Last edit by: Prospero
Awards: All Cathay Pacific / CX (Including First and Business Class)
Questions, Availability, Discussion
NOTE: Multiple reports starting in June 2021 that CX is allowing only a 24 hour hold and could cancel reservations not being ticketed beyond 24 hours.
Please feel free to use this thread for questions regarding CX Economy, Premium Economy, First and Business Class award redemption using AAdvantage miles, as well as questions regarding award availability, routings and related issues. Please go to the Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Forum to discuss or ask about meals, equipment, service, etc. on CX, as there is an existing wealth of information there - and this is the American Airlines AAdvantage Forum .
AA Flight award chart for oneworld® and partner airlines
Other related threads that may be of interest:
FT Discrepancy between CX Award Search and AA availability: Discrepancy between QF and CX award search and AA availability
FT How , When to Select CX Seats on CX Award: How / when to select seat on a Cathay (CX) award / flight (consolidated)
FT Cathay Pacific Experience - Seats / Interline/ Baggage FAQs: Cathay Pacific Experience / Seats / Interline / Baggage FAQs
Also, for Rules about awards, see AA oneworld and Other Airline Partner Award information, rules (2015 on).
Expert Advice:
Only "MileSAAver" awards apply to oneworld and AA partners.
Premium Economy seats are not available with AAdvantage awards, may be soon as AA sells Premium Economy Feb 2017.
Be aware that what you see on the BA, JL, or QF sites may not be visible to the AA reservations folks. You may want to note the flight on which the F award seat is shown as "available" on those sites and if the AA agent doesn't see any availability suggest that the AA agent check that specific one again. If the AA agent still cannot see it, thank them, hang up, and call back a little later.
Sometimes CX will make flights available for award booking to CX frequent flyers, but not release the seats immediately for other oneworld frequent flyers. Usually though, the seats, if not taken by CX frequent flyers, are released after a while to other OW programs.
Although CX may release seats for award earlier, AA can book them no more than 331 days prior to departure. The awards that CX does release are available as early as 355 days prior to departure for CX and BA frequent fliers, and sometimes that means the awards you want w AA miles will be snatched up prior to the 331 day mark.
*** AA does not have a set schedule to load flights. They can load it anytime after midnight 331 days out. Most of the time it is within a couple to 12 hours of that. Other times, it can be a full day or a day and a half afterwards, especially on the weekends where there's most variability. Unlike JL award space, it is not a specific time of day.
4Keep in mind that when booking eastbound space to North America that it's one day later in HKG so that space usually becomes available 330 days in advance to North America; this is not always true, since CX has already loaded the availability a month prior to AA - it is just up to AA to load and release the seats on SABRE, so it typically ends up being 330 days out, but not necessarily.
Similarly... if you are trying to book westbound, US->HKG->Somewhere then AA may not be able to book the HKG->Somewhere segment 331 days in advance of the US->HKG flight, if it is still 332 days out in HKG. As it is the flights from US->HKG that are hardest to get, if you find a seat US->HKG at the 331 day mark when it is first available for booking through AA but cannot book the continuation, you can just put that US->HKG segment on hold with AA, then call back the next day when connecting flights will be loaded into the system to try to book the onward flight from HKG.
AA does not charge "YQ" surcharges [what they sometimes call "fuel surcharge"] on CX award segments (BA Avios does), thus the taxes and fees on your "free" ticket on CX or KA are almost always significantly less than for the same routing on BA.
There is a Hong Kong Departure Tax (HK) of $120 HKD (approx $15.50 USD) on every segment departing Hong Kong. Exemptions apply. If your ticket includes this tax and you qualify for an exemption, a refund can be applied for either in person at HKIA landside or via post to Civil Aviation Department. AA charges this tax for children under 12 years of age despite the exemption. In order to obtain a cash refund at HKIA, you will need passenger passport, passenger boarding pass, passenger ticket receipt showing the fare calculation line which will show the HK tax being charged. This receipt can be obtained at any AA counter worldwide including HKIA as well as Airport Express in-town check-in (AA check-in). As the AA counter at HKIA operates only during limited hours, Airport Express in-town check-in would be the the convenient option.
Not all CX flights offer First class; CX Business is markedly different on long haul and regionally configured aircraft.
