Jan 26, 2016, 8:09 am
Last edit by: JDiver
This is the archive of posts made in 2014 about using AAdvantage miles to secure awards on Cathay Pacific.
The current thread is:
Awards: CX / Cathay Pacific / (inc. F and J) - questions, availability
The current thread is:
Awards: CX / Cathay Pacific / (inc. F and J) - questions, availability
ARCHIVE: Awards: CX / Cathay Pacific / (inc. F and J) - 2014
Feb 8, 2014, 10:54 am
#46
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,731
TrojanHorse, why don't you try the products?
You can sign up for a free community account for Award Nexus as a FT member. EF has a 5-days trial that gives you full access to all their features. While I don't think KVS has a published free option now, I am sure if you PM the owner, he will be happy to give you a trial as well.
It's much easier to make an informed choice, once you tried the tools yourself.
Different models, for different folks.
Feb 8, 2014, 2:47 pm
#47
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Ocean Beach
Programs: Alaska MPVG75, AAdvantage PlatPro, Hyatt Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 535
I guess it's me but I always found Award Nexus to be confusing so I've never made any real use of it. I love the idea of email alerts and if the interface were easier for me, it would be the obvious choice.
Feb 8, 2014, 2:55 pm
#48
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: YYZ
Posts: 1,666
About 2 weeks ago when I booked LAX-HKG on Dec 21st, I saw availability on BA for the 11am morning flight. When I called in, the agent gave me the option of the midnight departure (CX881) which I ended up booking and ticketing successfully.
Feb 8, 2014, 2:56 pm
#49
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,731
I don't want to take this thread off-topic. Please email me at [email protected], so I can help.
Feb 8, 2014, 10:35 pm
#50
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: PSP
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, United
Posts: 1,081
Feb 9, 2014, 7:09 am
#51
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Potomac Falls, VA
Programs: AA Plat 2MM, MR Gold, Avis Pref
Posts: 41,109
What do you mean by this comment (above)
I agree, I probably do need to do the trials
btw, you will have mail soon
TrojanHorse, why don't you try the products?
You can sign up for a free community account for Award Nexus as a FT member. EF has a 5-days trial that gives you full access to all their features. While I don't think KVS has a published free option now, I am sure if you PM the owner, he will be happy to give you a trial as well.
It's much easier to make an informed choice, once you tried the tools yourself.
Very true. Some people like Award Nexus for its speed, power, and automation, others prefer to do the searches slower without the constraint of a points system. It's like the difference between a car and a bike - you can pay for the gas and go faster, or go slower with a bike and your own human power.
Different models, for different folks.
You can sign up for a free community account for Award Nexus as a FT member. EF has a 5-days trial that gives you full access to all their features. While I don't think KVS has a published free option now, I am sure if you PM the owner, he will be happy to give you a trial as well.
It's much easier to make an informed choice, once you tried the tools yourself.
Very true. Some people like Award Nexus for its speed, power, and automation, others prefer to do the searches slower without the constraint of a points system. It's like the difference between a car and a bike - you can pay for the gas and go faster, or go slower with a bike and your own human power.
Different models, for different folks.
btw, you will have mail soon
Feb 9, 2014, 10:43 am
#52
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 507
Cathay Pacific / CX (inc. First and Business Class) awards - questions, availability
Was able to snag 2 F awards on 879 out of SFO for late may. Requested 1A/1K at booking and was assigned, no problem.
Feb 9, 2014, 1:09 pm
#53
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6,385
supposedly it's supposed to cover a search for an award. problem is, i don't search for awards, and i don't like being told HOW to search. and with the few times i've tried it i always burn through the points in an instant.
i'm the type of person who likes to see a whole year of availability and plan my trips around that, so even though kvs is clunky i can do that.
Feb 9, 2014, 5:23 pm
#54
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,632
Unfortunately, for CX awards AwardNexus is the best thing available, because of the automated searches. I never use it manually nowadays; I can go for free to the original web sites from which it scrapes data.
