While that is valuable information, i was hoping for information on ways to investigate flight scenarios and the likelihood of upgrade/award seats coming available. CX's website just says "full" and does not give any deeper information like the total number of unsold tickets in each class etc (asuming more unsold tickets=greater chance to buy upgrade). We aren't picky about which US airport we fly into and need a way to make a more educated bet at upgrade availability. We also aren't locked into CX, but it seems like the best bet.

You need EF for that...

(I'm waiting for another FTer or two to sort out mine...)

As a poor man's proxy you can go onto CX.com and try buying tickets...see what fare codes the site gives you. Work your way up from one pax to six.

And EF is what?

Expert Flyer

So let's say, hypothetically that a person with no status on CX, but a bucket load of miles is wanting to make several redemptions on an SIN-HKG-LAX flight. There is no award availability showing, yet the flights currently show 9's across the board in every ticket class. What are the reasonable chances of four "instant" upgrades clearing wait list vs. two full award redemptions. Is there a specific ticket class to keep an eye on (C,D,J,I)? Also, what is the best resource to make these inquiries, kvs, EF?

Can you upgrade a CX (purchased) ticket using Asia Miles, then later change the FF # to AA and credit the flight to American Airlines AAdvantage?

Of course. I upgrade other people all the time.

I am flying into HKG on AA in J, but my HKG -> CAN segment is in Y. Do you think I can swing an upgrade to J somehow (not that it really matters, it is only a 30 min flight)

If you are ticketed in Y, the chance is you will be in Y. When I book a long-haul J, the connecting short-haul is always J (unless full). It is strange that the connecting flight is in Y while the long haul is in J, unless J is full or there is no J (possible on this segment).

Sounds like the original ticket was upgraded with an SWU, miles or another instrument on the inbound to HKG, but since HKGCAN is operated by KA, it's not upgradeable?

Anyways it is really a very short flight. J isn't even remotely worth it being it's likely double or triple the price if not more.

I paid the fare difference to upgrade to J as the fare dropped in price substantially since the ticket was first booked. It was cheaper to pay the price difference than it was to upgrade with miles and cash (let alone the savings of 50k miles and earning potential of bonus miles/points).

to answer your original question, you definitely can get an upgrade to CAN in J, provided you are willing to pay the fare difference, unless you are traveling on a really complicated ticket issued on AA stock or something (because they'll have to separately price the HKG-CAN sector). I still think that should be possible but you'll need to have time for them to calculate it. If you bought the KA ticket separately it should be very easy (5-10 mins max at the transfer desk) to do. You can pay right there.

However, if by 'swing' you mean score a cheapo or complimentary upgrade, you can forget about it. This isn't AA. The fact you are inbound on AA in J is irrelevant to your odds of getting a freebie upgrade. As a general rule, CX/KA upgrade almost only in an oversold situation, and they put their DM and GO members ahead of OWE, which means it's very difficult (albeit, not impossible) to score an op-up as a partner OWE flying CX or KA. It is irrelevant if J is wide open, if economy isn't oversold CX/KA won't even give a freebie upgrade to their own elites, let alone others traveling through. In general, if you want J you pay up.

Neither do CX/KA play the let's-make-a-deal game in HK (as it sounds like AA did for your J ticket) to auction off the remaining J seats on the CAN sector at discount prices cheaper than any existing fare classes. If J doesn't go out full, that's fine by them. There are rare instances of this happening (usually at outports trying to score ancillary revenue points with home base) - but it is so unlikely that we just say it's impossible.

If on same ticket, there may be a problem upgrading with cash. The HKG-CAN segment may be "free" or HKG may be the HIP (higher intermediate point).

CX Asia Miles upgrade from R to J
 

Am trying to use Asia Miles to upgrade from Prem Econ (R) to Business. Have booked the R fare class ticket but still left hanging in suspense. Asia Miles has put my ticket on hold and waitlisted the upgrade request. Travel is in Sep/Oct 2015 to SFO-India-SFO. I booked my ticket in R class paying prem econ fare for the entire trip, even though CX will not offer prem econ on India flights from Oct.
1. Cathay tells me I need to shell out more miles to upgrade from Y to J for the India segment than what it would required for R to J. Since I am paying R class fare anyway, why should I shell out increased miles to upgrade from Econ to Business? Seems unfair....
2. In general what are the chances of getting R to J upgrade on CX? As travel is few months away and during low season hoping it goes thru.
3. Wondering if chances of getting upgrade on BA would be brighter than CX?

1 & 2. If PEY is unavailable, your ticket will not show R for the India sector(s). So you cannot get a R to J upgrade, but only Y/B/H/K/M to J upgrade.

3. Do you mean getting upgrade using Avios or Asia Miles on BA? Cross-airlines upgrades (using Asia Miles to upgrade BA flights) are more complicated and inflexible. I tried twice and eventually gave up both times (because I did not have enough time - only a week or so to departure). In regards to Avios on BA, it should be raised in the BA forum.