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
May 22, 2018, 11:37 am
#2146
Join Date: May 2018
Location: YYZ
Posts: 42
Thank you all for the insight!! If only expertflyer did CX...Although, the award.flights chrome extension has been a huge help as well.
While I am still a newbie, FT has been a huge help and its great to have such a helpful community.
While I am still a newbie, FT has been a huge help and its great to have such a helpful community.
May 22, 2018, 11:41 am
#2147
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,541
PS - never paid for a ticket, either.
May 22, 2018, 11:45 am
#2148
Join Date: May 2018
Location: YYZ
Posts: 42
Where are you staying? I am planning to do MR-SPG-Marriot travel package, and then redeem it once the new SPG hotels get added. Some really awesome options.
May 22, 2018, 11:51 am
#2149
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Ocean Beach
Programs: Alaska MPVG75, AAdvantage PlatPro, Hyatt Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 535
Not necessarily. There may be more or cheaper LCC options closer to DPS, since HKG-DPS is close to USA/CA transcon length.
i would probably use SIN or CGK. CGK is an internal flight, SIN has multiple LCCs on the route (so LOTS of cheap options) and makes a nice stopover you could incorporate into your plans.
May 22, 2018, 11:55 am
#2150
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,541
We tend to rent villas in Ubud, Candi Dasa, Pemuteran (west coast)...but then make an exception for W Seminyak. We avoid Kuta (drunk crowd, which isn't to say I didn't hit it hard in my 20s) and Nusa Dua due its sterility. Not my place to talk you out of hotel redemptions, I've just never gotten the economics to work since I have a family of four to fund for flights from NYC. So paying for four F round-trips (or, a mix of F/J) each summer requires some fancy footwork. Alaska has been a part of our last two visits, IIRC, before that relied primarily on American (pre-devaluation) and some BA occasionally thrown in.
Jamie
PS - funding with Alaska on way out this summer, too. But Delta on return since found low-level (90k) awards on China Airlines...and given the paucity of low-level Delta awards I figured I might as well snap those up.
May 22, 2018, 12:17 pm
#2151
Join Date: May 2018
Location: YYZ
Posts: 42
Frankly, Bali is one area where I'd rather put more cash into the hands of locals, plus accommodation costs are so reasonable that it doesn't pay (for us) to fund with points.
We tend to rent villas in Ubud, Candi Dasa, Pemuteran (west coast)...but then make an exception for W Seminyak. We avoid Kuta (drunk crowd, which isn't to say I didn't hit it hard in my 20s) and Nusa Dua due its sterility. Not my place to talk you out of hotel redemptions, I've just never gotten the economics to work since I have a family of four to fund for flights from NYC. So paying for four F round-trips (or, a mix of F/J) each summer requires some fancy footwork. Alaska has been a part of our last two visits, IIRC, before that relied primarily on American (pre-devaluation) and some BA occasionally thrown in.
Jamie
PS - funding with Alaska on way out this summer, too. But Delta on return since found low-level (90k) awards on China Airlines...and given the paucity of low-level Delta awards I figured I might as well snap those up.
We tend to rent villas in Ubud, Candi Dasa, Pemuteran (west coast)...but then make an exception for W Seminyak. We avoid Kuta (drunk crowd, which isn't to say I didn't hit it hard in my 20s) and Nusa Dua due its sterility. Not my place to talk you out of hotel redemptions, I've just never gotten the economics to work since I have a family of four to fund for flights from NYC. So paying for four F round-trips (or, a mix of F/J) each summer requires some fancy footwork. Alaska has been a part of our last two visits, IIRC, before that relied primarily on American (pre-devaluation) and some BA occasionally thrown in.
Jamie
PS - funding with Alaska on way out this summer, too. But Delta on return since found low-level (90k) awards on China Airlines...and given the paucity of low-level Delta awards I figured I might as well snap those up.
