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)
#1126
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
Do you need a specific day? I see some days with availability for 2J. July 10th for example. Most of the availability at this point is married segment only and BA will not always show this to you. Use Qantas to search for the complete journey, BKK-LAX.
#1127
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 52
I have two BKK-NRT-LAX J tickets booked on that day through JAL, but really want to try CX for the first time.
#1128
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: WAS/ Silver Spring, MD,USA
Programs: UA/AA
Posts: 857
Well, You're all set then. Why set yourself up for disappointment ?
#1129
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 52
Disappointment in flying CX over JL?! Realize I can't go "wrong" flying either one in J, but really wanted to try CX!
#1131
#1133
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
[KVS Tool 9.4.2/Diamond - Awards/JL-OneWorld/US]
BKK Bangkok Metro / Suvarnabhumi Intl TH = BKK DMK [VTBS]
LAX Los Angeles Intl CA US [KLAX]
TUE 07 Jul 2020
Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C St Award Availability
--------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ------------------
CX 616 BKK 06:35 HKG 10:25 333 0 CS2
-> CX 882 HKG 16:35 LAX 15:10 77W 0 FS1 CS2
CX 700 BKK 08:15 HKG 12:10 333 0 CS2
-> CX 882 HKG 16:35 LAX 15:10 77W 0 FS1 CS2
CX 750 BKK 11:00 HKG 15:00 333 0 CS2
-> CX 882 HKG 16:35 LAX 15:10 77W 0 FS1 CS2
CX 656 BKK 16:20 HKG 20:30 333 0 CS4
-> CX 880 HKG 00:05 +1 LAX 22:45 77W 0 FS1 CS4
CX 708 BKK 17:30 HKG 21:30 333 0 CS4
-> CX 880 HKG 00:05 +1 LAX 22:45 77W 0 FS1 CS4
CX 704 BKK 18:55 HKG 22:55 333 0 CS4
-> CX 880 HKG 00:05 +1 LAX 22:45 77W 0 FS1 CS4
CX 704 BKK 18:55 HKG 22:55 333 0 CS1
-> CX 884 HKG 12:55 +1 LAX 11:35 +1 77W 0 FS1
#1134
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 665
I want to connect from a CX flight to an AS flight at SEA.
CX flight arrives 7:40pm
AS flight departs 8:45pm
AA phone rep claims I cannot book this, even though available, because this isn't enough time to connect at SEA.
Is this true?
If so, what is the minimum time required to allow AA agent to book?
CX flight arrives 7:40pm
AS flight departs 8:45pm
AA phone rep claims I cannot book this, even though available, because this isn't enough time to connect at SEA.
Is this true?
If so, what is the minimum time required to allow AA agent to book?
#1135
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: LAX
Posts: 10,909
ppl tend to overreact there - this is still an excellent carrier and even if one sees jl soft product as a somewhat better option, connection in hkg is more convenient.. also not sure what product jl has for those 5 hr flights.. ymmv of course but i always preferred cx to se asia
#1136
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
I want to connect from a CX flight to an AS flight at SEA.
CX flight arrives 7:40pm
AS flight departs 8:45pm
AA phone rep claims I cannot book this, even though available, because this isn't enough time to connect at SEA.
Is this true?
If so, what is the minimum time required to allow AA agent to book?
CX flight arrives 7:40pm
AS flight departs 8:45pm
AA phone rep claims I cannot book this, even though available, because this isn't enough time to connect at SEA.
Is this true?
If so, what is the minimum time required to allow AA agent to book?
#1137
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 134
I have been calling AA the past week to look for 2 business seats from SGN to TUL with Cathay and they could not find anything for July 28 -31 next year, especially from SGN to HKG. I have been flying this route in the past three years. Did Cathay stop releasing business award seats to AA this year?
#1138
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
I have been calling AA the past week to look for 2 business seats from SGN to TUL with Cathay and they could not find anything for July 28 -31 next year, especially from SGN to HKG. I have been flying this route in the past three years. Did Cathay stop releasing business award seats to AA this year?
Here is one example. POS USA.
[KVS Tool 9.4.4/Diamond - Awards/QF-OneWorld/US]
Code:
SGN Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon Tan Son Nhat Intl VN [VVTS] TUL Tulsa Intl OK US [KTUL] WED 29 Jul 2020 2 Seats Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive St Award Availability --------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ------------------ CX 772 SGN 06:20 HKG 10:00 0 FS- CS+ YS- -> CX 806 HKG 11:35 ORD 13:40 0 FS- CS+ YS- -> AA 3611 ORD 20:30 TUL 22:25 0 FS- CS+ YS-
#1139
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 134
SGN to HKG is probably going to be married segment only at this point in time. It's not rocket science. You have to do some work yourself. Not all agents are well trained or have good search tools. You find an award and then call to book it, feeding them the flights like you feed a toddler, and they should be able to book it.
Here is one example. POS USA.
[KVS Tool 9.4.4/Diamond - Awards/QF-OneWorld/US]
Here is one example. POS USA.
[KVS Tool 9.4.4/Diamond - Awards/QF-OneWorld/US]
Code:
SGN Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon Tan Son Nhat Intl VN [VVTS] TUL Tulsa Intl OK US [KTUL] WED 29 Jul 2020 2 Seats Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive St Award Availability --------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ------------------ CX 772 SGN 06:20 HKG 10:00 0 FS- CS+ YS- -> CX 806 HKG 11:35 ORD 13:40 0 FS- CS+ YS- -> AA 3611 ORD 20:30 TUL 22:25 0 FS- CS+ YS-
#1140
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 134
OK I just called them with the flight numbers and they could not see those!