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
Jul 17, 2017, 2:39 pm
#916
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,053
One question for me though, is what tool are you all using to check CX availability inside of a week. It seems (at least during the summer) that BA is not just blocking mainland China, Taiwan, and other regional destinations, but also all North American flights inside of 6 days?
According to JL web site there are at least 4 award seats in J available from EWR-HKG-SIN on Aug 9th. On the HKG-SIN segment 7 (out of 8) flights have 4 award seats available... choose one that is scheduled to be a A350-900.
DAK
Jul 17, 2017, 2:54 pm
#917
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: LHR
Programs: Accor PLT,Thai Silver, HH Dia, SPG Titanium (LT Gold), Aegean Gold, BA Silver
Posts: 5,120
On the wrong thread
Jul 17, 2017, 5:27 pm
#918
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 226
Did anything change with what CX space AS is able to see? I've been trying to book some flights with CX over the last couple of weeks and every time both BA and QF show as J4+, but AS cannot see any space. This is mostly for hkg-ord, hkg-lax, and hkg-jfk all later this year or next year. I did not have any of these issues earlier in the year.
Anyone else experiencing this or know if anything has changed with what space AS can see?
Anyone else experiencing this or know if anything has changed with what space AS can see?
Jul 17, 2017, 9:15 pm
#919
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ORD [formerly] + HKG
Programs: CX Diamond, AA exExPlat, BAEC exGold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Starriott Titanium, GE
Posts: 2,966
Did anything change with what CX space AS is able to see? I've been trying to book some flights with CX over the last couple of weeks and every time both BA and QF show as J4+, but AS cannot see any space. This is mostly for hkg-ord, hkg-lax, and hkg-jfk all later this year or next year. I did not have any of these issues earlier in the year.
Anyone else experiencing this or know if anything has changed with what space AS can see?
Anyone else experiencing this or know if anything has changed with what space AS can see?
Jul 18, 2017, 8:14 am
#920
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 226
I guess I just got really lucky earlier this year. Thanks for the information
Jul 18, 2017, 9:07 am
#921
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,536
Looked for F award JFKHKG over various days next week (July 24, 25, 26, 27). It's all over the place.
24th - BA shows 2 @ 1000, 1 @ 1455. AS has 1 @ 1000.
25th - BA 1 @ 0145, AS nothing.
26th - BA 1 @ 0145, 1 @ 1000, 2@ 1455. AS shows 2 at 1455, but not the earlier flights.
27th - BA 1 @ 1000, AS 1 @ 1000.
So, at first, I started thinking maybe Alaska is "partner minus 1". But they have the same 2 awards available on the 26th, and the same 1 award on the 27th.
This is going to be such a pain next month. I'm ticketed in J, my wife is in F, and I need to snag another seat once released. Hate to burn AA or BA for it. Wish me luck - Jamie
Jul 18, 2017, 7:25 pm
#922
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 2,028
Experiment:
Looked for F award JFKHKG over various days next week (July 24, 25, 26, 27). It's all over the place.
24th - BA shows 2 @ 1000, 1 @ 1455. AS has 1 @ 1000.
25th - BA 1 @ 0145, AS nothing.
26th - BA 1 @ 0145, 1 @ 1000, 2@ 1455. AS shows 2 at 1455, but not the earlier flights.
27th - BA 1 @ 1000, AS 1 @ 1000.
So, at first, I started thinking maybe Alaska is "partner minus 1". But they have the same 2 awards available on the 26th, and the same 1 award on the 27th.
This is going to be such a pain next month. I'm ticketed in J, my wife is in F, and I need to snag another seat once released. Hate to burn AA or BA for it. Wish me luck - Jamie
Looked for F award JFKHKG over various days next week (July 24, 25, 26, 27). It's all over the place.
24th - BA shows 2 @ 1000, 1 @ 1455. AS has 1 @ 1000.
25th - BA 1 @ 0145, AS nothing.
26th - BA 1 @ 0145, 1 @ 1000, 2@ 1455. AS shows 2 at 1455, but not the earlier flights.
27th - BA 1 @ 1000, AS 1 @ 1000.
So, at first, I started thinking maybe Alaska is "partner minus 1". But they have the same 2 awards available on the 26th, and the same 1 award on the 27th.
This is going to be such a pain next month. I'm ticketed in J, my wife is in F, and I need to snag another seat once released. Hate to burn AA or BA for it. Wish me luck - Jamie
Jul 18, 2017, 7:56 pm
#923
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CGK/LAX
Programs: KF,JMB, OZ, SPG,AA,UA,AS
Posts: 1,163
Good luck! I just had to burn AA ex-LAX, AS could not see availability on the flight, and I had my wife in F and myself in J, played the HUACA game with AS but all 6 agents couldn't see the seat and I didn't want someone else to snatch it up. First AA agent grabbed the flight for me.
Jul 18, 2017, 8:16 pm
#924
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,536
Good luck! I just had to burn AA ex-LAX, AS could not see availability on the flight, and I had my wife in F and myself in J, played the HUACA game with AS but all 6 agents couldn't see the seat and I didn't want someone else to snatch it up. First AA agent grabbed the flight for me.
