Oct 29, 2013, 4:27 am
Last edit by: ZZ100
Is it possible to buy a (cheap) upgrade on Cathay Pacific upon check-in?
The short answer is no.
Cathay, as a general rule, does not allow you to purchase last minute upgrades if there are empty seats in Y+, J or F. The only way to upgrade a ticket is to pay the fare difference between your current ticket, and an available fare class in the higher cabins. Note that if your current ticket has restrictions (cancellation fees, non-refundable) these still apply.
There are been stories of people who have been offered cheap upgrades by Cathay, but this is more an exception than a common occurrence.
If I upgrade my ticket using asia miles, do I still earn miles?
Yes, you will earn miles for the original fare class that you booked, not the upgraded cabin.
How do I get a free upgrade / operational upgrade (op-up)?
Cathay Pacific does not upgrade passengers just because there are empty seats in higher classes. Upgrades will only occur where there is overbooking in lower classes.
The order of upgrades when required is believed to be:
I am travelling on an award ticket. Will I still be considered for a free upgrade?
Yes - there are many stories of passengers on award tickets, or who upgraded a class using miles, getting (additional) upgrades.
What happens if the aircraft has 4 or 3 cabins, but is only selling Business and Economy seats?
It is likely if you have Marco Polo status, and to a lesser extent oneworld status, you may be able to sit in either First Class seats (if booked in J) or Premium Economy (if booked in Y) with service of the original cabin. There doesn't appear to be consistency yet as to how these semi-upgrades are allocated. Some people have been able to choose seats in the higher cabin during online check-in, or some will get them on request at check-in. However, there is no entitlement to these seats.
Will I get an upgrade on my Birthday, or for my membership anniversary, or for reaching xx number of lifetime club miles?
Please see this link for members' experience with these kinds of upgrades: Marco Polo Anniversary Upgrades
I want to use Asia Miles to upgrade a BA flight. How do I do this?
As of 22 June 2018, it is no longer possible to upgrade BA flights with Asia Miles.
How do I upgrade a CX flight using miles?
If you already have issued your original ticket:
If you have not made any booking yet, and you want to check availability:
If you don't receive a new e-ticket before departure, call up Marco Polo club to double check if the upgrade has been issued.
The short answer is no.
Cathay, as a general rule, does not allow you to purchase last minute upgrades if there are empty seats in Y+, J or F. The only way to upgrade a ticket is to pay the fare difference between your current ticket, and an available fare class in the higher cabins. Note that if your current ticket has restrictions (cancellation fees, non-refundable) these still apply.
There are been stories of people who have been offered cheap upgrades by Cathay, but this is more an exception than a common occurrence.
If I upgrade my ticket using asia miles, do I still earn miles?
Yes, you will earn miles for the original fare class that you booked, not the upgraded cabin.
How do I get a free upgrade / operational upgrade (op-up)?
Cathay Pacific does not upgrade passengers just because there are empty seats in higher classes. Upgrades will only occur where there is overbooking in lower classes.
The order of upgrades when required is believed to be:
- VIP (Heads of State, Government Bodies, or Canto Pop/Movie stars)
- CX Diamond Plus
- CX Diamond Invitation, Diamond
- CX Gold
- CX management staff on travel duty
- oneworld Emerald
- CX staff on duty nominees , other airline staff nominees, CX staff on personal travel
- oneworld Sapphire
- CX Silver
- oneworld Ruby
- CX Green
- Asia Miles
- Non status
I am travelling on an award ticket. Will I still be considered for a free upgrade?
Yes - there are many stories of passengers on award tickets, or who upgraded a class using miles, getting (additional) upgrades.
What happens if the aircraft has 4 or 3 cabins, but is only selling Business and Economy seats?
