tacommuter

Please forgive some fairly basic questions. I have been for years Chairmans with USAirways and Platinum with Delta, at a time when my flying pattern was an almost-weekly commute between the US and Europe. Now my flying has shifted to being mostly back and forth between Austalia and Hong Kong with a couple of trips per year to Europe, and I never set foot in the US any more, so it doesn't really make sense to continue to try to maintain status with US carriers. So, I am looking at Cathay and Qantas. I have done some investigation on their web sites, without finding clear answers to some pretty basic questions. So, if you will forgive me, I will draw on your collective wisdom.

1) Will Cathay ever status match? I can't imagine dropping below Gold while building up status in a new program.

2) Maintaining at least gold with somewhat-reduced flying would be substantially easier if I could get a boost in elite qualification from credit card spend, as I always have from both Delta and USAirways-branded cards. Are there any cards that contribute toward elite qualification for Cathay?

3)Typically, my flights have to be booked in the "cheapest available" fare class according to our company rules, and from what I have seen Cathay offers zero credit for anything below V class. Is that really true, and is there no way around that? Frequently when making a booking, I can't even get the booking site to clearly display the booking class before purchase. Any suggestions as to how to check on that?

Thanks in advance for your any information/advice.


Cheers,

David

djday

1) "CX Status Match" thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/catha...tus-match.html

2) I am not aware of any CX branded credit cards which result in EQMs. Happy to learn of one as well.

3) True. Eligible fare classes are stated quite clearly. https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_...lub-tiers.html. Travel agents should be able to provide you the booking class prior to purchase. From the CX website, the "Fare Details" page prior to purchase shows the booking cabin/class as well as the number of miles earned.

Mwenenzi

The sibling thread on the QF forum http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qanta...spend-etc.html

Be careful referring to "gold". Gold is not gold: Better to refer to OneWorld emerald/sapphire/ruby status

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...help-here.html
www.oneworld.com

percysmith

Can confirm never.

Unless you count non-HK Amex Plat giving out out MPO Gold and certain Amex Centurion giving out MPO Diamond in previous years.

tacommuter

[QUOTE=Mwenenzi;24183120]
Be careful referring to "gold". Gold is not gold: Better to refer to OneWorld emerald/sapphire/ruby status

You are quite right. I am still used to the USAirways/Star Alliance terminology and haven't quite assimilated that 'gold' on AA is a different beast and, well, pretty useless.

percysmith

Slight correction - you can get MPO SL with this http://www.headforpoints.com/2013/08...-founderscard/

Gongzuokuang

Will your Charmains with USAir convert into AA status once the merger is complete... which can subsequently help on CX flights?

Also, can you book "the cheapest" flight though AA that flies on CX metal, and choose to have the miles credited to MPC?

In other words, use AA status while building up CX status.

alphaod

If you show a lot of planned flights via CX, you can try to get a status match.

TyphoonRuby

Is it still possible though? The article was back in 2013.

percysmith

Still mentioned here http://thepointsguy.com/2015/01/foun...ards-worth-it/ . It was reading this article that had me dig what exact MPO tier did Founderscard give.

TyphoonRuby

So basically usd500 for SL and Hilton Gold...