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Cathay Pacific (CX) Award Redemption, Booking and Availability – 2017 and Later

Old Jun 28, 2017, 8:46 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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.

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.
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Cathay Pacific (CX) Award Redemption, Booking and Availability – 2017 and Later

Old Aug 20, 2018, 10:25 am
  #2596  
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Renton, WA
Programs: Alaska Mileage Plan MVP
Posts: 58
Originally Posted by pbelmore
Data point for you all: 3 J showed up on BA for HKG-SEA around the dates I need in mid-May (unfortunately I don't have a lot of flexibility). Called in a few minutes ago, great agent in Boise but could only see 1 J. I took it and immediately BA dropped to 2 J. We agreed to wait a while and see if another one pops up.

I'll follow up if I'm successful.

(Now if only the DPS-HKG flight would pop up for the dates I need, or any dates for that matter.)
Checked the BA tool this morning and they again had 3 J so I called in and grabbed another seat for my wife. I forgot to ask the AS rep if they saw 3 or just 1 again.

On another note - the DPS-HKG flight we needed popped back up, and with 5 J, so it looks like the intra-Asia flights are available again.
pbelmore is offline  
Old Aug 20, 2018, 11:25 am
  #2597  
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Dallas
Programs: AA LTPLT UA1P Hilton Dia Marriott Plat
Posts: 1,182
Just called AS for anything BKK to TPE the week of October 22nd J or F.

BA web site shows tons of aval J and F. AS has no space called twice
mach92 is offline  
Old Aug 20, 2018, 6:38 pm
  #2598  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: Alaska 75K
Posts: 91
Just booked 2Js for SEAHKGBKK June 2019, returning 3 weeks later. Very happy to have this new option out of SEA direct to HKG, shaving 3-5 hours off the trip as compared with having to position to SFO or LAX. And now I think (but not sure?) I can add on segments to OGG for our trip to Maui later in the summer? If so, that’s another great advantage for those of us based in Seattle to not have to waste the positioning flight on actually positioning!
Brianblanco is offline  
Old Aug 20, 2018, 10:24 pm
  #2599  
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: California via OAK
Posts: 139
I am about to drop some money on purchased points for the family. I think I need about 80k points more. Looking to do SFO-HKG-MNL or SFO-HKG-CEB for 50k one way. Can I do the stop over online or is everything over the phone? I have been searching through BA to scout possible dates since I am sort of flexible IE early summer 2019. My question is about married segments and how CX will block non stops/directs to HKG but allow more space for other flights. How will this affect me? I would hate to orphan a huge amount of points.

Another question is about booking from separate accounts. Can I book multiple seats with the same agent with different accounts? I would hate to see 3 J seats and book two with my account, only to loose the 3rd when I switch to my wife's account.
sigma6 is offline  
Old Aug 20, 2018, 10:46 pm
  #2600  
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 1
Is it possible to book HKG - YVR - JFK as one ticket with YVR being the stop over?

Also where can I find a list of destinations from HKG on CX metal? Exploring possible stopover cities.

Thank you!
suandoma is offline  
Old Aug 20, 2018, 10:53 pm
  #2601  
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YVR to SEA
Posts: 2,527
Mostly just the major cities, since anything tier two is handled by Cathay Dragon.
crimsona is offline  
Old Aug 21, 2018, 12:27 am
  #2602  
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
Originally Posted by sigma6
I am about to drop some money on purchased points for the family. I think I need about 80k points more. Looking to do SFO-HKG-MNL or SFO-HKG-CEB for 50k one way. Can I do the stop over online or is everything over the phone? I have been searching through BA to scout possible dates since I am sort of flexible IE early summer 2019. My question is about married segments and how CX will block non stops/directs to HKG but allow more space for other flights. How will this affect me? I would hate to orphan a huge amount of points.

Another question is about booking from separate accounts. Can I book multiple seats with the same agent with different accounts? I would hate to see 3 J seats and book two with my account, only to loose the 3rd when I switch to my wife's account.
CX cannot be booked online with AS. All CX awards must be done by calling an Agent. No issue booking from both your and your wife's account. Keep in mind, any changes after 24 hours are subject to the $125 per person change fee if you don't have a waiver.

You can also check LAX, SEA & YVR if you can't find availability for your dates from SFO.

James
Flying for Fun is online now  
Old Aug 21, 2018, 5:35 am
  #2603  
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: SGN; LAX/BUR
Posts: 8
Originally Posted by sigma6
I am about to drop some money on purchased points for the family. I think I need about 80k points more. Looking to do SFO-HKG-MNL or SFO-HKG-CEB for 50k one way. Can I do the stop over online or is everything over the phone? I have been searching through BA to scout possible dates since I am sort of flexible IE early summer 2019. My question is about married segments and how CX will block non stops/directs to HKG but allow more space for other flights. How will this affect me? I would hate to orphan a huge amount of points.

