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 5, 2017, 6:55 am
#706
Join Date: May 2017
Location: SEA
Posts: 355
So I am at the beginning stages of planning a CX J redemption that I'll make next month, but struggling with the positioning flight. I'll be going ex-IAH, and the only AS route I have is IAH-SEA, and then will have to add on SEA-SFO/LAX/YVR to get to a CX gateway city. If I was feeling really masochistic I suppose I could do SEA-JFK and pick up the CX flight from there, but I'm not sure if that would be kosher with AS routing rules. 
Guess my question is: how lenient is AS on booking the add on AS positioning flight in F if there is no saver availability? I'm looking out to next year and F saver space is very scarce on the IAH-SEA route, as in it might as well be non-existent. I ask because if I can't get the AS positioning flight in F, I'm tempted to just start the award in NYC to maximize my CX time and do JFK-(YVR)-HKG-SYD and get myself to NYC.
Guess my question is: how lenient is AS on booking the add on AS positioning flight in F if there is no saver availability? I'm looking out to next year and F saver space is very scarce on the IAH-SEA route, as in it might as well be non-existent. I ask because if I can't get the AS positioning flight in F, I'm tempted to just start the award in NYC to maximize my CX time and do JFK-(YVR)-HKG-SYD and get myself to NYC.
Book YVR-HKG-SYD, and just purchase a cheap IAH-YVR flight to get yourself there. You can even go a few days early to make sure there are no issues with flight delays, and explore the delightful city of Vancouver. If you don't want to spend a night or two in Vancouver, you can do AA IAH-PHX-YVR that gets you in about 5 hours before the 2am YVR-HKG departure, plus you can check any potential luggage all the way through to HKG. And you'll even get AS miles for the cheap (<$300 r/t) positioning flight too.
If you decide to do the all in one day trip, make sure you do online check-in for the CX flight, and have the boarding pass either printed out or on your phone. It'll let you skip customs and immigration in YVR and go right to the wonderful CX lounge.
Jun 10, 2017, 8:47 pm
#707
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 227
Cathay availability 330 or so days out
Agents don't seem to be able to get me availability in any class of service from Hong Kong to anywhere in North America for the second half of April nor first few days of may 2018. (I am really looking for Bangkok to Vancouver one way preferably economy or premium economy or business in that order, just one seat)
I see seats about half of the days or more (Bangkok-Vancouver) on British airlines site. Is this a Alaska complete issue or an Alaska Cathay relationship issue? Am I likely to find seats for these dates and a later date?
If I change from my current Japan airlines reservation to Cathay more than 60 days prior to travel will I pay another partner fee or will I pay an agent assistance fee or both or neither (agents don't seem to know this)?
Thank you
I see seats about half of the days or more (Bangkok-Vancouver) on British airlines site. Is this a Alaska complete issue or an Alaska Cathay relationship issue? Am I likely to find seats for these dates and a later date?
If I change from my current Japan airlines reservation to Cathay more than 60 days prior to travel will I pay another partner fee or will I pay an agent assistance fee or both or neither (agents don't seem to know this)?
Thank you
Jun 10, 2017, 10:25 pm
#708
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,387
Agents don't seem to be able to get me availability in any class of service from Hong Kong to anywhere in North America for the second half of April nor first few days of may 2018. (I am really looking for Bangkok to Vancouver one way preferably economy or premium economy or business in that order, just one seat)
I see seats about half of the days or more (Bangkok-Vancouver) on British airlines site. Is this a Alaska complete issue or an Alaska Cathay relationship issue? Am I likely to find seats for these dates and a later date?
If I change from my current Japan airlines reservation to Cathay more than 60 days prior to travel will I pay another partner fee or will I pay an agent assistance fee or both or neither (agents don't seem to know this)?
Thank you
I see seats about half of the days or more (Bangkok-Vancouver) on British airlines site. Is this a Alaska complete issue or an Alaska Cathay relationship issue? Am I likely to find seats for these dates and a later date?
If I change from my current Japan airlines reservation to Cathay more than 60 days prior to travel will I pay another partner fee or will I pay an agent assistance fee or both or neither (agents don't seem to know this)?
Thank you
Jun 12, 2017, 11:30 am
#709
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: PDX
Programs: Alaska Airlines, CO Emeritus, United kettle, Ural Airlines Wings, Hilton, National
Posts: 979
Award Availability Sunday Evenings
Just a data point. I followed the wiki comment that suggested that changes to award availability were often made on Monday 9:30AM Hong Kong time. I had some doubt about this, but indeed between 35 and 36 minutes after the hour first class seats dumped in for multiple days for the 14 day-out period.
Jun 12, 2017, 2:39 pm
#710
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,799
I think you're onto something about 9:30 hkt - I just had a First seat for 24/6 clear on 09:32 this morning (I'm using Asia Miles, of course)
Jun 13, 2017, 12:55 am
#711
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 42,953
Just a data point. I followed the wiki comment that suggested that changes to award availability were often made on Monday 9:30AM Hong Kong time. I had some doubt about this, but indeed between 35 and 36 minutes after the hour first class seats dumped in for multiple days for the 14 day-out period.
Keep watchin'.
I've seen stuff show up even closer in too...
Jun 13, 2017, 7:14 am
#712
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM
Posts: 23,301
Now Alaska cant see PY seats available via BA 
So frustrating. And its not a case of HUACA... done that.
So frustrating. And its not a case of HUACA... done that.
Jun 13, 2017, 3:12 pm
#713
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 21
Change only 1 leg in CX award ticket?
Does anyone know if I can change (date and city) just the first leg of a CX award ticket (2-legs) booked with AS mile?
Thanks
Thanks
Last edited by leokungkin; Jun 13, 2017 at 3:46 pm
Jun 13, 2017, 6:21 pm
#714
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,272
Is there a way to check how many seats are open on a CX flight on a given day? I want to fly Hong Kong to NYC in F (ideally leaving in the evening) on July 7, 2017. At the moment there are no award seats open for this flight. I know CX tends to open up awards again close in, but I'm just wondering how open these particular flights still are, because if there is a really strong chance of the seats opening up I will rework my schedule so I can take this flight and it would save me some hassle trying to cancel tickets at the last minute etc.
Jun 13, 2017, 6:25 pm
#715
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,387
Is there a way to check how many seats are open on a CX flight on a given day? I want to fly Hong Kong to NYC in F (ideally leaving in the evening) on July 7, 2017. At the moment there are no award seats open for this flight. I know CX tends to open up awards again close in, but I'm just wondering how open these particular flights still are, because if there is a really strong chance of the seats opening up I will rework my schedule so I can take this flight and it would save me some hassle trying to cancel tickets at the last minute etc.
Jun 13, 2017, 6:34 pm
#716
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,272
If you look at a seat map on expertflyer for F and there are seats marked blocked what does that mean? Are they seats for crew if needed? Does that mean those seats can open up close in or does that mean those seats are not going to be any option?
Jun 13, 2017, 6:55 pm
#717
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,387
Don't do that. You want to look at flight availability for CX on your route and date which will show the number of seats available for sale in each class (it will NOT show award classes, but it's a reasonable proxy for last minute availability). It will be something like F3 A2 J5... etc.
If it's something like F4 A4 you might have a shot (that means four seats in full price F aka F, four seats in discount F aka A). If it's more like F1 A1, forget it. The AA forum has a metric ton of posts in the CX award thread about looking at EF and puzzling out how EF can be used to predict what opens up close in. jamienbaker probably knows more about how this works than I do, because I usually optimize my plans WAY before close-in.
Also note that if the award availability opens up after you've flown your first CX award segment on an AS award, you may be doing HUCA battle with AS MP customer service insisting they won't change an award after the first segment is flown, so unless you want to spend your HKG layover Skyping to AS MP trying to get an agent who won't insist on this rule, you really want the HKG-JFK segment to be the first segment on the award.
If it's something like F4 A4 you might have a shot (that means four seats in full price F aka F, four seats in discount F aka A). If it's more like F1 A1, forget it. The AA forum has a metric ton of posts in the CX award thread about looking at EF and puzzling out how EF can be used to predict what opens up close in. jamienbaker probably knows more about how this works than I do, because I usually optimize my plans WAY before close-in.
Also note that if the award availability opens up after you've flown your first CX award segment on an AS award, you may be doing HUCA battle with AS MP customer service insisting they won't change an award after the first segment is flown, so unless you want to spend your HKG layover Skyping to AS MP trying to get an agent who won't insist on this rule, you really want the HKG-JFK segment to be the first segment on the award.
Last edited by eponymous_coward; Jun 13, 2017 at 7:03 pm
Jun 13, 2017, 7:07 pm
#718
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,272
Don't do that. You want to look at flight availability for CX on your route and date which will show the number of seats available for sale in each class (it will NOT show award classes, but it's a reasonable proxy for last minute availability). It will be something like F3 A2 J5... etc.
If it's something like F4 A4 you might have a shot (that means four seats in full price F aka F, four seats in discount F aka A). If it's more like F1 A1, forget it. The AA forum has a metric ton of posts in the CX award thread about looking at EF and puzzling out how EF can be used to predict what opens up close in. jamienbaker probably knows more about how this works than I do, because I usually optimize my plans WAY before close-in.
Also note that if the award availability opens up after you've flown your first CX award segment on an AS award, you may be doing HUCA battle with AS MP customer service insisting they won't change an award after the first segment is flown, so unless you want to spend your HKG layover Skyping to AS MP trying to get an agent who won't insist on this rule, you really want the HKG-JFK segment to be the first segment on the award.
If it's something like F4 A4 you might have a shot (that means four seats in full price F aka F, four seats in discount F aka A). If it's more like F1 A1, forget it. The AA forum has a metric ton of posts in the CX award thread about looking at EF and puzzling out how EF can be used to predict what opens up close in. jamienbaker probably knows more about how this works than I do, because I usually optimize my plans WAY before close-in.
Also note that if the award availability opens up after you've flown your first CX award segment on an AS award, you may be doing HUCA battle with AS MP customer service insisting they won't change an award after the first segment is flown, so unless you want to spend your HKG layover Skyping to AS MP trying to get an agent who won't insist on this rule, you really want the HKG-JFK segment to be the first segment on the award.
Jun 13, 2017, 7:17 pm
#719
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: HNL <-> BOS
Posts: 382
If you ever decide to get the Premium membership, I have found it useful in looking at flight loads. I have a HKG-LAX flight 1 in F and 1 in J. It's been F5 A5 on EF for awhile now and I have an alert set up for when F or A drops <5. Granted, EF won't alert you of an award seat opening, but it's still nice being in the know.
Jun 13, 2017, 7:48 pm
#720
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,536
If you ever decide to get the Premium membership, I have found it useful in looking at flight loads. I have a HKG-LAX flight 1 in F and 1 in J. It's been F5 A5 on EF for awhile now and I have an alert set up for when F or A drops <5. Granted, EF won't alert you of an award seat opening, but it's still nice being in the know.
Ps - not at all directed at "reverted".