Jul 19, 2017, 8:55 am
#925
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
I guess I am lucky that my husband could not care for F or J. He does not eat Caviar nor drinks, and even not particularly like Pier F over J. (He complains the sitting areas in Pier F are not as comfortable as in Pier J - to that I and some folks on the CX forum also agree.) 
So if we are flying on the same flight he could be in J and I am in F. Or we fly on 2 different flights a few hours apart like end of Aug coming back HKG-LAX on the AS awards. I have no intention to mess re-ticketing with AS when we are in HKG. So he would take the noon flight in F and I would take the 4:30pm flight in F. We will meet at AS LAX lounge for the connection flight to SEA early evening then a forced overnight at SEA for the next morning flight to SLC to start a tagged on trip to the Glacier NP and the Canadian Rockies. We were originally both on the waitlist for the SEA-SLC F. However I had to change my LAX-SEA flight due to AS agent overlooking the minimum connection time needed at LAX from TIBT Intl arrival to T6 domestic departure. In the rebooking AS opened up LAX-SEA Saver F for us as well as for me the SEA-SLC segment. Husband though, remains on the waitlist for the SEA-SLC flight so I guess I would give my F to him due to he has to spend 6 hours at AS LAX lounge waiting for me.
So if we are flying on the same flight he could be in J and I am in F. Or we fly on 2 different flights a few hours apart like end of Aug coming back HKG-LAX on the AS awards. I have no intention to mess re-ticketing with AS when we are in HKG. So he would take the noon flight in F and I would take the 4:30pm flight in F. We will meet at AS LAX lounge for the connection flight to SEA early evening then a forced overnight at SEA for the next morning flight to SLC to start a tagged on trip to the Glacier NP and the Canadian Rockies. We were originally both on the waitlist for the SEA-SLC F. However I had to change my LAX-SEA flight due to AS agent overlooking the minimum connection time needed at LAX from TIBT Intl arrival to T6 domestic departure. In the rebooking AS opened up LAX-SEA Saver F for us as well as for me the SEA-SLC segment. Husband though, remains on the waitlist for the SEA-SLC flight so I guess I would give my F to him due to he has to spend 6 hours at AS LAX lounge waiting for me.
Jul 19, 2017, 9:08 am
#926
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: SEA, FLL, Martha’s Vineyard
Programs: AS MVPGold75K, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Pan Am million-miler
Posts: 2,019
I have found now that Qantas and BA's showing of availability is not even remotely close to what AS agents can see and book anymore. Especially when you're booking close to the departure date. So you have to solely rely on the agents now, at least in my experience thus far recently. Occasionally availability will align with QF showing far out of booking.
Sometimes it works to AS advantage as there is no availability showing on QF site and I got an F seat on the 12:55 HKG-LAX flight in F two days before when QF was showing nothing.
Just my two cents that don't depend on BA and QF search engine anymore for close departure dates unfortunately.
Sometimes it works to AS advantage as there is no availability showing on QF site and I got an F seat on the 12:55 HKG-LAX flight in F two days before when QF was showing nothing.
Just my two cents that don't depend on BA and QF search engine anymore for close departure dates unfortunately.
Jul 19, 2017, 9:15 am
#927
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: BRU
Posts: 62
Don't know (can't seem to find the answer) if this has been asked before:
The award chart mentions Hawaii to Asia on (partly) CX F should be 70k miles, so is it possible to redeem HNL-LAX on AS and LAX-HKG on CX (or vice versa) in 1 itinerary or not? The website mentions you can add a free AS leg on the mainland and the amount of miles is the same for continental US as for Hawaii...
The award chart mentions Hawaii to Asia on (partly) CX F should be 70k miles, so is it possible to redeem HNL-LAX on AS and LAX-HKG on CX (or vice versa) in 1 itinerary or not? The website mentions you can add a free AS leg on the mainland and the amount of miles is the same for continental US as for Hawaii...
Jul 19, 2017, 9:52 am
#928
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: SEA, FLL, Martha’s Vineyard
Programs: AS MVPGold75K, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Pan Am million-miler
Posts: 2,019
Don't know (can't seem to find the answer) if this has been asked before:
The award chart mentions Hawaii to Asia on (partly) CX F should be 70k miles, so is it possible to redeem HNL-LAX on AS and LAX-HKG on CX (or vice versa) in 1 itinerary or not? The website mentions you can add a free AS leg on the mainland and the amount of miles is the same for continental US as for Hawaii...
The award chart mentions Hawaii to Asia on (partly) CX F should be 70k miles, so is it possible to redeem HNL-LAX on AS and LAX-HKG on CX (or vice versa) in 1 itinerary or not? The website mentions you can add a free AS leg on the mainland and the amount of miles is the same for continental US as for Hawaii...
Jul 19, 2017, 10:01 am
#929
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
With all the selling of miles, its likely the partners pushing back and purposely making less space available
Jul 19, 2017, 10:20 am
#930
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: SEA, FLL, Martha’s Vineyard
Programs: AS MVPGold75K, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Pan Am million-miler
Posts: 2,019