Another question is about booking from separate accounts. Can I book multiple seats with the same agent with different accounts? I would hate to see 3 J seats and book two with my account, only to loose the 3rd when I switch to my wife's account.
Everything over the phone as mentioned above by Flying for Fun - I suggest calling before making the points purchase to see what availability Alaska agents sees. The points purchase (for Alaska via points.com) is instant so no worries about delays there. The phone reps are quite patient as they know you can't view CX availability online.

Originally Posted by suandoma
Is it possible to book HKG - YVR - JFK as one ticket with YVR being the stop over?

Also where can I find a list of destinations from HKG on CX metal? Exploring possible stopover cities.

Thank you!
Unsure of the 1st question - I just booked my friend on XXX-HKG-YVR and the additional JFK segment did not show up [or never had a reason to as the final destination stated was YVR].

As for the 2nd question, if you are near a CX office or flew recently - their Discovery magazine has a useful two pager with their network map and flight times. Here's a phone-quality photo:

akb626 is offline  
Old Aug 21, 2018, 8:58 am
  #2604  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,337
Originally Posted by suandoma
Is it possible to book HKG - YVR - JFK as one ticket with YVR being the stop over?

Also where can I find a list of destinations from HKG on CX metal? Exploring possible stopover cities.

Thank you!
Read the wiki. The only allowed stopover cities are North America and Hong Kong. CX is eliminating their Asia fifth freedom routes (I think they are down to BKK-SIN and maybe a TPE route like KIX), so even doing the HUCA game trying to find a sucker phone agent who doesn’t know the rules isn’t going to work except for a small handful of cities, and you won’t be able to double back to CEB or MNL. You can’t do SEA-HKG-PEK(stop)-HKG-MNL (for example) as a one way. Stopover means en route stopover, not an extra trip.

You might be able to get YVR, but that’s North America...
eponymous_coward is offline  
Old Aug 21, 2018, 2:20 pm
  #2605  
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: Alaska, Aeroplan, MArriott
Posts: 16
Originally Posted by pbelmore

On another note - the DPS-HKG flight we needed popped back up, and with 5 J, so it looks like the intra-Asia flights are available again.
Still not able to get phase 2 of my itinerary - HKG-BKK has zero award space, even in Economy from November 16th onwards, but on the 16th and before it's extremely plentiful - on the 16th alone there are 9 different award options, in Economy, Prem Economy and Biz. Hoping this restores sometime soon!
pbelmore likes this.
I Ron Butterfly is offline  
Old Aug 21, 2018, 5:10 pm
  #2606  
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Programs: DL
Posts: 43
This is getting very frustrating

I couldn't get AS to ticket LAX-HKG on 3 separate dates that were showing First available on BA/QF search around 3 months ago. Today again I saw one First seat available that I wanted to book and Alaska cannot see the availability. Called up AA and they were able to see it without any issue. If only it wasn't a 70k vs 115k difference
krdvg is offline  
Old Aug 21, 2018, 5:39 pm
  #2607  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 76
How long do points purchased through points.com take to post to my Alaska Mileage Plan? I've been waiting 24 hours. I thought the posting was instantaneous if buying through points.com
j.cerda is offline  
Old Aug 21, 2018, 10:08 pm
  #2608  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,386
Originally Posted by j.cerda
How long do points purchased through points.com take to post to my Alaska Mileage Plan? I've been waiting 24 hours. I thought the posting was instantaneous if buying through points.com
Not sure about AS but for a couple of other buys on points.com they stated that the purchase may take 24 hours to complete. And it was pretty close to 24 hours. They don't rush it. There should have been some disclaimer from points.com when you purchased saying how long it would take but some people miss that message.
skimthetrees is offline  
Old Aug 22, 2018, 12:38 am
  #2609  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: USA
Programs: AS MVP; UA Gold; DL Gold; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 156
Originally Posted by krdvg
This is getting very frustrating

I couldn't get AS to ticket LAX-HKG on 3 separate dates that were showing First available on BA/QF search around 3 months ago. Today again I saw one First seat available that I wanted to book and Alaska cannot see the availability. Called up AA and they were able to see it without any issue. If only it wasn't a 70k vs 115k difference
AA as a full Oneworld partner of CX will have greater availability for CX award seats. Alaska does not have that level of access to CX award seats. They're partnership is more restrictive on reciprocal award availability.
Keep trying though as it's a game of patience and perseverance! Good luck!
osotoc is offline  
Old Aug 22, 2018, 12:41 am
  #2610  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: USA
Programs: AS MVP; UA Gold; DL Gold; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 156
Originally Posted by j.cerda
How long do points purchased through points.com take to post to my Alaska Mileage Plan? I've been waiting 24 hours. I thought the posting was instantaneous if buying through points.com
It should be instantaneous. Since you log into your account prior to purchase, there should be no question to whose account the points will go.
Check your credit card to see if the transaction was halted for any reason...maybe a fraud alert or something.
If not, you'll likely need to contact Points.com and see what happened with the transaction and verify this will the email receipt, if you received one.
osotoc is offline  

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