It is likely if you have Marco Polo status, and to a lesser extent oneworld status, you may be able to sit in either First Class seats (if booked in J) or Premium Economy (if booked in Y) with service of the original cabin. There doesn't appear to be consistency yet as to how these semi-upgrades are allocated. Some people have been able to choose seats in the higher cabin during online check-in, or some will get them on request at check-in. However, there is no entitlement to these seats.
Will I get an upgrade on my Birthday, or for my membership anniversary, or for reaching xx number of lifetime club miles?
Please see this link for members' experience with these kinds of upgrades: Marco Polo Anniversary Upgrades
I want to use Asia Miles to upgrade a BA flight. How do I do this?
As of 22 June 2018, it is no longer possible to upgrade BA flights with Asia Miles.
How do I upgrade a CX flight using miles?
If you already have issued your original ticket:
- Try upgrading using Manage My Booking on the website (not always successful)
- If self-service doesn't work, try calling Marco Polo hotline to check availability
- If there is availability, you will need to issue the upgrade immediately to secure it. They may give you a few days grace before isssuing the upgrade, but this is now rarely given.
- In a few days, or longer if they are busy, your miles will be deducted, and you will be emailed a new e-ticket with the upgrade class details on it, and your online booking for your original booking class will disappear.
If you have not made any booking yet, and you want to check availability:
- Call Marco Polo club to check for availability on the flights/dates you want, or check for normal redemption availability on the website.
- Book a revenue ticket in the class of service for which you will be paying. Do NOT do this via the website -- call a CX telephone sales number/travel agent.
- Put the booking on hold.
- Call the Marco Polo/Asia Miles Service Center. Have them book the upgrade and give you a deadline to have the ticket issued. (It's usually about 72 hours).
- Have telephone sales/travel agent issue your revenue ticket.
- Call Marco Polo/Asia Miles back. Give them the revenue ticket number against the PNR and ask them to issue your upgrade.
- In about two or three days, you'll get a new ticket with the upgrade showing.
If you don't receive a new e-ticket before departure, call up Marco Polo club to double check if the upgrade has been issued.
The Ultimate Upgrade Question thread
Feb 11, 2016, 2:35 pm
#391
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 2
Upgrade ticket bought through Expedia
Hi
I have a question about upgrading part of a trip bought though Expedia - I'd like to upgrade using cash, not points.
I have a ticket LHR-HGK-MEL, SYD-HKG-LHR in PEY. The outbound is in E, the return in R,. I'd like to find out how much it would cost to upgrade the inbound (SYD-LHR) to business, so I phoned CX. They said they couldn't change my booking until after I had taken the first flight, as it was booked through an agency. Fair enough, so I rang Expedia. They said they could only upgrade the whole trip, not just the return leg.
Is there any way I can get a price for the upgrade before ringing CX after taking the first flight?
Many thanks
I have a question about upgrading part of a trip bought though Expedia - I'd like to upgrade using cash, not points.
I have a ticket LHR-HGK-MEL, SYD-HKG-LHR in PEY. The outbound is in E, the return in R,. I'd like to find out how much it would cost to upgrade the inbound (SYD-LHR) to business, so I phoned CX. They said they couldn't change my booking until after I had taken the first flight, as it was booked through an agency. Fair enough, so I rang Expedia. They said they could only upgrade the whole trip, not just the return leg.
Is there any way I can get a price for the upgrade before ringing CX after taking the first flight?
Many thanks
Feb 11, 2016, 4:33 pm
#392
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ORD [formerly] + HKG
Programs: CX Diamond, AA exExPlat, BAEC exGold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Starriott Titanium, GE
Posts: 2,966
Hi
I have a question about upgrading part of a trip bought though Expedia - I'd like to upgrade using cash, not points.
I have a ticket LHR-HGK-MEL, SYD-HKG-LHR in PEY. The outbound is in E, the return in R,. I'd like to find out how much it would cost to upgrade the inbound (SYD-LHR) to business, so I phoned CX. They said they couldn't change my booking until after I had taken the first flight, as it was booked through an agency. Fair enough, so I rang Expedia. They said they could only upgrade the whole trip, not just the return leg.
Is there any way I can get a price for the upgrade before ringing CX after taking the first flight?
Many thanks
I have a question about upgrading part of a trip bought though Expedia - I'd like to upgrade using cash, not points.
I have a ticket LHR-HGK-MEL, SYD-HKG-LHR in PEY. The outbound is in E, the return in R,. I'd like to find out how much it would cost to upgrade the inbound (SYD-LHR) to business, so I phoned CX. They said they couldn't change my booking until after I had taken the first flight, as it was booked through an agency. Fair enough, so I rang Expedia. They said they could only upgrade the whole trip, not just the return leg.
Is there any way I can get a price for the upgrade before ringing CX after taking the first flight?
Many thanks
Feb 11, 2016, 9:21 pm
#393
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: MPC,CA,MU,AF
Posts: 8,171
This is why you should buy directly from CX...if I remember correctly as long as you purchased your ticket from an agent (expedia in this case), you have to get them to process the upfare (not upgrade since you sound like you want to pay more). And I'm not even sure if E + I roundtrip combination is allowed, which is probably why expedia is telling you they can only upgrade the whole journey.
Feb 12, 2016, 9:24 am
#394
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 2
This is why you should buy directly from CX...if I remember correctly as long as you purchased your ticket from an agent (expedia in this case), you have to get them to process the upfare (not upgrade since you sound like you want to pay more). And I'm not even sure if E + I roundtrip combination is allowed, which is probably why expedia is telling you they can only upgrade the whole journey.
Feb 22, 2016, 7:14 pm
#395
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: QF Plat, IHG RA, Marriott Plat
Posts: 256
This is one possible reason why your agent told you that you had to upgrade the whole itinerary. Your original fare may not have permitted travel one way in Y+ and the other in J.
As an added complication - when researching your future bookings at least - most online systems simply aren't able to return fares where a combination of cabins is permitted, so even if a mix of Y and J is allowed, you won't see such options returning on any online site - CX included.
Nor does Cathay's website return the "combinations" paragraph of the fare rules that governs whether you can mix different cabins, so even researching online before 'phoning to book is not straightforward, sadly.
Mar 7, 2016, 11:38 pm
#396
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: PNW
Programs: FreeAgent; DL Silver; IHG Diamond/ Ambassador
Posts: 705
I need help with my mileage upgrade request...
I have CX Gold status, traveling out LAX-HKG in late April, then returning HKG-SFO in second week of May. Both upgrades still on waitlist.
After making a mock-booking for my dates above, LAX-HKG looks half full in business as of the moment. However, HKG-SFO is already about 2/3 full. On the same day, if I return via LAX, the flight is less than half-full.
I only booked SFO on the suggestion of an agent that it had more empty seats at the time of booking (last month).
My instinct tells me to go ahead and pay the $100 rebooking fee to change my return via LAX and take my chances of a confirmed upgrade from there.
But then, wouldn't that mean I would have to join the back of the queue for upgrades on the new flight? What are my chances?
Any input?
I have CX Gold status, traveling out LAX-HKG in late April, then returning HKG-SFO in second week of May. Both upgrades still on waitlist.
After making a mock-booking for my dates above, LAX-HKG looks half full in business as of the moment. However, HKG-SFO is already about 2/3 full. On the same day, if I return via LAX, the flight is less than half-full.
I only booked SFO on the suggestion of an agent that it had more empty seats at the time of booking (last month).
My instinct tells me to go ahead and pay the $100 rebooking fee to change my return via LAX and take my chances of a confirmed upgrade from there.
But then, wouldn't that mean I would have to join the back of the queue for upgrades on the new flight? What are my chances?
Any input?
Mar 9, 2016, 2:36 am
#397
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: HKG / YYZ
Programs: CX & AC; GA; SPG
Posts: 21
I need help with my mileage upgrade request...
