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
Oct 29, 2018, 5:17 pm
#2791
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: AC SE100K, AA EXP, SPG Plt, HH Dmnd
Posts: 1,507
When checking I see the HKG-CPT/JNB flights leaving shortly after midnight. Have you confirmed the agent is using the workaround to see these flights? They need to search with a time of 1AM.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28160974-post748.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28160974-post748.html
Oct 31, 2018, 11:06 pm
#2792
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: Aeroplan, Amex AeroPlat
Posts: 977
DPS-HKG-YYZ to MlE-HKG-YYZ
Has currently two one-way tickets in CX J for DPS-HKG-(stop two nights) - YYZ next April.
We have since switched our reservation from St Regis Bali to St Regis Maldives. So now we have to change our flight to MLE-HKG-(stop)-YYZ.
MLE- HKG only according to BA has two economy seats for the date we must travel. Any chance CX will release J? It’s an overnight flight (7 hours) so ideally we can sleep.
We have since switched our reservation from St Regis Bali to St Regis Maldives. So now we have to change our flight to MLE-HKG-(stop)-YYZ.
MLE- HKG only according to BA has two economy seats for the date we must travel. Any chance CX will release J? It’s an overnight flight (7 hours) so ideally we can sleep.
Nov 1, 2018, 12:46 pm
#2793
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,535
Has currently two one-way tickets in CX J for DPS-HKG-(stop two nights) - YYZ next April.
We have since switched our reservation from St Regis Bali to St Regis Maldives. So now we have to change our flight to MLE-HKG-(stop)-YYZ.
MLE- HKG only according to BA has two economy seats for the date we must travel. Any chance CX will release J? It’s an overnight flight (7 hours) so ideally we can sleep.
We have since switched our reservation from St Regis Bali to St Regis Maldives. So now we have to change our flight to MLE-HKG-(stop)-YYZ.
MLE- HKG only according to BA has two economy seats for the date we must travel. Any chance CX will release J? It’s an overnight flight (7 hours) so ideally we can sleep.
As an aside, I'm quite familiar with Bali and the SR, but planning our first visit to Maldives. Leaning towards Conrad as they have family over-water villas. But still considering SR.
Jamie
Nov 3, 2018, 12:30 am
#2794
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 259
Hi,
Is CX still releasing last minute award seats (J/F class)? I used to see J/F class available one week before departure date. But it doesn't seem like it anymore?? I check LAX/SFO/YVR to HKG...but don't see anything available...
Thanks.
Is CX still releasing last minute award seats (J/F class)? I used to see J/F class available one week before departure date. But it doesn't seem like it anymore?? I check LAX/SFO/YVR to HKG...but don't see anything available...
Thanks.
Nov 3, 2018, 4:44 am
#2795
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,535
So the answer to your question is YES.
Nov 3, 2018, 8:17 am
#2796
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: TPE, CGK
Programs: GFF Plat, CX DM, SQ TPPS, AS 75K
Posts: 199
Have tried a couple of times now with Alaska and they say that the computer is telling them "Host not found"
They say it's a common problem with Cathay redemptions on Alaska. Anyone else has similar experience?
Thanks!
They say it's a common problem with Cathay redemptions on Alaska. Anyone else has similar experience?
Thanks!
Nov 3, 2018, 11:00 am
#2797
Join Date: Apr 2016
Programs: IHG Platinum Elite, AS MVP Gold 75K, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 219
I have had the issue once, but often it’s a specific agent who can’t see it more than anything else.
Nov 3, 2018, 7:08 pm
#2798
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
I did a search on British Airways to find the flights that I wanted with J and F award availability.
I called Alaska to book them, and they didn't see anything like the availability that the BA website shows. One flight in particular (BKK - HKG) showed 5 J award seats through BA and 0 through AS (that is a huge discrepancy)
And, the two options I had found for F travel (HKG-SFO and HKG-LAX, each showing 1 F award on BA) showed 0 on AS (she wasn't even able to see the flights until I told her about the "hour = 1" trick for flights leaving between midnight and 1am, but even after she used that trick to find the flights, she didn't find any availability)
Is this normal? Or is the agent doing something wrong? Am I? Is the only way to find flights really to have the agent go through things, flight by flight? With flexible travel dates and destination airports, like I have, that will take hours (even on BA it's pretty slow)
I called Alaska to book them, and they didn't see anything like the availability that the BA website shows. One flight in particular (BKK - HKG) showed 5 J award seats through BA and 0 through AS (that is a huge discrepancy)
And, the two options I had found for F travel (HKG-SFO and HKG-LAX, each showing 1 F award on BA) showed 0 on AS (she wasn't even able to see the flights until I told her about the "hour = 1" trick for flights leaving between midnight and 1am, but even after she used that trick to find the flights, she didn't find any availability)
Is this normal? Or is the agent doing something wrong? Am I? Is the only way to find flights really to have the agent go through things, flight by flight? With flexible travel dates and destination airports, like I have, that will take hours (even on BA it's pretty slow)
Nov 3, 2018, 7:55 pm
#2799
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: Hilton/Marriott Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 2,036
I did a search on British Airways to find the flights that I wanted with J and F award availability.
I called Alaska to book them, and they didn't see anything like the availability that the BA website shows. One flight in particular (BKK - HKG) showed 5 J award seats through BA and 0 through AS (that is a huge discrepancy)
And, the two options I had found for F travel (HKG-SFO and HKG-LAX, each showing 1 F award on BA) showed 0 on AS (she wasn't even able to see the flights until I told her about the "hour = 1" trick for flights leaving between midnight and 1am, but even after she used that trick to find the flights, she didn't find any availability)
Is this normal? Or is the agent doing something wrong? Am I? Is the only way to find flights really to have the agent go through things, flight by flight? With flexible travel dates and destination airports, like I have, that will take hours (even on BA it's pretty slow)
I called Alaska to book them, and they didn't see anything like the availability that the BA website shows. One flight in particular (BKK - HKG) showed 5 J award seats through BA and 0 through AS (that is a huge discrepancy)
And, the two options I had found for F travel (HKG-SFO and HKG-LAX, each showing 1 F award on BA) showed 0 on AS (she wasn't even able to see the flights until I told her about the "hour = 1" trick for flights leaving between midnight and 1am, but even after she used that trick to find the flights, she didn't find any availability)
Is this normal? Or is the agent doing something wrong? Am I? Is the only way to find flights really to have the agent go through things, flight by flight? With flexible travel dates and destination airports, like I have, that will take hours (even on BA it's pretty slow)
Nov 3, 2018, 8:13 pm
#2800
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
I tried texting; same result.
Is there really "skill" involved? Don't they just pull up a flight and see if there are seats (I was giving her exact dates, times, and flight numbers, not asking her to search)? I understand that actually seeing a flight may require the "hour = 1" workaround... but is there more to it than that? This is a serious question -- I have no idea what the system looks like on their end.
She wasn't seeing no availability... just no J or F. She was seeing econ and premium econ.
Is there really "skill" involved? Don't they just pull up a flight and see if there are seats (I was giving her exact dates, times, and flight numbers, not asking her to search)? I understand that actually seeing a flight may require the "hour = 1" workaround... but is there more to it than that? This is a serious question -- I have no idea what the system looks like on their end.
She wasn't seeing no availability... just no J or F. She was seeing econ and premium econ.
Nov 3, 2018, 10:28 pm
#2801
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
I tried texting; same result.
Is there really "skill" involved? Don't they just pull up a flight and see if there are seats (I was giving her exact dates, times, and flight numbers, not asking her to search)? I understand that actually seeing a flight may require the "hour = 1" workaround... but is there more to it than that? This is a serious question -- I have no idea what the system looks like on their end.
She wasn't seeing no availability... just no J or F. She was seeing econ and premium econ.
Is there really "skill" involved? Don't they just pull up a flight and see if there are seats (I was giving her exact dates, times, and flight numbers, not asking her to search)? I understand that actually seeing a flight may require the "hour = 1" workaround... but is there more to it than that? This is a serious question -- I have no idea what the system looks like on their end.
She wasn't seeing no availability... just no J or F. She was seeing econ and premium econ.
If people run into this they should file written complaints to upper management. Maybe get an influential media outlet to write an exposé on this AS incompetence and hope the bad PR spurs them into action since nothing else seems to work.
Nov 3, 2018, 10:48 pm
#2802
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
I wasn't checking multiple sources, but I just did. Both JAL and BA show F award availability. AS phone and text agents bothj said no F or J availability.
The agent told me that different airlines have different agreements with different partners. I don't know if CX makes all their award space available on non-OneWorld partners (do they?)
The particular flight I'm looking at is CX872 on 3/23
The agent told me that different airlines have different agreements with different partners. I don't know if CX makes all their award space available on non-OneWorld partners (do they?)