It is not well-designed; for example, to limit searches based on specific criteria, you have to learn its text-based system, which is somewhat like learning a new programming language (OK, I exaggerate).It also confusingly tells you that no seats have been found when in fact it hasn't actually finished searching yet; but that doesn't matter for automated searches. (Apparently now addressed.) At around $0.10/search it is quite overpriced.
Still, CX (unlike AA, QR) does release lots of award seats at random times when it projects that it won't sell those seats; so an automated daily search has been very helpful to me.
Now if EF would add scraping capability and thus easily expand the list of airlines it can search awards for, that would be ideal, since EF's design and functionality are much better.
It is not well-designed; for example, to limit searches based on specific criteria, you have to learn its text-based system, which is somewhat like learning a new programming language (OK, I exaggerate).
Still, CX (unlike AA, QR) does release lots of award seats at random times when it projects that it won't sell those seats; so an automated daily search has been very helpful to me.
Now if EF would add scraping capability and thus easily expand the list of airlines it can search awards for, that would be ideal, since EF's design and functionality are much better.
Last edited by SeeBuyFly; Feb 9, 2014 at 6:14 pm
Feb 9, 2014, 5:41 pm
#55
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6,385
Unfortunately, for CX awards AwardNexus is the best thing available, because of the automated searches. I never use it manually nowadays; I can go for free to the original web sites from which it scrapes data.
It is not well-designed; for example, to limit searches based on specific criteria, you have to learn its text-based system, which is somewhat like learning a new programming language (OK, I exaggerate). It also confusingly tells you that no seats have been found when in fact it hasn't actually finished searching yet; but that doesn't matter for automated searches. At around $0.10/search it is quite overpriced.
Still, CX (unlike AA, QR) does release lots of award seats at random times when it projects that it won't sell those seats; so an automated daily search has been very helpful to me.
Now if EF would add scraping capability and thus easily expand the list of airlines it can search awards for, that would be ideal, since EF's design and functionality are much better.
It is not well-designed; for example, to limit searches based on specific criteria, you have to learn its text-based system, which is somewhat like learning a new programming language (OK, I exaggerate). It also confusingly tells you that no seats have been found when in fact it hasn't actually finished searching yet; but that doesn't matter for automated searches. At around $0.10/search it is quite overpriced.
Still, CX (unlike AA, QR) does release lots of award seats at random times when it projects that it won't sell those seats; so an automated daily search has been very helpful to me.
Now if EF would add scraping capability and thus easily expand the list of airlines it can search awards for, that would be ideal, since EF's design and functionality are much better.
Feb 10, 2014, 1:22 pm
#57
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: los angeles, calif.
Programs: Alaska Airlines Gold MVP
Posts: 7,170
Any experience on if/when flights showing F1 might open up for award space close-in? I'm in F on an LAXHKG redeye coming up soon, friend just grabbed the daylight flight in F today (on the same day as mine), but hoping to switch to my redeye.
Feb 10, 2014, 2:03 pm
#58
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,731
A short while ago I was monitoring CX flights and I did see even the last seat in F being released as award seat. Considering the policy that CX has in releasing last-minute award seats, I would think that there is a good chance you friend can grab the last F, close in (assuming it doesn't get sold or redeemed by someone else first).
Feb 10, 2014, 5:29 pm
#59
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: MKE
Posts: 614
The other thread I posted this question in has been pretty quiet so I thought I would ask in this ones. Anyways I have two AA J saver awards booked SGN-HKG-EWR (CX)-EWR-ORD-MKE (AA). The baggage allowance is two bags at 70 ibs. However my EWR-ORD-MKE involves an overnight in EWR before contiuning on to MKE. I would think the baggage would just be checked to EWR, in which case would I still fall under the 70 ibs rule when I recheck the bags from EWR-MKE the next morning?
Last edited by kannon99; Feb 10, 2014 at 5:47 pm
Feb 10, 2014, 7:29 pm
#60
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Phuket Thailand
Posts: 223
My experience has been they release 3 days out from flight