If you're looking for multiple seats in First on a particular flight but can find only some but not all that you're looking for, take what's available in F, then take the rest of the seats you want on J (if available) on the same flight, and check back periodically to see if an F seat has opened up for award. There is no additional charge (in money, although there will be in miles) to change to an award to a higher cabin of service (e.g., J to F, Y to F, Y to J) as long as the award keeps the same origin/destination airports.
Be aware your award must conform to some rules on a) MPM (Maximum Permitted Mileage - your award routing can not exceed 125% of the most direct routing available); a useful tool is Great Circle Mapper.
The Most Significant Carrier (transpacific usually, CX in most of these posts,) must offer a non-"constructed" fare between your origin and destination (you might find an unconstructed fare between DFW and SIN, but might not from Killeen to SIN).
If you can't pick your CX seats online, either due to them being blocked or you just want to call, you need to first get the CX PNR from AAdvantage at 1-800-882-8880. Then call CX at 1-800-233-2742. Some seats that are blocked on CX website are assignable via AA reservations. Close to departure AA can even assign 2A, 2K.
Note: if the Cathay Manage booking tool doesn't appear to recognize your CX PNR, you need to enter your first name AND middle name, separated by a space, in the "First Name" field.
AAward bookings containing CX flights that are put on hold will be restricted to only 24hrs, not the usual 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the patterns for west coast routes?
Because LAX has 4 daily flights to HKG, it tends to be the easiest option for blocks of 3 or more J award seats. SFO and YVR only have 2 daily flights and even if 5 award seats were initially released at 355 days prior to departure, some of those may be gone by the time the 331 day mark rolls around. If you need 4 or 5 J award seats on these west coast routes, either use Avios to book at 355 days or consider routing through LAX where there may still be availability at 331 days out.
Can I visit my companion in First Class if I'm in Business Class?
"Up-cabin visits" are not permitted per CX policy, though have been granted under special circumstances. But putting crew in the awkward position of being asked to violate policy is generally frowned upon. Down-cabin visits are permitted ex-USA. However, on flights to the USA, down-cabin visits are not permitted and this rule is vigorously enforced.
Posts made in 2017 may be read in ARCHIVE: 2017 AA Awards in Cathay Pacific / CX, KA...
Posts made in 2016 may be read in ARCHIVE: AA Awards on Cathay Pacific (2016).
Posts made in 2015 may be read in ARCHIVE: AA Awards on Cathay Pacific (2015).
Posts made in 2014 may be read in ARCHIVE: Awards: CX / Cathay Pacific / (inc. F and J) - 2014.
N.B. Older posts have been moved and archived to: Cathay Pacific / CX (inc. First and Business Class) award - ARCHIVED.
Questions, Availability, Discussion
NOTE: Multiple reports starting in June 2021 that CX is allowing only a 24 hour hold and could cancel reservations not being ticketed beyond 24 hours.
Please feel free to use this thread for questions regarding CX Economy, Premium Economy, First and Business Class award redemption using AAdvantage miles, as well as questions regarding award availability, routings and related issues. Please go to the Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Forum to discuss or ask about meals, equipment, service, etc. on CX, as there is an existing wealth of information there - and this is the American Airlines AAdvantage Forum .
AA Flight award chart for oneworld® and partner airlines
Other related threads that may be of interest:
FT Discrepancy between CX Award Search and AA availability: Discrepancy between QF and CX award search and AA availability
FT How , When to Select CX Seats on CX Award: How / when to select seat on a Cathay (CX) award / flight (consolidated)
FT Cathay Pacific Experience - Seats / Interline/ Baggage FAQs: Cathay Pacific Experience / Seats / Interline / Baggage FAQs
Also, for Rules about awards, see AA oneworld and Other Airline Partner Award information, rules (2015 on).
Expert Advice:
Only "MileSAAver" awards apply to oneworld and AA partners.
Premium Economy seats are not available with AAdvantage awards, may be soon as AA sells Premium Economy Feb 2017.
Be aware that what you see on the BA, JL, or QF sites may not be visible to the AA reservations folks. You may want to note the flight on which the F award seat is shown as "available" on those sites and if the AA agent doesn't see any availability suggest that the AA agent check that specific one again. If the AA agent still cannot see it, thank them, hang up, and call back a little later.
Sometimes CX will make flights available for award booking to CX frequent flyers, but not release the seats immediately for other oneworld frequent flyers. Usually though, the seats, if not taken by CX frequent flyers, are released after a while to other OW programs.
