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
Apr 12, 2018, 1:45 pm
#1981
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
James
Apr 12, 2018, 2:02 pm
#1982
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
Yep. I have BOS-HKG-DXB booked for next month for 70k points. You will have to give them segment by segment.
Apr 12, 2018, 2:41 pm
#1984
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
I originally booked all J JNB-HKG/4 days/HKG-BOS for 62.5K on this route 3 months out. At T-11 days an F opened up. I upgraded HKG-BOS to F for an additional 7,500 miles and $3.85 in additional fees with MVPG75K status. A no brainer for sure! 😁
As in the prior example AS will include connecting service to the gateway city for CX providing award space is available. In his case, CX does not serve SEA so a connection to SFO was included. Other options would be LAX or YVR. ORD, JFK, BOS would not work as you cannot fly east to go west on an award.
James
As in the prior example AS will include connecting service to the gateway city for CX providing award space is available. In his case, CX does not serve SEA so a connection to SFO was included. Other options would be LAX or YVR. ORD, JFK, BOS would not work as you cannot fly east to go west on an award.
James
Apr 12, 2018, 5:07 pm
#1985
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,541
Jamie
Apr 12, 2018, 5:34 pm
#1986
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
Do you connect the same day? In that case you're entitled to the F lounges. Lots of threads on this, Pier is better for massages, Wing is better for naps and baths. I personally prefer the ambiance of the Pier over the Wing. Don't be swayed by your departure gate, it's worth the time (if you have it) to get to the Pier, even if leaving from a low number gate. Keep in mind all the other CX lounges commingle the classes, hence I tend to avoid them. Though I'll make an exception for Qantas - very pleasant bar scene there.
Jamie
Jamie
Last time I did the same day connect in J to SYD. Arrivals lounge for food and shower, train to city then back in time for F lounge for dinner.
Apr 12, 2018, 6:26 pm
#1987
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
Not this time forced stop for 2 days due to availability. I'm going to try to get it same day but only if I can leave BOS later. Goal is to get to AUH so i can burn AA and do EY F apartment AUH-SYD then QF to BNE.
Last time I did the same day connect in J to SYD. Arrivals lounge for food and shower, train to city then back in time for F lounge for dinner.
Last time I did the same day connect in J to SYD. Arrivals lounge for food and shower, train to city then back in time for F lounge for dinner.
EK J x2 SFO-DXB 26 days DXB-JNB
5 days in DXB, 3 days in AUH
EY F x2 AUH-SYD 380 Apartment
QF J x2 SYD-DRW
Paid Jetstar DRW-DPS
Paid KL DPS-SIN $91, upgraded to J for 99 Euro at check-in
SQ J x2 SIN-DXB, least favorite hard product.
Pick-up EK DXB-JNB from 1st award
Paid BA(Comair) JNB-CPT $63.50 in Y with exit row, free baggage, meal served with wine.
Paid CPT-MQP-JNB for 5 days 4 nights in Kruger National Park for a Safari and tour of Swaziland.
CX J x2 JNB-HKG 4 days HKG-BOS
CX F x1 upgraded at T-11 days. Departed with 3 empty F. No additional upgrades opened up.
EY F Apartment was nice, although felt dated. For an overall experience I preferred EK F LAX-DXB//DXB-FCO before the devaluation.
James
Apr 13, 2018, 9:08 am
#1988
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,541
Sounds like a solid trip. I was a fan of the Apartments, just wish AUHJFK didn't leave at 0330 as I ended up sleeping through most of the experience.
Best, Jamie
Apr 13, 2018, 4:23 pm
#1989
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Houston
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, UA 1.56MM (fmr UA1K)
Posts: 5,770
I just called AS for a CX award for next March. They said they won't have anything for March for a couple more weeks? Have others run in to a similar issue? The dates I'm looking for in early March are certainly in the 330 day booking windown.
Apr 13, 2018, 4:30 pm
#1990
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Saipan, MP
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Alaska 75K, United Platinum
Posts: 203
Yes, I found in the past that CX availability is released closer to 300 days out, but some may have a more precise number. You can call AS and ask them to check when the latest available awarding booking is and then figure out more or less when you can expect your desired dates to be released. I would think that would be soon though; I just booked 4 tickets on Feb 14th and that was over 3 weeks ago.
Apr 13, 2018, 4:35 pm
#1991
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,541
Yes, I found in the past that CX availability is released closer to 300 days out, but some may have a more precise number. You can call AS and ask them to check when the latest available awarding booking is and then figure out more or less when you can expect your desired dates to be released. I would think that would be soon though; I just booked 4 tickets on Feb 14th and that was over 3 weeks ago.
Apr 13, 2018, 8:51 pm
#1992
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
Yes, I found in the past that CX availability is released closer to 300 days out, but some may have a more precise number. You can call AS and ask them to check when the latest available awarding booking is and then figure out more or less when you can expect your desired dates to be released. I would think that would be soon though; I just booked 4 tickets on Feb 14th and that was over 3 weeks ago.
Cathay releases at 355. CX and BA can book then, among others. AA/AS can only ticket at 330, by which time many awards are gone. Best strategy is to maintain a sufficient BA balance, claim ASAP, then cancel and reticket at day 329 via AS as awards USUALLY return to inventory.
Apr 14, 2018, 12:04 am
#1993
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
Qantas can certainly be booked 330 days in advance. Do a search for SYD-BNE and, voilà, Qantas at 330.
Apr 14, 2018, 1:26 am
#1994
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 77
What's J availability usually like for MEL to and from HKG (or failing that SYD/HKG)?
New on Alaska Miles and bought some in the promotion - however hoping to use them leaving late May 2019 and coming back mid June. Of course this won't be available for at least a couple of months.
Looking at availability for early April on BA.com for early April next year however and availability is pretty poor in J and this is 20-30 days before Alaska can even access award seats! Do seats regularly come up after the initial 330 day mark or once they're gone are they gone?
Worse comes to worst we will plan a mini break to HKG using these miles and go for random dates when they do become available, but it would be nice to do them for that trip.
New on Alaska Miles and bought some in the promotion - however hoping to use them leaving late May 2019 and coming back mid June. Of course this won't be available for at least a couple of months.
Looking at availability for early April on BA.com for early April next year however and availability is pretty poor in J and this is 20-30 days before Alaska can even access award seats! Do seats regularly come up after the initial 330 day mark or once they're gone are they gone?
Worse comes to worst we will plan a mini break to HKG using these miles and go for random dates when they do become available, but it would be nice to do them for that trip.
Apr 14, 2018, 6:52 am
#1995
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
Interesting, how about looking at award your average AS North American member would book. If you want to see what i'm referring to go look at LAX-SYD. prior to 12/18, there is QF space of some sort most days. Look after that, nothing in December on any partner. Then Jan and Feb and only AA, EK and KE options come up.