Absolutely don't pay extra miles for CX's regrettable regional biz class. I'd rather have two seats in economy to be honest.

I think you're confusing something above. You most definitely don't get business miles, you'll get the underlying class you paid for (Y and PEY). The second quote you provided is referring to CXs "bookable upgrades" which are extra-tier benefits for high achieving GO and DM members, and not related to your case. That quote accurately describes those types of upgrades, which doesn't apply to you. You are simply doing a plain vanilla upgrade with miles to the higher class, which earns on the lower class.

Bookable upgrades book into actual revenue classes, like A (discounted first). I'm not sure about biz but it's either D or I (both discounted biz). Not U, which you're going to (award biz). For all intents and purposes most folks will be booking like you, and getting the lower class mileage. Otherwise it would be a way for pax to effectively buy higher elite status on CX.

The "FAQ Question 8" is referring to the bookable upgrades that are awarded as part of the Marco Polo Club mid-tier benefits, not to upgrades that are redeemed using Asia Miles. So in your case, you earn according to the original booked subclass.

FYI the bookable upgrades DON'T book into U class, but into a different class.

Learning quite a bit. As you might be able to tell I was off-line during the recent major conversions. Club Points and mid-tier benefits are still new to me.

One additional Q, which I could not locate on the CX or AM site: When I use miles to upgrade to Business, do I gain departure/transit lounge access for those segments?

thanks,
RDP

yes you do.

If you use miles to upgrade, you get all the benefits of the higher class (proper catering in the class of service, lounge benefits of the upgraded class, baggage allowances, check-in counters, etc.), just like you're a cash passenger. The only thing I can think of that you don't get are the mileage and Club Points for the higher class.

Well...I recently had two HK-Kathmandu flight and got upgraded at both return legs.

Got my upgrade at the gate and it was a pleasure treat. These overnight flights are tiring. At the second time the upgrade was somehow expected since the economy was zero out before a day. I checked expertflyer and even tried to book on website. Only business was available.

Since i am just a lowly green, perhaps my travel class is concerned? I booked at Econ Flex and there isn't much higher tiers club members in this route.

I recently booked from
LAX to NRT then from KIX to HKG to LAX. They were all premium economy. I was told I cannot mix and match? the roundtrip light from LAX to HKG had business class opening in each one but they claim I cannot mix business class and premium economy?

Also, if i want to increase my chance of getting a free upgrade am I better off being a marco polo member

Companion award and upgrade
 

I tried to search but did not find any relevant response

If I have redeemed a companion award for HKG-LHR, can I still apply for upgrade using miles? How does it work?

Companion is U class. You can't miles upgrade an award tic.

Thanks, I was not clear enough.
i noticed there's a terms that the companion must travel on the same class with me.
in that case, does that mean my ticket cannot be upgraded to first class either?

Got an op up on hkg- jfk from PEY to J at HKG station … I am QR silver/OW ruby

​​​​​​​Pleasant surpise … only hint I had was.. I was unable to do online check in … was throwing an error

Congratulations. This is interesting to all of us here since previously I had concluded that before a flight goes to airport control, op ups would exclude OW status pax (meaning GR would have priority over OWE in a theoretical 'OLCI cabin roll', in fact OW elites would be excluded from that if that happens).

This is unless when you were at HK station the flight was already under airport control. But since you cannot/did not OLCI, 'you' should not have been on the pecking order/under airport control still?

Would love to know more specifics. ^

Can't decipher...
 

I just got off CX 749 HKG-JNB (wonderful flight, fantastic service as I was the only emerald in J with no DMs).

Anyway, during boarding, the lady in front of me (no status - nothing there on the BP, PEY) got the red beep and message of 'new seat assignment' (or something like this) and the gate agent wrote on her boarding pass new seat assignment in J.

I had slept really well for the whole flight, so I wasn't able to ask the ISM until like she was busy preparing for arrival during descent. Also, I didn't want to pester her about this and said I was just curious. She didn't even know of it! (She only told me that a GO got an anniversary upgrade but that wasn't it after I told her I saw this happen during boarding at the gate.)

J was 80% full, PEY and Y less than half full.

So...the only reason would be perhaps she had an expensive fare and the revenue system nowadays decided to reward her...?

Normally I wouldn't entertain such speculation but...........

In the last two weeks, I've had 3 regional flights in Y class (sub fare-classes V, M and H, respectively) that were bought between 2-10 weeks ago, and bought lord knows how many more tickets. One of them a full-fare Y short-haul round-trip ticket for $1k USD (...not my definition of good value, oh well), another few cash J tickets, and a one-way F ticket up to PEK.

Anyway, on each of my flown Y sectors (V, M, H) I was upgraded from Y to J. This seemed strange on two counts. First, PEY was being sold on the flights. I know this isn't too weird. Second is the stranger part. I'm certain that on two of my flights, Y class was not full - in one case, I know for a fact it was 50%. (I am uncertain about the third, I forgot to check).

It's totally possible there were real reasons - seat broken, someone at the lounge or check-in went way above and beyond and did me a favor, I crossed a threshold or something I'm not aware of, etc. But just thought I'd throw it out there to get the speculation heating up.

I can't say I minded one bit. And as you might expect, J class had tons of empty seats on all these three flights, so service was outstanding (it wasn't the more typical op-up situations, where the flight goes out totally full in all classes). Certainly appreciative of it regardless of why CX ultimately did that. My *guess* is it's still a relatively straightforward answer in my paragraph above instead of some type of policy change, but who knows.

Thats certainly interesting, especially if you say the rear cabin wasn't even full.

I also recently got a Y to PEY to J upgrade SIN-HKG when I was still GO and I was really really surprised myself, especially considering this route must be DM heavy.

Although I'm certain the cabins were full and not like your case empty. