Jun 28, 2017, 8:46 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

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.

Quote:

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.

Routing Rules:

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

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Nov 14, 2017, 2:14 pm

#1396

pbd456

Join Date: Sep 2008

Programs: A3 *G, AA exePlat, AS MVP 75k Gold, JL sapphire, UA silver

Posts: 4,035

looking at flights with F4 in less than 2 weeks.

when (and if) the space be opened up?

Thanks.

Last edited by pbd456; Nov 14, 2017 at 3:06 pm

Nov 14, 2017, 2:55 pm

#1397

Happy

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jul 2003

Location: Florida

Posts: 29,763

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinniped

Is that a CX thing or an issue with catering out of ORD? I assume the wine/liquor selection would still be top-notch, right?

CX thing. The airline is not known for nice foods. Even if it is from HKG the hub, the foods are substandard comparing to its competitors of same caliber.

You can learn more by reading the whine threads in CX forum.

Nov 15, 2017, 10:38 am

#1398

VeryHumerus

Join Date: Aug 2015

Posts: 376

thoughts on a 1/04 CX F opening up on HKG-US in F? I have one booked for 2/28 but I wanted to move it up so I can fly out after new years.

Nov 15, 2017, 1:03 pm

#1399

Orwaid

Join Date: Jan 2009

Posts: 1,621

Hi -

Don't count on CX opening a lot of seats over the Christmas - Mid January period. Your best chance will be to see if a last-minute seat opens up. And I mean last-minute: once I got a seat 12 hours before departure ....

Last edited by Orwaid; Nov 16, 2017 at 2:26 am

Nov 15, 2017, 9:14 pm

#1400

Mauibaby2008

Join Date: Jul 2012

Programs: Delta Gold, Alaska Gold 75K, LATAM Black

Posts: 3,393

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinniped

Is that a CX thing or an issue with catering out of ORD? I assume the wine/liquor selection would still be top-notch, right?

I have my first ever CX F flight next week. I was not happy to read recently CX has stopped serving Krug (last 6 months or so). I was just reading about CX catering on their site and it says "Starters

Signature caviar and Krug champagne with warmed blinis and traditional garnishes"

Is Krug back or is it hit or miss, will I find out on the flight? BTW this will be JFK HKG. Thanks !

Nov 16, 2017, 9:32 am

#1401

jamienbaker

Join Date: Jul 2004

Posts: 4,541

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mauibaby2008

Signature caviar and Krug champagne with warmed blinis and traditional garnishes"

Is Krug back or is it hit or miss, will I find out on the flight? BTW this will be JFK HKG. Thanks !

Hit or miss, based on recent flights. Also, I find the CX blini to be disgusting. Huge, gummy discuses more suitable for sport than consumption. I regularly pick up (unseasoned) Pringles at the airport. Much lighter, they're the perfect heft, just enough saltiness to compliment the caviar. Not kidding.

Jamie

Nov 16, 2017, 10:31 am

#1402

Happy

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jul 2003

Location: Florida

Posts: 29,763

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mauibaby2008

Signature caviar and Krug champagne with warmed blinis and traditional garnishes"

Is Krug back or is it hit or miss, will I find out on the flight? BTW this will be JFK HKG. Thanks !

For those who have questions on CX F&Bs, suggest you pop in CX forum to read up instead of cluttering this thread which is primarily for the AVAILABILITY of Award Seats.
There are multiple threads in CX forum on the Champer, so-so wines,, and on the less than stellar foods in both F and J. You would also get much better, up to date info from the CX regulars in the CX forum.

ukinny2000 and jinglish like this.

Nov 19, 2017, 9:21 am

#1403

jay_dubya

Join Date: Jun 2016

Location: NYC,MIA,XFL

Programs: AA EXP, B6 Mosaic, DL PM

Posts: 863

AS Newbie Questions pertaining to CX

Hi. I'm thinking about status matching to AS, and I have a few questions about using miles on CX.
I saw on the website that there are blackout dates for US to Asia. Is that for booking on CX?
If I have MVP 75K, award redeposits are free for amount into my account? What about the partner award booking fee?
Thanks

Nov 19, 2017, 9:36 am

#1404

flytoeat

Join Date: Jan 2001

Posts: 2,841

Quote:

Originally Posted by jay_dubya

The notations are not always attributed to specific carriers, and this is confusing. I believe Cathay does not have blackout periods, only Korean in my experience. Free award redeposits, but partner booking fees are non-refundable for everyone.

Nov 19, 2017, 9:41 am

#1405

jay_dubya

Join Date: Jun 2016

Location: NYC,MIA,XFL

Programs: AA EXP, B6 Mosaic, DL PM

Posts: 863

Thank you flytoeat

Nov 19, 2017, 10:21 am

#1406

slappychasez

Join Date: Dec 2016

Programs: UA 1K

Posts: 132

I’m trying to redeem 100K Alaska miles for 2 business class tickets from BOS-HKG ideally on Saturday Nov 10, 2018.

I know I can’t book until December 15 of this year, but I’ve noticed that there aren’t any award seats being released on weekends for business class on CX when searching BA recently. Any idea if this is a new trend and will this pose an issue when I try to book?

any data points?

Nov 19, 2017, 10:24 am

#1407

CDKing

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Dec 2007

Location: BOS/ORH

Programs: AS 75K

Posts: 18,323

Quote:

Originally Posted by jay_dubya

Quote:

Originally Posted by flytoeat

AS just did a poor job when they redesigned the charts. They have the notes with their indicators but they never put the indicators next to the airline they apply to. The blackout dates are Korean.

It used to be much cleaner

Nov 19, 2017, 1:29 pm

#1408

skimthetrees

Join Date: Jan 2010

Programs: UA, AS

Posts: 2,393

Quote:

Originally Posted by slappychasez

Sign up for a Qantas account and check availability there. Qantas can already show availability for 11/10/18 when using a flexible date search and the news is not good for you. There is no partner business availability on 11/10/18. There is 1F and at least 2 premium economy right now but chances are good the 1F will be gone by the opening of the AS booking window.

So, you are not going to see any Biz availability through AS for 11/10 at the opening of the AS booking window for 11/10. You could choose premium economy for now and look to move up to Biz if it opens up later (fair chance if you monitor constantly). Alternatively you could book another date, midweek is usually available, or ticket out of another airport like JFK for now and look to switch to BOS later if it opens up and if it does not buy a cheap positioning flight.

Nov 19, 2017, 3:23 pm

#1409

Mauibaby2008

Join Date: Jul 2012

Programs: Delta Gold, Alaska Gold 75K, LATAM Black

Posts: 3,393

Had me + 1 booked in CX F JFK HKG and then PE HKG MLE. today 7 days out 5 J seats opened up on the MLE route ! called in and upgraded both. Would have been upset wasting my free stopover on my F ticket for just PE HKG MLE !

Nov 19, 2017, 9:39 pm

#1410

slappychasez

Join Date: Dec 2016

Programs: UA 1K

Posts: 132

Quote:

Originally Posted by skimthetrees

Thanks for the advice. That’s what I was afraid of. Is this a new thing of business class seats not opening up on CX? I was under the impression it was almost a guarantee...

Luckily JFK is just as easy to get to, so will probably try to route out of there instead if we can find availability.