Although CX may release seats for award earlier, AA can book them no more than 331 days prior to departure. The awards that CX does release are available as early as 355 days prior to departure for CX and BA frequent fliers, and sometimes that means the awards you want w AA miles will be snatched up prior to the 331 day mark.
*** AA does not have a set schedule to load flights. They can load it anytime after midnight 331 days out. Most of the time it is within a couple to 12 hours of that. Other times, it can be a full day or a day and a half afterwards, especially on the weekends where there's most variability. Unlike JL award space, it is not a specific time of day.
4Keep in mind that when booking eastbound space to North America that it's one day later in HKG so that space usually becomes available 330 days in advance to North America; this is not always true, since CX has already loaded the availability a month prior to AA - it is just up to AA to load and release the seats on SABRE, so it typically ends up being 330 days out, but not necessarily.
Similarly... if you are trying to book westbound, US->HKG->Somewhere then AA may not be able to book the HKG->Somewhere segment 331 days in advance of the US->HKG flight, if it is still 332 days out in HKG. As it is the flights from US->HKG that are hardest to get, if you find a seat US->HKG at the 331 day mark when it is first available for booking through AA but cannot book the continuation, you can just put that US->HKG segment on hold with AA, then call back the next day when connecting flights will be loaded into the system to try to book the onward flight from HKG.
AA does not charge "YQ" surcharges [what they sometimes call "fuel surcharge"] on CX award segments (BA Avios does), thus the taxes and fees on your "free" ticket on CX or KA are almost always significantly less than for the same routing on BA.
There is a Hong Kong Departure Tax (HK) of $120 HKD (approx $15.50 USD) on every segment departing Hong Kong. Exemptions apply. If your ticket includes this tax and you qualify for an exemption, a refund can be applied for either in person at HKIA landside or via post to Civil Aviation Department. AA charges this tax for children under 12 years of age despite the exemption. In order to obtain a cash refund at HKIA, you will need passenger passport, passenger boarding pass, passenger ticket receipt showing the fare calculation line which will show the HK tax being charged. This receipt can be obtained at any AA counter worldwide including HKIA as well as Airport Express in-town check-in (AA check-in). As the AA counter at HKIA operates only during limited hours, Airport Express in-town check-in would be the the convenient option.
Not all CX flights offer First class; CX Business is markedly different on long haul and regionally configured aircraft.
If you're looking for multiple seats in First on a particular flight but can find only some but not all that you're looking for, take what's available in F, then take the rest of the seats you want on J (if available) on the same flight, and check back periodically to see if an F seat has opened up for award. There is no additional charge (in money, although there will be in miles) to change to an award to a higher cabin of service (e.g., J to F, Y to F, Y to J) as long as the award keeps the same origin/destination airports.
Be aware your award must conform to some rules on a) MPM (Maximum Permitted Mileage - your award routing can not exceed 125% of the most direct routing available); a useful tool is Great Circle Mapper.
The Most Significant Carrier (transpacific usually, CX in most of these posts,) must offer a non-"constructed" fare between your origin and destination (you might find an unconstructed fare between DFW and SIN, but might not from Killeen to SIN).
If you can't pick your CX seats online, either due to them being blocked or you just want to call, you need to first get the CX PNR from AAdvantage at 1-800-882-8880. Then call CX at 1-800-233-2742. Some seats that are blocked on CX website are assignable via AA reservations. Close to departure AA can even assign 2A, 2K.
Note: if the Cathay Manage booking tool doesn't appear to recognize your CX PNR, you need to enter your first name AND middle name, separated by a space, in the "First Name" field.
AAward bookings containing CX flights that are put on hold will be restricted to only 24hrs, not the usual 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the patterns for west coast routes?
Because LAX has 4 daily flights to HKG, it tends to be the easiest option for blocks of 3 or more J award seats. SFO and YVR only have 2 daily flights and even if 5 award seats were initially released at 355 days prior to departure, some of those may be gone by the time the 331 day mark rolls around. If you need 4 or 5 J award seats on these west coast routes, either use Avios to book at 355 days or consider routing through LAX where there may still be availability at 331 days out.
Can I visit my companion in First Class if I'm in Business Class?
"Up-cabin visits" are not permitted per CX policy, though have been granted under special circumstances. But putting crew in the awkward position of being asked to violate policy is generally frowned upon. Down-cabin visits are permitted ex-USA. However, on flights to the USA, down-cabin visits are not permitted and this rule is vigorously enforced.
