Nov 19, 2014, 9:27 am
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)
Nov 17, 2018, 8:44 pm
#721
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,443
For every anecdotal data point on here that says last minute availability has dried up on CX there's an opposite data point that says it hasn't. No reason at all to give up hope, it's not as if there's a ton of last minute paid F and J business travel to anywhere the day after Xmas. As with every CX search, 1.5 months out is still way too soon, start keeping an eye on it about 2 weeks before and really focus once you hit 7 days out.
Nov 17, 2018, 9:35 pm
#722
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 22
The funny thing is that I can find a few "F" seats here and there but zero in business. It's just a big goose egg for the next two weeks (and it's not just now, I've been looking 1-14 days out since the beginning of November, just to get an idea of the availability I can expect when I truly need to leave). You'd think there'd be *something* somewhere, but nope. I've checked Qantas and BA, which is quite the cumbersome search effort if I do say so myself (and y'all know what I mean). I know that BA doesn't show CX availability within a week prior.
So I wonder if CX is again withholding the availability as they were this summer.
Edit: Just found HKG-->DEL on CX in J is available 28Nov. Perhaps I'm mistaken.
So I wonder if CX is again withholding the availability as they were this summer.
Edit: Just found HKG-->DEL on CX in J is available 28Nov. Perhaps I'm mistaken.
Nov 25, 2018, 7:01 pm
#723
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: NYC, LAX, HKG
Posts: 286
The funny thing is that I can find a few "F" seats here and there but zero in business. It's just a big goose egg for the next two weeks (and it's not just now, I've been looking 1-14 days out since the beginning of November, just to get an idea of the availability I can expect when I truly need to leave). You'd think there'd be *something* somewhere, but nope. I've checked Qantas and BA, which is quite the cumbersome search effort if I do say so myself (and y'all know what I mean). I know that BA doesn't show CX availability within a week prior.
So I wonder if CX is again withholding the availability as they were this summer.
Edit: Just found HKG-->DEL on CX in J is available 28Nov. Perhaps I'm mistaken.
So I wonder if CX is again withholding the availability as they were this summer.
Edit: Just found HKG-->DEL on CX in J is available 28Nov. Perhaps I'm mistaken.
Nov 25, 2018, 9:58 pm
#724
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,447
The funny thing is that I can find a few "F" seats here and there but zero in business. It's just a big goose egg for the next two weeks (and it's not just now, I've been looking 1-14 days out since the beginning of November, just to get an idea of the availability I can expect when I truly need to leave). You'd think there'd be *something* somewhere, but nope. I've checked Qantas and BA, which is quite the cumbersome search effort if I do say so myself (and y'all know what I mean). I know that BA doesn't show CX availability within a week prior.
So I wonder if CX is again withholding the availability as they were this summer.
Edit: Just found HKG-->DEL on CX in J is available 28Nov. Perhaps I'm mistaken.
So I wonder if CX is again withholding the availability as they were this summer.
Edit: Just found HKG-->DEL on CX in J is available 28Nov. Perhaps I'm mistaken.
Nov 26, 2018, 7:22 pm
#725
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: SJC
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, Bonvoyed Lifetime Gold
Posts: 117
I have a flight out of sfo-hkg on 12/3 and have been waiting for CX to release F award partner.. They have released a lot of J but No F.. Im a week out and still no F, been looking for several months now. I think they are just refusing to release F seats.. maybe the redemption from partners not worth it? 7 days left.. Im going to look every 12 hours.. Wish me luck..
Nov 26, 2018, 7:27 pm
#726
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,533
I have a flight out of sfo-hkg on 12/3 and have been waiting for CX to release F award partner.. They have released a lot of J but No F.. Im a week out and still no F, been looking for several months now. I think they are just refusing to release F seats.. maybe the redemption from partners not worth it? 7 days left.. Im going to look every 12 hours.. Wish me luck..
Jamie
Last edited by jamienbaker; Nov 26, 2018 at 7:32 pm
Nov 26, 2018, 10:33 pm
#727
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: SJC
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, Bonvoyed Lifetime Gold
Posts: 117
Update..