The particular flight I'm looking at is CX872 on 3/23
Nov 4, 2018, 1:56 am
#2803
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: TPE, CGK
Programs: GFF Plat, CX DM, SQ TPPS, AS 75K
Posts: 199
Nov 4, 2018, 11:28 am
#2804
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
I wasn't checking multiple sources, but I just did. Both JAL and BA show F award availability. AS phone and text agents bothj said no F or J availability.
The agent told me that different airlines have different agreements with different partners. I don't know if CX makes all their award space available on non-OneWorld partners (do they?)
The particular flight I'm looking at is CX872 on 3/23
The agent told me that different airlines have different agreements with different partners. I don't know if CX makes all their award space available on non-OneWorld partners (do they?)
The particular flight I'm looking at is CX872 on 3/23
It does show available on other partners in F. The fact that it is shortly after midnight rings alarm bells that it is most likely the midnight time bug that is preventing this from showing. Are you traveling HKG-SFO or are you connecting xxx-HKG-SFO? Even if you are not connecting, to help confirm whether this is related to the midnight time issue, I would ask AS to check for availability from somewhere else on the night before (you are looking for CX through HKG but do not mention HKG). So, try asking them to check (don't give them flight numbers right away) for any CX flights on 3/22 from (say) BKK-SFO without mentioning that the flights go through HKG. If the agent finds a BKK-SFO departing 3/22 that connects to CX872 in F on the morning of 3/23 then tell them that's great, drop the BKK-HKG segment and keep the HKG-SFO segment in F (or book it then drop the BKK-HKG if they have trouble the other way). If they are able to find it as a connecting flight the day before that means you were dealing with incompetent agents previously who could not handle the time issue.
Nov 4, 2018, 12:01 pm
#2805
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
You are looking for F, right? I do not see any PE or J on that flight.
It does show available on other partners in F. The fact that it is shortly after midnight rings alarm bells that it is most likely the midnight time bug that is preventing this from showing. Are you traveling HKG-SFO or are you connecting xxx-HKG-SFO? Even if you are not connecting, to help confirm whether this is related to the midnight time issue, I would ask AS to check for availability from somewhere else on the night before (you are looking for CX through HKG but do not mention HKG). So, try asking them to check (don't give them flight numbers right away) for any CX flights on 3/22 from (say) BKK-SFO without mentioning that the flights go through HKG. If the agent finds a BKK-SFO departing 3/22 that connects to CX872 in F on the morning of 3/23 then tell them that's great, drop the BKK-HKG segment and keep the HKG-SFO segment in F (or book it then drop the BKK-HKG if they have trouble the other way). If they are able to find it as a connecting flight the day before that means you were dealing with incompetent agents previously who could not handle the time issue.
It does show available on other partners in F. The fact that it is shortly after midnight rings alarm bells that it is most likely the midnight time bug that is preventing this from showing. Are you traveling HKG-SFO or are you connecting xxx-HKG-SFO? Even if you are not connecting, to help confirm whether this is related to the midnight time issue, I would ask AS to check for availability from somewhere else on the night before (you are looking for CX through HKG but do not mention HKG). So, try asking them to check (don't give them flight numbers right away) for any CX flights on 3/22 from (say) BKK-SFO without mentioning that the flights go through HKG. If the agent finds a BKK-SFO departing 3/22 that connects to CX872 in F on the morning of 3/23 then tell them that's great, drop the BKK-HKG segment and keep the HKG-SFO segment in F (or book it then drop the BKK-HKG if they have trouble the other way). If they are able to find it as a connecting flight the day before that means you were dealing with incompetent agents previously who could not handle the time issue.
First she said she couldn't find it, then I told her about the setting the hour to 1 thing. Then she said she saw the flight, but no F space.
It was the BKK-HKG flight that they found PE space on. BA was showing 5 J award seats on that flight (J is the highest class of service). The AS agent had no trouble finding the flight (it leaves at 6pm or something) but said that she only saw premium economy or economy space -- no J. So this is not just a case of them being off by 1 or something.. 5 seats is wide open, and nothing showing on AS.
The paranoid part of me thinks that a massive devaluation for redemption of of premium cabin seats is coming, and CX doesn't want to sell the seats for less in advance if the announcement. 70k miles is nearing too-good-to-be-true territory. This F seat is 100k JAL miles or 140k Avios