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
Jun 13, 2018, 5:23 pm
#2311
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
Jun 13, 2018, 10:58 pm
#2312
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Houston, TX
Programs: United Gold, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 207
Not sure what happened in the end, but feel like it could have been similar to the Air China/UA issues a few years ago where e-tickets were being “stolen”. I have a general feeling of suspicion about the whole encounter.
Jun 14, 2018, 1:51 am
#2313
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
James
Jun 14, 2018, 5:55 am
#2314
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
Who would want to burn 35K for a sub six-hour flight in CX F from YVR-JFK even if you could connect SEA-YVR when 70K will get you YVR-SEA-JFK-(CX F)HKG-(CX J)SIN/DXB/JNB etc? I don't redeem for award flights within the AS Network. That is what GGU's & Companion Cetificates are for. Sit up front while reducing CPM on EQM.
James
James
Jun 14, 2018, 6:30 am
#2315
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,640
I completely agree with that, just not the other point that has been asked a gazillion + 1 times. Who would want to burn 35K for a sub six-hour flight in CX F from YVR-JFK even if you could connect SEA-YVR when 70K will get you YVR-SEA-JFK-(CX F)HKG-(CX J)SIN/DXB/JNB etc? I don't redeem for award flights within the AS Network. That is what GGU's & Companion Cetificates are for. Sit up front while reducing CPM on EQM.
James
James
Jun 14, 2018, 6:45 am
#2316
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: Delta Gold, Alaska Gold 75K, LATAM Black
Posts: 3,393
Jun 14, 2018, 8:18 am
#2317
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,397
I completely agree with that, just not the other point that has been asked a gazillion + 1 times. Who would want to burn 35K for a sub six-hour flight in CX F from YVR-JFK even if you could connect SEA-YVR when 70K will get you YVR-SEA-JFK-(CX F)HKG-(CX J)SIN/DXB/JNB etc? I don't redeem for award flights within the AS Network. That is what GGU's & Companion Cetificates are for. Sit up front while reducing CPM on EQM.
James
James
I’ve redeemed for CX F on JFK-YVR, as well as AS miles to PVR and from MEX for a winter vacation later this year. I don’t regret it. They are my miles, not yours. I also don’t have the income or time to choose to fly anywhere near enough to make 75K AND redeem significant numbers of miles (I fly much lower numbers and am happy with it). For my winter vacation I would have a choice of not paying Xmastime expensive coach fares and staying home in the dark and inside of a budget, or being on a sunny beach in Mexico (or exploring one of the oldest cities on this continent during mild and sunny weather), at low expense. I don’t see that I have chosen wrongly, even if I won’t be drinking Krug on the way to Johannesburg. I don’t think people who redeem for JFK-YVR are choosing wrong either. In the end we’re arguing over something very trivial, and we’re all pretty lucky to have the luxury of #firstworldproblems , like not optimizing the amount of time we can drink Krug.
Jun 14, 2018, 9:00 am
#2318
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
Jun 14, 2018, 9:08 am
#2319
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: Aeroplan, Amex AeroPlat
Posts: 977
I did that once with four pax. YYZ-JFK-YYZ paid economy on separate ticket and JFK-YVR-JFK in CX F (well 2F and 2J) using Avios.
Great redemption but pain in the butt to connect via JFK so don’t think I will do it again.
CX F hardware is great, but really don’t like their food nor service. I happen to love Chinese food but CX food in F (maybe just for JFK-YVR) was so underwhelming I barely ate.
Would not redeem CX F for long haul. For a bit more I’d go for JAL F over CX using AS every single time.
Great redemption but pain in the butt to connect via JFK so don’t think I will do it again.
CX F hardware is great, but really don’t like their food nor service. I happen to love Chinese food but CX food in F (maybe just for JFK-YVR) was so underwhelming I barely ate.
Would not redeem CX F for long haul. For a bit more I’d go for JAL F over CX using AS every single time.
