Jun 28, 2017, 8:46 pm
Last edit by: eponymous_coward
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.
Routing Rules:
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.
Note: Cathay flights cannot be booked using alaskaair.com. Mileage requirements in chart form available on alaskaair.com.
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.
- 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
Mar 25, 2018, 4:10 am
#1876
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,806
I forgot this is the AS thread. Deleted reference about QF sorry
Mar 25, 2018, 4:34 pm
#1877
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: New York
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 262
Does anyone know what accounts for discrepancy between what AS can see and what CX/BA can see? Looking adding a leg from my current JFK -> HKG flight to end in BKK, but for some reason AS can't see the 7 available economy seats on CX on 12/16. HUCA'd 3 times but no dice.
Mar 25, 2018, 6:48 pm
#1878
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
Does anyone know what accounts for discrepancy between what AS can see and what CX/BA can see? Looking adding a leg from my current JFK -> HKG flight to end in BKK, but for some reason AS can't see the 7 available economy seats on CX on 12/16. HUCA'd 3 times but no dice.
Mar 25, 2018, 7:18 pm
#1879
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 7,390
^ That is how I was able to finally secure CMB-HKG J space for my CMB-JFK trip. Something to do with one sector not having the same space available is blocking the agents from being able to book or tweak an award.
Some agents know what they are doing (book each segment individually) like in jamienbaker’s case but unfortunately most don’t.
Mar 28, 2018, 1:59 am
#1880
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
^ That is how I was able to finally secure CMB-HKG J space for my CMB-JFK trip. Something to do with one sector not having the same space available is blocking the agents from being able to book or tweak an award.
Some agents know what they are doing (book each segment individually) like in jamienbaker’s case but unfortunately most don’t.
Mar 28, 2018, 9:38 am
#1881
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,397
Not likely because UL is a CX partner (and in fact CX was their sponsor into OW). CMB is not exactly a high profit margin destination like NYC. In fact it is a well known trick that ex-CMB premium fares are some of the cheapest in the world (along with cities such as CAI).
Mar 28, 2018, 11:43 am
#1882
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: New York
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 262
Mar 28, 2018, 1:10 pm
#1883
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: England - UK
Posts: 512
Booking Cathay business class using Alaskan miles
Hi everyone!
Long time lurker but nothing helpful to add so kept off the threads. Now though I need a bit of help so I don't end up losing a big chunk of my miles in a program I may never use again.
My query is regarding the use of Alaskan miles to book Cathay pacific business class seats - how easy is it really? I am of the naive thinking that if there is award availability on BA's website then I just need to phone up Alaska and get them to book it. I would then get a confirmation email.
But is it really that simple? Is award availability the same as on BA and are the fees etc you would see on BA's website similar?
Many thanks for your assistance
Long time lurker but nothing helpful to add so kept off the threads. Now though I need a bit of help so I don't end up losing a big chunk of my miles in a program I may never use again.
My query is regarding the use of Alaskan miles to book Cathay pacific business class seats - how easy is it really? I am of the naive thinking that if there is award availability on BA's website then I just need to phone up Alaska and get them to book it. I would then get a confirmation email.
But is it really that simple? Is award availability the same as on BA and are the fees etc you would see on BA's website similar?
Many thanks for your assistance
Mar 28, 2018, 1:32 pm
#1884
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: Delta Gold, Alaska Gold 75K, LATAM Black
Posts: 3,393
The fees are very similar, but add a $12.50 Alaska fee each way per person.
