eponymous_coward

Perhaps the wiki needs to be rewritten for some sample questions, since "I'd like to use CX for (not North America)-(not Hong Kong)" comes up quite a bit, actually.

FWIW, AS will allow a TYO stopover on TPE-TYO-HKG on multi-city search as a one-way JL J ticket (25k). Using BA Avios for CX J HKG-TPE is 9k one-way. That or you could pay cash for an LCC on that short a flight.

Flyin_rabbit88

Just booked my family on CX JFK-HKG-NRT on Mar 2018 in business. When I called the reservations ladybwas shocked that there was 4 seats in business. Discovered she didn't know that we could do a stop over on CX and even after talking to one supervisor she told me it wasn't allowed. Wasn't until I requested to speak to a supervisor, she got a third opinion from another supervisor where she found out it was allowed. She was very polite and apologized for her bad info. Can't wait to try CX business to Japan via Hkg.

jamienbaker

Congratulation on the award. As a frequent CX and JL flier, I would just offer that CX, even when adjusting for strong HKG lounges, isn't better than JL J, in fact I'd suggest the opposite. It isn't worth 8 hrs of extra travel time, plus the nonsense of coming into Tokyo from NRT (whereas JL flies JFKHND). I think most will agree hard and soft product on JL are superior. Now, if the goal is to see HKG, that's cool. But if the point is to have a Japanese vacation, you should monitor for JL nonstops.

Flyin_rabbit88

Yea, disappointed seeing the CX "business class" on the intra-Asia route vs the long haul jfk-Hkg, but we are doing 4 days to explore Hkg, then off to Japan for 8 days then heading to china (Beijing and shanghai via train) then eventually heading back to Hkg to catch the CX A350 to CDG. And then non rev home to the us.... going to be an adventure for my kids and family to see and explore the world.

pdxasflyer

Really? Are you referencing J, or F? The F product I feel is not nearly as private as CX - keep seeing peoples heads pop above the rim is odd. Just finished flying CX J last week and found the service to be excellent and the seat to be more comfortable than I anticipated. Have not flown JL J, but we are indeed monitoring for return seats on our own upcoming trip. That said, JL seems to be far more erratic in releasing seats: 1F here, 1 F there, 3 J there, and never the same flight. I've seen 2F open up, but no business. When the F seats disappear, then the J seats open up. With a party of four (first world problem), makes it difficult.

In addition, JL doesn't have a consistent international J seat. That Neo shell thing on their 787's looks like a bad joke.

jamienbaker

Depends on what you're after.

For J, I say JL>CX hands down (longhaul). Dine went you want (though that's reportedly coming on CX), pajama tops, considerably more privacy and storage, wifi, better lavs.

For F, it's a tougher comparison. CX wins for privacy and overall width, but JL has higher quality bedding, better food, FAs that roam rather than have to be summoned, wifi, and better lavs. True, you occasionally see other people, but that's pretty rare.

Agree intra-Asia 787s on JL are a crap shoot.

Jamie

jamienbaker

Oh, and midflight snacks on JL F are materially better than CX. And JL wine is higher quality, you can compare menus on line (sorry I don't have links).

On the other hand, HKG flights are longer...12 hours HNDJFK was shorter than I'd like!

It's tough between the two for F, I think JL J easily exceeds that of CX. As for frequency of award release, I'm used to grabbing seats for the family one at a time, so I can't really say how one program's availability compares to the other. Except that at the EDGE of the booking window, JL often releases 2 in F and CX does not!

Flyin_rabbit88

just curious... Going to book an award ticket for my family of 4 HKG-CDG, and wondering if its worth the extra 30K alaska miles for business or just go with premium economy... looks like the flight will be an A350. Dont get me wrong, I love me a nice lie flat seat, but it looks like Cathay has a nice premium economy product as well... Just curious on everyones opinion...

CDKing

That's a long flight 30K extra for 4 people (7.5K x4) is a small price to pay for lie flat especially considering its an overnight flight. Of course this will all be award space dependent.

eponymous_coward

CX PY ~= CX regional business that you were "disappointed" about in your previous post. The seats aren't dramatically different, the pitch is similar.

Personally, it would be a no-brainer for me to spend 7.5k AS miles for J over PE on a 12 hour flight...

Flyin_rabbit88

thanks guys... Yea a 4-4.5hour flight with the Regional Business seats isn't that big of deal if they are not lie flat, it is what it is.. but on the 12 hour flight to paris, yea it gets me a little hesitant... Last time I checked business had at least 4 open and premium was fine too...since I really don't have anything to really compare it to in my experience, the premium economy seats are still better than anything like Delta economy comfort etc correct? Im just going off of pictures and review research. They look pretty comfortable, but yes, 12 hours on a long overnight flight getting a lil better sleep can make a huge difference...

relaxonbarton

Hi,

I've only been a viewer until now. I have a question about the process for requesting an award booking on CX. I would like to book 2 F awards for JFK to HKG, making use of stopover in YVR for around 3 weeks. As availability is tight I was wondering whether either of the following strategies would work out at all.

1. book JFK-YVR as soon as award space is visible, and then when YVR-HKG for our dates shows up, to call an agent to add on to the previous booking
2. book JFK-HKG as soon as award space is visible and then when YVR-HKG for our dates shows up, to call an agent to split the booking.

I expect F availability will be tight for both legs so if I had to book the YVR-HKG leg in J upfront, would I be able to change this to F if availability showed after we had embarked on the first leg of the booking?

Thanks for your help.

[Moderator Note: Post moved to this thread for wider visibility.
dayone, AS/VX Moderator]

Mauibaby2008

oh I wasn't sure when I first read that if it was 30k more per person.. for 30k total.. definitely I would do that without thinking twice. Sure premium economy would be ok, but CX J is NICE!

CDKing

Stop-over on CX can only be in Hong Kong.

Mauibaby2008

with AS you cannot change the next leg of an award booking if you've departed on the first leg