Jun 14, 2018, 2:14 pm
#2320
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,763
I completely agree with that, just not the other point that has been asked a gazillion + 1 times. Who would want to burn 35K for a sub six-hour flight in CX F from YVR-JFK even if you could connect SEA-YVR when 70K will get you YVR-SEA-JFK-(CX F)HKG-(CX J)SIN/DXB/JNB etc? I don't redeem for award flights within the AS Network. That is what GGU's & Companion Cetificates are for. Sit up front while reducing CPM on EQM.
James
James
I did that once with four pax. YYZ-JFK-YYZ paid economy on separate ticket and JFK-YVR-JFK in CX F (well 2F and 2J) using Avios.
Great redemption but pain in the butt to connect via JFK so don’t think I will do it again.
CX F hardware is great, but really don’t like their food nor service. I happen to love Chinese food but CX food in F (maybe just for JFK-YVR) was so underwhelming I barely ate.
Would not redeem CX F for long haul. For a bit more I’d go for JAL F over CX using AS every single time.
Great redemption but pain in the butt to connect via JFK so don’t think I will do it again.
CX F hardware is great, but really don’t like their food nor service. I happen to love Chinese food but CX food in F (maybe just for JFK-YVR) was so underwhelming I barely ate.
Would not redeem CX F for long haul. For a bit more I’d go for JAL F over CX using AS every single time.
As for the "who would redeem X miles for whatever itinerary", well, each person has different travel preference and needs. Just like so many here are so fond on going to Bali or SE Asia for that matter, we could not care less. On our last year's trip to South Africa, instead of using AS miles to go thru HKG, we rather used AA miles on QR going thru DOH, despite QR still flew its ancient 777 2-2-2 (very spacious and comfortable seats by the way, and had great foods great services), for MIA-DOH-CPT and paid more AA miles instead. On the inbound we did use CX with stopover at HKG solely because we still have friends and families in that part of the world, and the free stopover with AS miles is nice and convenient.
The saddest disappearing of award seats I see is the used to be relatively to get (much less competition) of the EU-HKG routes - availability has completely dried up. This greatly reduces the usefulness of AS miles in our book.
Jun 14, 2018, 9:31 pm
#2321
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,640
I did that once with four pax. YYZ-JFK-YYZ paid economy on separate ticket and JFK-YVR-JFK in CX F (well 2F and 2J) using Avios.
Great redemption but pain in the butt to connect via JFK so don’t think I will do it again.
CX F hardware is great, but really don’t like their food nor service. I happen to love Chinese food but CX food in F (maybe just for JFK-YVR) was so underwhelming I barely ate.
Would not redeem CX F for long haul. For a bit more I’d go for JAL F over CX using AS every single time.
Great redemption but pain in the butt to connect via JFK so don’t think I will do it again.
CX F hardware is great, but really don’t like their food nor service. I happen to love Chinese food but CX food in F (maybe just for JFK-YVR) was so underwhelming I barely ate.
Would not redeem CX F for long haul. For a bit more I’d go for JAL F over CX using AS every single time.
Jun 14, 2018, 11:19 pm
#2322
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
Jun 15, 2018, 6:42 am
#2323
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,541
Just saying why your post is accurate, there are some of us that do prefer JL over CX, even though it technically reduces the amount of time in F.
Jun 15, 2018, 8:05 am
#2324
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
True, but an increasing number of JL interport flights have a real J product, as opposed to regional J on CX. My wife is currently booked JFKHKG in F, HKGSIN in J. But I’m specifically trying to do what you oppose - spend more to route JFKNRT in F, and NRTSIN in a layflat J seat. Food is one of the reasons, too.
Just saying why your post is accurate, there are some of us that do prefer JL over CX, even though it technically reduces the amount of time in F.
Jun 15, 2018, 9:09 am
#2325
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Ocean Beach
Programs: Alaska MPVG75, AAdvantage PlatPro, Hyatt Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 535
JL Cabin Temp