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

Old Jun 28, 17, 9:46 pm
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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 Jan 2, 17, 12:10 am
  #1  
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Join Date: Nov 2016
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Cathay Pacific (CX) Award Redemption, Booking and Availability – 2017 and Later

Moderator Note: This new thread will be used for current CX award discussion.

dayone, AS/VX Moderator.



Hi all,

Since there is a flight from YVR to JFK
is it possible to book HKG - JFK and stop over at YVR?

or another insane route JFK - YVR, stop over in HKG?
since there is direct flight from JFK to HKG and also JFK to YVR

Thanks!

Last edited by dayone; Sep 25, 17 at 5:31 pm Reason: Add mod note.
gambud is offline  
Old Jan 2, 17, 12:38 am
  #2  
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Originally Posted by gambud
Hi all,
Since there is a flight from YVR to JFK
is it possible to book HKG - JFK and stop over at YVR?
Did you read the wiki at the top of the thread?

Allegedly stop-over only in Hong Kong, but some have posted success in other enroute cities such as YVR.
Guess you need to try your luck and play the HUCA game if the reps don't give it to you on the first try?

Originally Posted by gambud
or another insane route JFK - YVR, stop over in HKG?
since there is direct flight from JFK to HKG and also JFK to YVR
That won't be allowed as a single intra-North America award. AS isn't completely stupid enough to charge you NA award prices for a trip involving Asia.

You would be charged TWO North America-Asia awards were you to route JFK-HKG-YVR: JFK-HKG and HKG-YVR. That's an open jaw return, not a single award.
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Old Jan 2, 17, 8:32 am
  #3  
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Thanks for answering!
Just want to make sure the YVR stop over will work since it said some people succeeded, but i was concern if it 100% success or its a try your luck with CSR etc
It is ok now, i guess i got my answer



Originally Posted by eponymous_coward
Did you read the wiki at the top of the thread?



Guess you need to try your luck and play the HUCA game if the reps don't give it to you on the first try?



That won't be allowed as a single intra-North America award. AS isn't completely stupid enough to charge you NA award prices for a trip involving Asia.

You would be charged TWO North America-Asia awards were you to route JFK-HKG-YVR: JFK-HKG and HKG-YVR. That's an open jaw return, not a single award.
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Old Jan 2, 17, 1:30 pm
  #4  
 
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Posts: 202
Originally Posted by mczlaw
I had 1K on 77W from HKG-LAX on a flight that goes in about three weeks. This is an AA redemption. AA couldn't move me to 2A or K, claiming both seats were occupied. (I was pretty sure they were simply blocked).

Tried to call CX a couple days ago and punched in option 3 for redemption tix. Waited 15 minutes on hold before hanging up. Called back today, pressed 1 for tix purchased from CX (ooops! finger slipped). Agent answered in about 30 seconds and moved me to 2A with barely a pause. I'll note that the F cabin on my flight is currently empty other than me. Not sure what magic was at work--I didn't ask about the call center where the agent was located--but wanted to pass along the anecdote.

--mcz
No magic, just inconsistent communication of policy and training between (and within) call centers. HUCA protocol is definitely in order with this kind of stuff...

Last edited by dayone; Jun 28, 17 at 9:39 pm Reason: Thread consolidation.
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Old Jan 2, 17, 1:34 pm
  #5  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
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Less Traffic

Originally Posted by jamienbaker
Every time 2A needs something, there's traffic past 1A. Every time 1A needs something, 2A isn't disturbed. 2A wins.
Exactly. Also, less disturbance from just the other side of that curtain where the flight attendants frequently hang out, and where the entrance is to the pilot sleeping berth area is located.

(Not that you'd really hear any of that when wearing those Bose headphones!)
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Old Jan 3, 17, 5:38 pm
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,498
Not that anyone needs another example, but here it is:

SGNHKG, Avios shows 6 J awards online.
SGNHKG, BA res offers 6 J awards.
SGNHKG, AA res offers 6 J awards.
SGNHKG, AS res offers 2 J awards.

I take them.

Avios now showing 4 J awards. BA/AA res both offer 4 J awards. AS res offers no awards.
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Old Jan 3, 17, 6:28 pm
  #7  
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Originally Posted by jamienbaker
Not that anyone needs another example, but here it is:

SGNHKG, Avios shows 6 J awards online.
SGNHKG, BA res offers 6 J awards.
SGNHKG, AA res offers 6 J awards.
SGNHKG, AS res offers 2 J awards.

I take them.