May 22, 2018, 12:56 pm
#2152
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,541
Have you ever flown Eva J class? Aeroplan is a bit easier to accumulate here in Canada, so wondering given your above about just looking at Private villas it might make more sense to just do an MR-Aeroplan conversion, at least for DPS-TPE-YYZ, if availability is a bit better,
I'm transiting TPE on the return and NOT looking forward to.
EDIT - Eva requires close to 22 hours in TPE. I wouldn't be willing to cut my Bali vaca short for that!!!!
May 22, 2018, 1:26 pm
#2153
Join Date: May 2018
Location: YYZ
Posts: 42
I have not but people I trust have...and they swear by it. Schedule to DPS is good, you'll have about 5 hours to kill in TPE which is too long for that airport. But you'll have something like 20 hours in TPE on the way back. Which is fine if you want to see TPE. But SIN airport much better to get in/out of, and downtown SIN also much closer.
I'm transiting TPE on the return and NOT looking forward to.
EDIT - Eva requires close to 22 hours in TPE. I wouldn't be willing to cut my Bali vaca short for that!!!!
I'm transiting TPE on the return and NOT looking forward to.
EDIT - Eva requires close to 22 hours in TPE. I wouldn't be willing to cut my Bali vaca short for that!!!!
May 22, 2018, 1:52 pm
#2154
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,541
Furthermore, if you're willing to fly BR TPEYYZ, then you are willing to get home at 10p. This would suggest you're OK with the CX flight that leaves HKG at 5p and gets home at 8:30p.
If you position to SIN the night before, you can actually take a 10:15p departure from Bali on JetStar for $65 USD. This compares to a 4:15p departure on Cathay. So all this talk about "I'll make my way to TPE on an LCC" is nonsense. The SIN option actually gives you MORE time in Bali than originating the CX award from there, plus I'm willing to bet the $65 flight to SIN is less than the hotel premium you'll have to pay in HKG versus SIN.
Seriously, if SINHKG and HKGYYZ are both available, you need to lock that down. And you realize awards are one-way, right? You don't have to fly in both directions on the same airline.
Last edited by jamienbaker; May 22, 2018 at 2:21 pm
May 22, 2018, 2:37 pm
#2155
Join Date: May 2018
Location: YYZ
Posts: 42
Again, DPS to TPE on an LCC is not going to be nonstop, nor inexpensive. You seriously should take a <$120 flight to Singapore, and begin the CX award from there. It maximizes your time in DPS (if you take a pm departure) and maximizes your award value and time on Cathay.
Furthermore, if you're willing to fly BR TPEYYZ, then you are willing to get home at 10p. This would suggest you're OK with the CX flight that leaves HKG at 5p and gets home at 8:30p.
If you position to SIN the night before, you can actually take a 10:15p departure from Bali on JetStar for $65 USD. This compares to a 4:15p departure on Cathay. So all this talk about "I'll make my way to TPE on an LCC" is nonsense. The SIN option actually gives you MORE time in Bali than originating the CX award from there, plus I'm willing to bet the $65 flight to SIN is less than the hotel premium you'll have to pay in HKG versus SIN.
Seriously, if SINHKG and HKGYYZ are both available, you need to lock that down. And you realize awards are one-way, right? You don't have to fly in both directions on the same airline.
Furthermore, if you're willing to fly BR TPEYYZ, then you are willing to get home at 10p. This would suggest you're OK with the CX flight that leaves HKG at 5p and gets home at 8:30p.
If you position to SIN the night before, you can actually take a 10:15p departure from Bali on JetStar for $65 USD. This compares to a 4:15p departure on Cathay. So all this talk about "I'll make my way to TPE on an LCC" is nonsense. The SIN option actually gives you MORE time in Bali than originating the CX award from there, plus I'm willing to bet the $65 flight to SIN is less than the hotel premium you'll have to pay in HKG versus SIN.
Seriously, if SINHKG and HKGYYZ are both available, you need to lock that down. And you realize awards are one-way, right? You don't have to fly in both directions on the same airline.
I guess this is where the newbie-ness comes in!
