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
Jun 29, 2016, 4:51 am
#481
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,803
Are you able to see the wiki or are you accessing the site via mobile? If mobile, pls go to desktop mode.
Jun 29, 2016, 5:20 am
#482
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708
They experimented with a system a few years ago that went nowhere.
We hear of one-off anecdotes from outports (although I haven't seen any mentioned in the last few years), but practically speaking "no". CX doesn't auction off their front seats on the cheap like some other carriers.
Sadly, your really only option if you want a seat forward is to pay the difference.
Jul 1, 2016, 12:53 pm
#483
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,459
Anecdotally, last year I was offered a $500 cash upgrade from Y to W (aisle seat) on CX873, SFO-HKG. At check-in, the agent told me that there would be a possibility of an op-up and to check with the lounge agent closer to departure. At the lounge, the agent looked me up and informed me that there wouldn't be an op-up, but after another minute or so of typing, she offered the cash upgrade. I declined and stayed in my exit row Y seat.
Other times, I've never asked for or been offered a cash upgrade.
Other times, I've never asked for or been offered a cash upgrade.
Jul 1, 2016, 1:28 pm
#484
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
Anecdotally, last year I was offered a $500 cash upgrade from Y to W (aisle seat) on CX873, SFO-HKG. At check-in, the agent told me that there would be a possibility of an op-up and to check with the lounge agent closer to departure. At the lounge, the agent looked me up and informed me that there wouldn't be an op-up, but after another minute or so of typing, she offered the cash upgrade. I declined and stayed in my exit row Y seat.
Other times, I've never asked for or been offered a cash upgrade.
Other times, I've never asked for or been offered a cash upgrade.
I was originally very upset because the seat map was chock-block for W and Y and wide open for J until t-6 when W became ridiculously empty and J almost full. Turns out they already pre-op up'd ~15 DM/GO/IDs, but this lady made me the very last op up of the day - just minutes before we were about to board. Happy ending to my 4th op up on ORD-HKG this year
Jul 5, 2016, 3:50 am
#485
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: HKG
Posts: 1,053
Another anecdote: from October 3, 2015 at MLE: Was offered to upgrade from Y to W for 300 USD. There was only 1 seat left though, so the wife and I stayed in Y. Otherwise, I would have taken that in a heartbeat for a ~6 hour overnight flight.
Jul 5, 2016, 1:23 pm
#486
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Singapore
Programs: MPC, KF, Accor, SPG, HH
Posts: 902
Happy to report that status + low BN + flight load seemed to be the secret recipe that got me 2/2 op-ups from Y to J this past weekend.
7/2 CX650 - A33E. SEC 1, GO. Op-up happened when airport check-in opened
7/5 CX715 - B773Z SEC 19, GO. Op=up at gate.
Y was zeroed out on both flights
7/2 CX650 - A33E. SEC 1, GO. Op-up happened when airport check-in opened
7/5 CX715 - B773Z SEC 19, GO. Op=up at gate.
Y was zeroed out on both flights
Last edited by CXFlyerBoy; Jul 5, 2016 at 3:35 pm
Aug 10, 2016, 2:28 am
#488
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708
Obviously, goes without saying you must be in W or R class (not E) to use it. And only Asia Miles permitted for this type of award.
Aug 14, 2016, 6:26 am
#489
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP, IHG Diamond, IC Amb
Posts: 5,511
I booked a Y ticket on AA ticket stock that includes one code share and one CX flight number.
LAX-HKG: AA Metal (I used an SWU to UG to J)
HKG-CGK: AA8913 Operated by CX
CGK-HKG: CX718
HKG-LAX: AA Metal
My question pertains to the CX flights. One is a code share and one is an actual CX flight number.
Will I be able to UG these flight using money or miles? I have almost 100,000 Citi Thank You points that transfer to Asia Miles.
How would I check availability?
This will be my first time on CX, although I have an AA award ticket BKK-HKG-LAX booked on CX First next January.
LAX-HKG: AA Metal (I used an SWU to UG to J)
HKG-CGK: AA8913 Operated by CX
CGK-HKG: CX718
HKG-LAX: AA Metal
My question pertains to the CX flights. One is a code share and one is an actual CX flight number.
Will I be able to UG these flight using money or miles? I have almost 100,000 Citi Thank You points that transfer to Asia Miles.
How would I check availability?
This will be my first time on CX, although I have an AA award ticket BKK-HKG-LAX booked on CX First next January.
Aug 14, 2016, 6:50 am
#490
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708
I booked a Y ticket on AA ticket stock that includes one code share and one CX flight number.