I have CX Gold status, traveling out LAX-HKG in late April, then returning HKG-SFO in second week of May. Both upgrades still on waitlist.
After making a mock-booking for my dates above, LAX-HKG looks half full in business as of the moment. However, HKG-SFO is already about 2/3 full. On the same day, if I return via LAX, the flight is less than half-full.
I only booked SFO on the suggestion of an agent that it had more empty seats at the time of booking (last month).
My instinct tells me to go ahead and pay the $100 rebooking fee to change my return via LAX and take my chances of a confirmed upgrade from there.
But then, wouldn't that mean I would have to join the back of the queue for upgrades on the new flight? What are my chances?
Any input?
I have CX Gold status, traveling out LAX-HKG in late April, then returning HKG-SFO in second week of May. Both upgrades still on waitlist.
After making a mock-booking for my dates above, LAX-HKG looks half full in business as of the moment. However, HKG-SFO is already about 2/3 full. On the same day, if I return via LAX, the flight is less than half-full.
I only booked SFO on the suggestion of an agent that it had more empty seats at the time of booking (last month).
My instinct tells me to go ahead and pay the $100 rebooking fee to change my return via LAX and take my chances of a confirmed upgrade from there.
But then, wouldn't that mean I would have to join the back of the queue for upgrades on the new flight? What are my chances?
Any input?
As for changing flights and waitlisting you will be back of the line.
Good Luck
Mar 11, 2016, 5:07 pm
#398
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: KUL/BOS
Programs: AZ FA+, BA & UA Gold
Posts: 342
Would Asia Miles process a BA PE->J upgrade even though there's just one-way availability for now?
I'm looking at KUL-LHR on 5th and 16th of July for outbound and inbound respectively. There's availability on the former but the latter is zeroed out on BA award search right now.
I'm looking at KUL-LHR on 5th and 16th of July for outbound and inbound respectively. There's availability on the former but the latter is zeroed out on BA award search right now.
Mar 11, 2016, 5:51 pm
#399
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: MPC,CA,MU,AF
Posts: 8,171
Would Asia Miles process a BA PE->J upgrade even though there's just one-way availability for now?
I'm looking at KUL-LHR on 5th and 16th of July for outbound and inbound respectively. There's availability on the former but the latter is zeroed out on BA award search right now.
I'm looking at KUL-LHR on 5th and 16th of July for outbound and inbound respectively. There's availability on the former but the latter is zeroed out on BA award search right now.
Mar 14, 2016, 7:20 pm
#400
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 6
So I'm booked on LAX-HKG roundtrip in R (PEY) and trying to use Asia Miles to upgrade to business. My inbound upgrade has been confirmed but I'm waitlisted for my outbound flight. I've been calling Asia Miles every day to see if there's availability but nothing so far. I'm confused as to what happens now that my waitlist is expiring today (T-4). Some agents have told me to keep calling, while others have told me that since my waitlist is expiring, not to even bother calling back because I have no chance. Anybody with any insight?
BTW, here's the load for my flight:
CX 883 0 LAX
03/18/16 11:35 PM HKG
03/20/16 6:00 AM 77W
Daily
55% / 29m F1 A1 J6 C6 D6 I3 W2 R1 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L6 V1 S0 N0 Q0 O0
BTW, here's the load for my flight:
CX 883 0 LAX
03/18/16 11:35 PM HKG
03/20/16 6:00 AM 77W
Daily
55% / 29m F1 A1 J6 C6 D6 I3 W2 R1 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L6 V1 S0 N0 Q0 O0
Mar 15, 2016, 10:33 pm
#404
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: LHR
Programs: CX GO, BA Gold, OZ*G, IHG Spire RA
Posts: 316
Definitely call in to confirm the one-way upgrade. Also continue calling and checking for the outbound flight. AM will charge you mileage for two one-ways if you end up getting the outbound so you will need to request that this be corrected.