CX on AS it is. Ill likely only have enough MR to do MR-SPG-Marriot by July, but I'm going to keep checking award availability on the routes you mentioned above. The bright side is I am pretty flexible, so if I cant book anything by July for March 2019, ill just push the date and maybe put some alerts on as you mentioned.
Another silly question, but can I change dates for award flights without losing miles/ having to pay $ in fees or whatever?
For example, In July I don't see anything for march 2019, but I find something in June 2019 for example. I put email alerts on awardnexus for March, can I switch my flights to those dates?
May 22, 2018, 2:47 pm
#2156
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,541
I guess this is where the newbie-ness comes in!
CX on AS it is. Ill likely only have enough MR to do MR-SPG-Marriot by July, but I'm going to keep checking award availability on the routes you mentioned above. The bright side is I am pretty flexible, so if I cant book anything by July for March 2019, ill just push the date and maybe put some alerts on as you mentioned.
Another silly question, but can I change dates for award flights without losing miles/ having to pay $ in fees or whatever?
For example, In July I don't see anything for march 2019, but I find something in June 2019 for example. I put email alerts on awardnexus for March, can I switch my flights to those dates?
CX on AS it is. Ill likely only have enough MR to do MR-SPG-Marriot by July, but I'm going to keep checking award availability on the routes you mentioned above. The bright side is I am pretty flexible, so if I cant book anything by July for March 2019, ill just push the date and maybe put some alerts on as you mentioned.
Another silly question, but can I change dates for award flights without losing miles/ having to pay $ in fees or whatever?
For example, In July I don't see anything for march 2019, but I find something in June 2019 for example. I put email alerts on awardnexus for March, can I switch my flights to those dates?
May 22, 2018, 3:01 pm
#2157
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,395
Another silly question, but can I change dates for award flights without losing miles/ having to pay $ in fees or whatever?
For example, In July I don't see anything for march 2019, but I find something in June 2019 for example. I put email alerts on awardnexus for March, can I switch my flights to those dates?
For example, In July I don't see anything for march 2019, but I find something in June 2019 for example. I put email alerts on awardnexus for March, can I switch my flights to those dates?
https://www.alaskaair.com/content/tr...es/fee-changes
Effective June 5, 2018, we will be updating three of our fees and policies.
This policy update will be effective for tickets purchased or last exchanged on or after June 5, 2018.
Here’s what's changing:
Here’s what's changing:
- If you change or cancel your ticket more than 60 days before departure, that change/cancellation will now be subject to a fee of $125.
May 22, 2018, 5:52 pm
#2158
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: Aeroplan, Amex AeroPlat
Posts: 977
I guess this is where the newbie-ness comes in!
CX on AS it is. Ill likely only have enough MR to do MR-SPG-Marriot by July, but I'm going to keep checking award availability on the routes you mentioned above. The bright side is I am pretty flexible, so if I cant book anything by July for March 2019, ill just push the date and maybe put some alerts on as you mentioned.
Another silly question, but can I change dates for award flights without losing miles/ having to pay $ in fees or whatever?
For example, In July I don't see anything for march 2019, but I find something in June 2019 for example. I put email alerts on awardnexus for March, can I switch my flights to those dates?
CX on AS it is. Ill likely only have enough MR to do MR-SPG-Marriot by July, but I'm going to keep checking award availability on the routes you mentioned above. The bright side is I am pretty flexible, so if I cant book anything by July for March 2019, ill just push the date and maybe put some alerts on as you mentioned.
Another silly question, but can I change dates for award flights without losing miles/ having to pay $ in fees or whatever?
For example, In July I don't see anything for march 2019, but I find something in June 2019 for example. I put email alerts on awardnexus for March, can I switch my flights to those dates?
May 22, 2018, 6:31 pm
#2159
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,763
Go to SIN. SIN-DPS-SIN is cheap. There are multiple LCCs fly that route. Once we flew Air Asia for $25 DPS-SIN.
May 22, 2018, 6:39 pm
#2160
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
SPG has a 35% off sale on Starpoints until 5/31 (you have to already be an SPG member). If you need less than 30k SPG (which you can transfer to 90k Marriott) this could be an option to get you there before July.