LAX-HKG: AA Metal (I used an SWU to UG to J)
HKG-CGK: AA8913 Operated by CX
CGK-HKG: CX718
HKG-LAX: AA Metal
My question pertains to the CX flights. One is a code share and one is an actual CX flight number.
Will I be able to UG these flight using money or miles? I have almost 100,000 Citi Thank You points that transfer to Asia Miles.
How would I check availability?
LAX-HKG: AA Metal (I used an SWU to UG to J)
HKG-CGK: AA8913 Operated by CX
CGK-HKG: CX718
HKG-LAX: AA Metal
My question pertains to the CX flights. One is a code share and one is an actual CX flight number.
Will I be able to UG these flight using money or miles? I have almost 100,000 Citi Thank You points that transfer to Asia Miles.
How would I check availability?
Some things to note:
*You cannot upgrade with money unless you pay the fare difference. I saw The Points Guy blog erroneously advertising to readers a day or two ago a bunch of carriers that allow cash upgrades using a bidding system. Just flat out wrong information. CX tried this as an experiment a few years ago on very limited #s of flights, and it went kaput without much explanation soon after.
If you're on a discounted economy class, CX has been known to not even waive the cancellation fees or whatnot, so you'll basically have to eat your economy ticket and whatever penalties and rebook in J. Generally NOT a cheap option.
*Upgrades are possible with Asia Miles provided you're in a valid booking class which = Y, B, H, K or M. No other sub fareclasses can upgrade. Unrelated to your situation, but in PEY, only W and R can upgrade, not E.
*You can only upgrade 1 class on CX. The upgrade-killer PEY is on many CX birds. True, CGK is often operated by a 2 class A330s, B773s and B772s without PEY (these designations are 33P, 73Z and 772Z and all feature the same regional J product), but in the event a 3 or 4 class long-haul bird with PEY (33K, 35G, 77G, 77H, 74K, 34J) you can only upgrade from Y to PEY. Your absolute best luck would be if 33E serves the route that day, because this is a somewhat special configuration long-haul A333, which only has two classes (Y and J, no PEY). https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_...0-300-33E.html. These birds are mainly used for the ME, India, Sri Lanka and Maldives but could make an appearance on CGK in case of a swap or good scheduling luck.
A more likely scenario is you fly on 33P, 773Z or 772, all which are equipped with CX's regional J. Not really worth upgrading to, IMHO. CX regional J isn't comfortable. Ironically, thinking out-loud, I'd rather upgrade from Y to PEY than Y to regional J. So root for a long-haul aircraft.
You can check availability by making an Asia Miles account and checking online. Or, you can check using the KVS tool, which can search Asia Miles / MPC award inventory directly (Expert Flier cannot). A slightly more crude but generally fine way to do it is having a British Airways Avios account and checking there. Their partner inventory doesn't always have what CX has, but I find it's very close.
Last edited by QRC3288; Aug 14, 2016 at 6:56 am
Aug 14, 2016, 7:20 am
#491
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
AA coded CX operated - pray for opup only
CX coded CX operated (your return) - can 001 stock do AM upgrade? I doubt it...
CX coded CX operated (your return) - can 001 stock do AM upgrade? I doubt it...
Aug 16, 2016, 8:12 pm
#493
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: LHR
Programs: CX GO, BA Gold, OZ*G, IHG Spire RA
Posts: 316
Change FFP after bookable upgrade?
I'll be over 1800 club points by the time I take HKG<>YVR that I used bookable upgrades to J class.
I'm also moving to LHR and will likely switch to BA. Does anyone have any experience changing FFP after using bookable upgrades?
I'm also moving to LHR and will likely switch to BA. Does anyone have any experience changing FFP after using bookable upgrades?
Aug 27, 2016, 9:16 am
#494
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: HKG
Programs: CX DM, SPG Pt, Le Club Accor GO, Shangri-La GC Jade
Posts: 1,327
Any brother (or sister) knows what "courtesy upgrade" means? op-up?
Situation:
Just flew CX to PEK on a 33K... Before ticketing called MPC to reset my membership year (finished the year ending Aug 16 with 1220 points... why not reset right
) Right after ticketing (which is actually STD - 18 hours 
) already saw my seat moved up from Y to PEY in MMB... At check-in I was told this is a "courtesy upgrade"... Therefore I don't know if this is an op-up or renewal upgrade or what...
Situation:
Just flew CX to PEK on a 33K... Before ticketing called MPC to reset my membership year (finished the year ending Aug 16 with 1220 points... why not reset right
) Right after ticketing (which is actually STD - 18 hours ) already saw my seat moved up from Y to PEY in MMB... At check-in I was told this is a "courtesy upgrade"... Therefore I don't know if this is an op-up or renewal upgrade or what...
Aug 27, 2016, 10:31 am
#495
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708