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
#2641
Formerly richh1833
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SYD
Programs: QF P1, BA GGL, AS GMVP
Posts: 480
#2642
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 590
Wow I just looked out even a year and there is nothing on CX from HKG-SYD. Well that is terribly disappointing. I was planning on doing ORD-HKG-SYD for my trip next year. Damnit!
#2643
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
I booked 2 CX, 1F & 1J same flights, LAX-HKG//HKG-BNE for early February.
I also have a CX J on the A350 MEL-HKG on September 7th and recently added CX F HKG-LAX after a 2 two-month stopover.
I have also booked JL 2F HND-LAX same flight in March.
Not impossible with some flexibility and 4 to 3 months out has been a sweet spot for CX redemptions for me.
James
#2644
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 590
Does anyone know which route is easier to find CX J availability? HKG-MEL or HKG-SYD
#2645
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 13
I've tried to book 5 business tickets from SFO to SIN next summer. Found couple options for 5 bus tickets on ba. Called Alaska, they found only 3 business and 2 premium economy. Is it because of the quota for each airline ? Beside ba, where can I find available business ticket release to upgrade? Thanks in advance.
#2646
Join Date: Oct 2016
Programs: Alaska Gold 75K, Southwest A-List, United MileagePlus Gold, Marriott/SPG Platinum
Posts: 59
#2647
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 590
Good tips, thanks. I'd be open to any of those routes, MEL, SYD, ADL, or BNE. Hopefully one of them is available when I try to book.
#2648
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DUB-BOS
Programs: various
Posts: 3,690
I've tried to book 5 business tickets from SFO to SIN next summer. Found couple options for 5 bus tickets on ba. Called Alaska, they found only 3 business and 2 premium economy. Is it because of the quota for each airline ? Beside ba, where can I find available business ticket release to upgrade? Thanks in advance.
#2649
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: NY, NY
Posts: 695
remember to not just rely on QF/BA - make sure you call AS and ask. For July 2019 if you look at QF nothing at all shows up on the calendar, but through AS this week I have been able to book two HKG-SYD on different dates in late July. fwiw, it varies even intra-day: for example, this morning at 4am Eastern they couldn't see anything for 7/28, but by 10am they had seats for 7/28
#2650
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 590
remember to not just rely on QF/BA - make sure you call AS and ask. For July 2019 if you look at QF nothing at all shows up on the calendar, but through AS this week I have been able to book two HKG-SYD on different dates in late July. fwiw, it varies even intra-day: for example, this morning at 4am Eastern they couldn't see anything for 7/28, but by 10am they had seats for 7/28
#2651
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 917
It’s happened for me several times. Actually kind of nice how so many insist on some formula like “BA - 1”, or “cube root of QF”, because it means those not afraid of just dialing their phone have access to more options. The reps are friendly, and certainly don’t mind checking for more dates, so it’s really not that painful.
#2652
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: NY, NY
Posts: 695
correct : neither BA nor QF showed it. But them's the breaks - if you have to call 3x or 4x a day, every day, then you do it, if that is the routing that is important for you :-)
#2653
Formerly richh1833
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SYD
Programs: QF P1, BA GGL, AS GMVP
Posts: 480
#2655
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: SVO, SPG Gold
Posts: 11
I called in today to try my first booking CX HKG to SIN.
Agent said that she doesn't see any seats available for rewards.
Weird thing is that she said that i would be on AS website through the search portal if there are CX availability.
I don't think that is true because I looked ahead by 4-6 months and also 6-12 months and still only see JL availabilities.
Is there a magic word or phrase i need to tell the reps to help them search inventory?
Agent said that she doesn't see any seats available for rewards.
Weird thing is that she said that i would be on AS website through the search portal if there are CX availability.
I don't think that is true because I looked ahead by 4-6 months and also 6-12 months and still only see JL availabilities.
Is there a magic word or phrase i need to tell the reps to help them search inventory?