Posts made in 2017 may be read in ARCHIVE: 2017 AA Awards in Cathay Pacific / CX, KA...
Posts made in 2016 may be read in ARCHIVE: AA Awards on Cathay Pacific (2016).
Posts made in 2015 may be read in ARCHIVE: AA Awards on Cathay Pacific (2015).
Posts made in 2014 may be read in ARCHIVE: Awards: CX / Cathay Pacific / (inc. F and J) - 2014.
N.B. Older posts have been moved and archived to: Cathay Pacific / CX (inc. First and Business Class) award - ARCHIVED.
AA Award: Cathay Pacific / CX availability, etc. (2018-2022 archive)
#1606
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
When checking one route, SFO-HKG for a Business award I did find one day with availability for the entire next year, the very last day of the booking calendar, Sept. 11, 2023, so AA can book CX awards they are just blocked the rest of the year (confirmed by finding more availability with other partners). Currently my guess would be you have one slim chance of booking a CX award via AA on a day when it shows on other partners but not AA and that would be if you could find a matching award on another day that you could book (like the mentioned SFO-HKG on Sept. 11), and after ticketing call and ask if the date you really wanted was available (confirming before asking that it was available on other partners). Then hopefully they would just plug in the new date and request availability (more like a long sell) without doing a full availability search and maybe, just maybe, that might bypass the block. It's a slim chance but that's the only way I can see it happening.
#1607
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Zurich / Europe / New York
Programs: LH, BA, AA
Posts: 1,312
I was able to book other CX flights between NA and Asia without issues starting Apr/May 2023 and onward, I do see some availability on eco, prem eco and much less biz, but still could find here and there. It‘s anything before that nothing.
#1608
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: 718
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, IHG Diamond
Posts: 967
Are there any award space yet on CX to HKG? I keep looking but not seeing anything to HKG on CX
#1610
Join Date: Jul 2020
Posts: 54
We may be about to cancel 2 business class award seats for Nov 26, 2022 out of Boston to HKG then another business class flight down to SYD. We are canceling because we just scored LAX-SYD for 80k AA miles on Qantas. So if this can help just let me know and we can time my cancellation
#1611
Join Date: Jul 2020
Posts: 54
Just to update: The 2 award business class seats have now been canceled the flight numbers are below:
CX0811 11/27/2022 BOS-HKG 0:05 to 5:10 +1 day
CX0101 11/27/2022 HKG-SYD 23:55 to 12:00 +1 day
It's a lot of flying for 90,000 Asia Miles so good luck to anyone that can score this sweet redemption
CX0811 11/27/2022 BOS-HKG 0:05 to 5:10 +1 day
CX0101 11/27/2022 HKG-SYD 23:55 to 12:00 +1 day
It's a lot of flying for 90,000 Asia Miles so good luck to anyone that can score this sweet redemption
#1612
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: 718
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, IHG Diamond
Posts: 967
We may be about to cancel 2 business class award seats for Nov 26, 2022 out of Boston to HKG then another business class flight down to SYD. We are canceling because we just scored LAX-SYD for 80k AA miles on Qantas. So if this can help just let me know and we can time my cancellation
#1613
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CDG
Programs: A bit of this and a bit of that
Posts: 777
So I had a an F award booking from HKG to LHR (CX) and LHR to MAD(BA) for March 2023 on hold until october 24th. Yesterday I call AA to ticket the booking and it goes to pending.
This morning I wake up and the HKG to LHR flight (CX) segment is gone. I call AA and they tell me that CX now only holds flights for 24hours and that's the reason it got cancelled..even tho AA had specified a longer ticket expiry date and that I had purchased the flight before it was expired (or sent to ticketing).
I ask to speak with a supervisor and she tells me they have a department that takes care of cases like this and that they'll get back to me in a week or two.
Any clues if they can sort it out?
This morning I wake up and the HKG to LHR flight (CX) segment is gone. I call AA and they tell me that CX now only holds flights for 24hours and that's the reason it got cancelled..even tho AA had specified a longer ticket expiry date and that I had purchased the flight before it was expired (or sent to ticketing).
I ask to speak with a supervisor and she tells me they have a department that takes care of cases like this and that they'll get back to me in a week or two.
Any clues if they can sort it out?