Avios now showing 4 J awards. BA/AA res both offer 4 J awards. AS res offers no awards.
EEK, 6 -> 2 is one of the most brutal examples we've seen of AA/BA->AS differences.

i'm not feeling too optimistic about my chances of getting the tickets in need for December when they come available. i might just buy PE if that deal lasts two more weeks.
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Old Jan 4, 17, 6:18 am
  #8  
 
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Originally Posted by PV_Premier
EEK, 6 -> 2 is one of the most brutal examples we've seen of AA/BA->AS differences.

i'm not feeling too optimistic about my chances of getting the tickets in need for December when they come available. i might just buy PE if that deal lasts two more weeks.
Yeah, I know. I need a close-in F award next summer, I'm thrilled that there will be no competition from Avios spenders, but I'm worried AS won't see it. Forcing me to cough up 110k AA points. Ugh.
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Old Jan 4, 17, 8:45 am
  #9  
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Originally Posted by jamienbaker
Yeah, I know. I need a close-in F award next summer, I'm thrilled that there will be no competition from Avios spenders, but I'm worried AS won't see it. Forcing me to cough up 110k AA points. Ugh.
But the upside of BA is that they can book at start of calendar while AS/AA can only book around T-330 correct?

Since you're booking to Asia 2 how do you balance using AS or AA? I am considering preferring burning AA for Asia 2 (once I build up the balance again haha) over using AS, since AS allows one F award NA to AU/NZ for less than what AA charges for just Asia2.
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Old Jan 4, 17, 10:42 am
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Originally Posted by rufflesinc
But the upside of BA is that they can book at start of calendar while AS/AA can only book around T-330 correct?

Since you're booking to Asia 2 how do you balance using AS or AA? I am considering preferring burning AA for Asia 2 (once I build up the balance again haha) over using AS, since AS allows one F award NA to AU/NZ for less than what AA charges for just Asia2.
Yes, BA can book before AA/AS (and I have in the past), but I got the F seat for my wife already via AS (I need a second for me)

As for "the balance", there are other variables. As you're aware, AS can get you to Australia via CX, which AA can't. On the other hand, AA can get you to Africa on QR, which AS can't. On the other hand, my status on AA is slightly better than on AS, so my calls immediately route through. So if I find myself calling every hour from Vietnam, hoping that an F award has been released, it might make sense to spend the 110k on AA versus the 70k on Alaska so I'm not constantly facing 10 minute holds. On the other hand, if I want more than 23:59 in HKG, I should book AS. Oh, but if I depart from Da Nang I'd prefer AA as AS can't book Dragonair...

In other words, I'd be remiss to simply describe "Alaska as a better value than American". It really varies.

Good luck to you - Jamie
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Old Jan 4, 17, 8:18 pm
  #11  
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Originally Posted by rufflesinc
But the upside of BA is that they can book at start of calendar while AS/AA can only book around T-330 correct?

Since you're booking to Asia 2 how do you balance using AS or AA? I am considering preferring burning AA for Asia 2 (once I build up the balance again haha) over using AS, since AS allows one F award NA to AU/NZ for less than what AA charges for just Asia2.
Yes BA can book earlier. I did that in order to secure the F seat before AA devaluation. Booked the F using BA Avios 16 hours before AA can book. Canceled the BA booking within the 24 hours window then immediately called AA to book the same flight. Worked fine when a friend and I both used this tactic.

In general AS has better value than AA. But we do have a trip in Sept to South Africa that the outbound was booked with AA due to we could fly direct MIA-DOH-CPT even though AA costs more than AS and no stopover. We booked the inbound with AS because we can fly HKG-LAX F with much less miles, have a stopover in HKG, and tag on a trip to The Rockies upon returning to US.

The moral is, you need to look at what you exactly want to do on each given trip and then decide which program works better for that particular trip.
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Old Jan 5, 17, 7:45 am
  #12  
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Originally Posted by Happy
Yes BA can book earlier. I did that in order to secure the F seat before AA devaluation. Booked the F using BA Avios 16 hours before AA can book. Canceled the BA booking within the 24 hours window then immediately called AA to book the same flight. Worked fine when a friend and I both used this tactic.
Okay I'm confused about what you did. I can understand if you booked the award at T-355 or whenever CX/BA booking window opens. But whats the point of waiting until 16 hours before T-330 when someone else using avios could snag it?

If you simply wanted to beat other people using AA ,then why not just furiously check at the AA booking window?
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Old Jan 5, 17, 7:53 am
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The strategy I use is booking when the BA window opens at 355 and then just paying the $55 redeposit fee at 330 and snapping right back with AA. I've actually done this with a phone on each year, BA on one, AA the other. So far has worked three times.
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Old Jan 5, 17, 7:57 am
  #14  
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Originally Posted by jamienbaker
The strategy I use is booking when the BA window opens at 355 and then just paying the $55 redeposit fee at 330 and snapping right back with AA. I've actually done this with a phone on each year, BA on one, AA the other. So far has worked three times.
Do you feel you run the risk of the award not going back into inventory? Have you done this with AS instead of AA?
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Old Jan 5, 17, 8:07 am
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Originally Posted by rufflesinc
If you simply wanted to beat other people using AA ,then why not just furiously check at the AA booking window?
"The AA booking window" is very wide. When I was checking QF LAX-MEL repeatedly early last year, the time AA bookings were possible varied from about 3am 331 days out to 5am 330 days out (UTC).
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