. Rest assured it’s not true.

Thank you... I’ll give them another call... Fifth one at that. Getting annoying - its one thing to be informed and another to be completely false. I’ll ask for a supervisor right off the bat once I connect with the partner desk.

If anyone here works for AS and can make things right (4 J award seats are available for CMB-HKG on the date I need) PM me.

Mar 21, 2018, 3:20 am

#1840

NWplatinum

Join Date: Oct 2003

Location: Seattle

Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold

Posts: 3,215

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfingboy

Yes, exactly how I found the flight from Colombo with 4 seats in J on BA’s site yesterday. I just call the MVP line straight away and they always can either help me, or transfer me to a person who knows their stuff.

Mar 21, 2018, 9:30 am

#1841

golfingboy

Ambassador: Alaska Airlines

Join Date: Nov 2008

Location: BWI

Posts: 7,390

Quote:

Originally Posted by NWplatinum

I am looking at it with AS and the agent can see the flight for on CX CMB-HKG in J but cannot confirm (no work space to click or whatever it is)... This is getting frustrating

They clearly do not know what they are talking about - how can I escalate this? I asked for a supervisor and agent refused. I did suggest that someone was able to book a similar award from CMB and they wanted the person to call them and show their award -- don't want to go down that path.

Mar 21, 2018, 11:26 am

#1842

PhlyCalifornia

Join Date: Feb 2018

Posts: 13

Quote:

Originally Posted by NWplatinum

I agree with your hypothetical example, however, seems like a risk to go to 2K. What about last minute upgrades?

Mar 21, 2018, 1:49 pm

#1843

atcanobbio

Join Date: Jun 2006

Location: PNW

Programs: AS 100K

Posts: 1,552

so my friend an I have an AS award on CX. SEA-YVR-HKG in J.

question is: will AS give us a CX BP for the flight to HKG or will be have to go to the check-in counter in YVR?

We have a separate tickets on KA HKG-XIY we'd like CX to check us though on. I'm guessing that can only be done at the YVR check in counter, right? how about in the CX lounge?

Mar 21, 2018, 2:03 pm

#1844

golfingboy

Ambassador: Alaska Airlines

Join Date: Nov 2008

Location: BWI

Posts: 7,390

Quote:

Originally Posted by atcanobbio

I did LAX-YVR-HKG before and AS was able to check me all the way to HKG and when I got to the YVR CX lounge the agent produced a CX BP for me and tossed the AS one with a smile on her face about how proud of the CX branding on the BP

One downside though is checked bag won't be tagged as a priority.

Mar 21, 2018, 2:17 pm

#1845

eponymous_coward

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2007

Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot

Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite

Posts: 20,397

Quote:

Originally Posted by atcanobbio

We have a separate tickets on KA HKG-XIY we'd like CX to check us though on. I'm guessing that can only be done at the YVR check in counter, right? how about in the CX lounge?

Wouldn't that mean CX would have to pull your bags in YVR out of the queue for loading, or off the plane if they've already been loaded, and re-tag them for XIY? Sounds like a recipe for disaster. You either want AS to check them through to XIY when you check luggage in SEA (have no idea if they can do that, but you could show the separate ticket and see if they will, I guess) or bite the bullet and recheck in HKG.