#1614
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,640
If CX no longer offering that as an award there is nothing AA can do other than beg.
#1615
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: So Cal
Posts: 937
So I had a an F award booking from HKG to LHR (CX) and LHR to MAD(BA) for March 2023 on hold until october 24th. Yesterday I call AA to ticket the booking and it goes to pending.
This morning I wake up and the HKG to LHR flight (CX) segment is gone. I call AA and they tell me that CX now only holds flights for 24hours and that's the reason it got cancelled..even tho AA had specified a longer ticket expiry date and that I had purchased the flight before it was expired (or sent to ticketing).
I ask to speak with a supervisor and she tells me they have a department that takes care of cases like this and that they'll get back to me in a week or two.
Any clues if they can sort it out?
This morning I wake up and the HKG to LHR flight (CX) segment is gone. I call AA and they tell me that CX now only holds flights for 24hours and that's the reason it got cancelled..even tho AA had specified a longer ticket expiry date and that I had purchased the flight before it was expired (or sent to ticketing).
I ask to speak with a supervisor and she tells me they have a department that takes care of cases like this and that they'll get back to me in a week or two.
Any clues if they can sort it out?
#1616
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,806
So I had a an F award booking from HKG to LHR (CX) and LHR to MAD(BA) for March 2023 on hold until october 24th. Yesterday I call AA to ticket the booking and it goes to pending.
This morning I wake up and the HKG to LHR flight (CX) segment is gone. I call AA and they tell me that CX now only holds flights for 24hours and that's the reason it got cancelled..even tho AA had specified a longer ticket expiry date and that I had purchased the flight before it was expired (or sent to ticketing).
I ask to speak with a supervisor and she tells me they have a department that takes care of cases like this and that they'll get back to me in a week or two.
Any clues if they can sort it out?
This morning I wake up and the HKG to LHR flight (CX) segment is gone. I call AA and they tell me that CX now only holds flights for 24hours and that's the reason it got cancelled..even tho AA had specified a longer ticket expiry date and that I had purchased the flight before it was expired (or sent to ticketing).
I ask to speak with a supervisor and she tells me they have a department that takes care of cases like this and that they'll get back to me in a week or two.
Any clues if they can sort it out?
Last edited by percysmith; Oct 22, 2022 at 8:54 pm
#1617
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,451
Is there a way to see if a J seat has ever been available on a specific flight? Using the AA site, I am looking for business class award availability on CX 844 (HKG-JFK) on any Monday in 2023. For example, I’ve seen particular dates with AA showing no business awards available, yet ExpertFlyer is showing the business class cabin as wide open. I’ve searched the entire year, and haven’t found anything. I am wondering if perhaps CX just does’t offer business awards to AA on this specific flight.
Last edited by WannaTheater; Dec 31, 2022 at 6:55 am
#1618
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,451
As a follow up question:
I believe I read that the “AA EXP award tickets are eligible for upgrade (i.e waitlist- position based on status)” does not apply to partner-operated (or international) flights.
But as an AA EXP, if I book a CX Main Cabin award, will I be able to select a Premium Economy seat upon booking?
(similar to buying Basic Economy on AA metal but getting MCE seats)
I believe I read that the “AA EXP award tickets are eligible for upgrade (i.e waitlist- position based on status)” does not apply to partner-operated (or international) flights.
But as an AA EXP, if I book a CX Main Cabin award, will I be able to select a Premium Economy seat upon booking?
(similar to buying Basic Economy on AA metal but getting MCE seats)
#1619
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,043
As a follow up question:
I believe I read that the “AA EXP award tickets are eligible for upgrade (i.e waitlist- position based on status)” does not apply to partner-operated (or international) flights.
But as an AA EXP, if I book a CX Main Cabin award, will I be able to select a Premium Economy seat upon booking?
(similar to buying Basic Economy on AA metal but getting MCE seats)
I believe I read that the “AA EXP award tickets are eligible for upgrade (i.e waitlist- position based on status)” does not apply to partner-operated (or international) flights.
But as an AA EXP, if I book a CX Main Cabin award, will I be able to select a Premium Economy seat upon booking?
(similar to buying Basic Economy on AA metal but getting MCE seats)
Regards
#1620
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,451
Gotcha- Thanks. I was mistakenly equating MCE to Premium Economy.
Last edited by WannaTheater; Dec 31, 2022 at 10:06 am