Does availability always match BA? YMMV.. for the most part yes
Cathay availability is a little complicated but basically you should find what you’re looking for 1 year out , and 1-2 weeks before departure
Does availability always match BA? YMMV.. for the most part yes
Cathay availability is a little complicated but basically you should find what you’re looking for 1 year out , and 1-2 weeks before departure
Mar 28, 2018, 1:37 pm
#1885
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 539
Yes it is that simple, with a few caveats. You have to follow Alaska’s routing rules which are different from BA’s. Not sure what your route is but usually if you are going from the US to Asia, India, or Africa you’ll be fine. AS doesn’t allow some intra-Asia routes but if you start or end in the US, you’ll usually be ok. Also, BA’s site sometimes shows phantom availability. You can double check with QF or JL to confirm space. But even then, sometimes AS will see one fewer seat than what shows elsewhere. Also, make sure you search BA for each individual flight not the whole routing as BA shows a lot of phantom availability that way. So if you want BKK-LA, search BKK-HKG and HKG-LAX separately. Then call Alaska and put the itinerary together. Another tip: when booking by phone, make sure you request they waive the phone booking fee since Cathay can’t be booked online. They won’t proactively do so, you have to ask them to.
Mar 28, 2018, 1:38 pm
#1886
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,397
Welcome. There's an extensive thread dedicated to this that I would encourage you to read and post questions to.
Cathay Pacific (CX) Award Redemption, Booking and Availability – 2017 and Later
Cathay Pacific (CX) Award Redemption, Booking and Availability – 2017 and Later
Mar 28, 2018, 2:06 pm
#1887
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: England - UK
Posts: 512
To: Mauibaby2008
To: Merlinrnr
Thank you both so much for the prompt and succinct replies. Well this is good news! I will definitely be able refer to this when I come to my bookings.
Thanks again.
To: eponymous_coword - will take a look when I understand a bit more. Thank you.
To: Merlinrnr
Thank you both so much for the prompt and succinct replies. Well this is good news! I will definitely be able refer to this when I come to my bookings.
Thanks again.
To: eponymous_coword - will take a look when I understand a bit more. Thank you.
Mar 28, 2018, 2:16 pm
#1888
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,542
Hi everyone!
Long time lurker but nothing helpful to add so kept off the threads. Now though I need a bit of help so I don't end up losing a big chunk of my miles in a program I may never use again.
My query is regarding the use of Alaskan miles to book Cathay pacific business class seats - how easy is it really? I am of the naive thinking that if there is award availability on BA's website then I just need to phone up Alaska and get them to book it. I would then get a confirmation email.
But is it really that simple? Is award availability the same as on BA and are the fees etc you would see on BA's website similar?
Many thanks for your assistance
Long time lurker but nothing helpful to add so kept off the threads. Now though I need a bit of help so I don't end up losing a big chunk of my miles in a program I may never use again.
My query is regarding the use of Alaskan miles to book Cathay pacific business class seats - how easy is it really? I am of the naive thinking that if there is award availability on BA's website then I just need to phone up Alaska and get them to book it. I would then get a confirmation email.
But is it really that simple? Is award availability the same as on BA and are the fees etc you would see on BA's website similar?
Many thanks for your assistance
EDIT - CASH FEES ARE NEGLIGIBLE, I wouldn't concern yourself with whether they match BA.
Good luck - Jamie
Mar 29, 2018, 12:54 am
#1889
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
Regarding availability mirroring BA and QF tools, I have found they do not mirror each other many times. Especially on long haul routes like HKG-JFK/LAX/YVR/ORD etc...
My last flight wasnt showing the HKG-LAX space on BA, but it was all over the QF tool. In general I think the QF tool is the better option. Especially since QF has the calendar feature so you can be very flexible.
My last flight wasnt showing the HKG-LAX space on BA, but it was all over the QF tool. In general I think the QF tool is the better option. Especially since QF has the calendar feature so you can be very flexible.
Mar 29, 2018, 2:43 am
#1890
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,066
Would Alaska allow a stopover on the east coast from a flight originating in the midwest (e.g. MSP) or south (e.g. MSY)?
Thinking of MSP/MSY-JFK (stopover)-HKG
I suppose the MSP-JFK route would then have to route MSP-SEA-JFK?
Thinking of MSP/MSY-JFK (stopover)-HKG
I suppose the MSP-JFK route would then have to route MSP-SEA-JFK?