3 days out no availability in z
72 hours hour out no availability in z
48 hours exactly no availability in z
24 hours exactly no availability in z
13 hours hours out no availability in z
Flight had 3 Z.. cx didnt release anymore awards
Last edited by JfromTheBay; Dec 9, 2018 at 7:53 am
Nov 27, 2018, 3:53 pm
#728
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,635
If you're talking about intra-Asia flights, then yes, I've noticed a similar trend. From 12/13 to 12/18, at the moment NOTHING is available in J, W, or Y from HKG to anywhere in SE Asia (SIN, KUL, BKK, PEN, SGN, CGK, DPS, SUB). I see some F here and there to CGK and a handful of married segments in lower cabins (e.g. TPE-HKG-BKK; not all that useful for someone originating in HKG or connecting from elsewhere and hoping to piece together an itinerary), but that's it. Flights to TPE, PVG, and PEK still seem to be available in line with historical patterns, so it sure seems like CX is playing games with some of their regional award availability, an alarming trend to be sure.
Nov 27, 2018, 8:32 pm
#729
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,165
I'm having a really difficult time finding intra-Asia award space on CX.
Something definitely has changed in the past year or so.
Dec 3, 2018, 9:32 pm
#730
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Gold
Posts: 384
I’m looking for a one way award in F on CX DEL-HKG-JFK.
I know DEL -HKG does not have F. What is the availability Oct 30 -Nov 1?
I know DEL -HKG does not have F. What is the availability Oct 30 -Nov 1?
Dec 3, 2018, 11:32 pm
#731
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
You can look this up yourself on Qantas's website segment by segment. Only one CX flight from DEL-HKG in J on those days which leaves DEL at 01:25. 7 hour layover in HKG connecting to F to JFK.
Dec 4, 2018, 12:55 am
#732
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Gold
Posts: 384
Good - now. All of those days have at least one flight to JFK with an F award available. Time to book.
You can look this up yourself on Qantas's website segment by segment. Only one CX flight from DEL-HKG in J on those days which leaves DEL at 01:25. 7 hour layover in HKG connecting to F to JFK.
You can look this up yourself on Qantas's website segment by segment. Only one CX flight from DEL-HKG in J on those days which leaves DEL at 01:25. 7 hour layover in HKG connecting to F to JFK.
Dec 4, 2018, 9:56 am
#733
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: New York
Programs: American, Alaska, United & IHG
Posts: 54
Have you heard this before?
I've been trying to look for tickets to go from ICN-JFK next year. Cathay Pacific has Business class available and they route from ICN-HKG nonstop. 3 hour layover, and then HKG-JFK nonstop. When I call to book it though, the agents find that the routing above with Cathay is available and it is the same routing their system shows to get me from Korea back to NY. However, they're charging 100,000 miles one way and say the system is counting it as 2 seperate award tickets instead of one award ticket from ICN-JFK. They're saying because it goes from Asia 1 to Asia 2 to USA, I can't book it as one award ticket (even though a 3 hour layover on a connecting flight in HKG is clearly not a stopover at a different region). From what I've researched, it doesn't violate any routing rules and it's the official route for Cathay to get me from ICN-JFK. Any suggestions?
Dec 4, 2018, 10:07 am
#734
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
I've been trying to look for tickets to go from ICN-JFK next year. Cathay Pacific has Business class available and they route from ICN-HKG nonstop. 3 hour layover, and then HKG-JFK nonstop. When I call to book it though, the agents find that the routing above with Cathay is available and it is the same routing their system shows to get me from Korea back to NY. However, they're charging 100,000 miles one way and say the system is counting it as 2 seperate award tickets instead of one award ticket from ICN-JFK. They're saying because it goes from Asia 1 to Asia 2 to USA, I can't book it as one award ticket (even though a 3 hour layover on a connecting flight in HKG is clearly not a stopover at a different region). From what I've researched, it doesn't violate any routing rules and it's the official route for Cathay to get me from ICN-JFK. Any suggestions?
Dec 4, 2018, 10:48 am
#735
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: New York
Programs: American, Alaska, United & IHG
Posts: 54
Unfortunately, the agent is correct. Although CX will allow this routing, AA’s award rules generally do not allow transiting a third region (with some exceptions). You cannot transit Asia 2 on an Asia 1-US award. Your options here are AA through DFW or JL through TYO if you want it to be one award.
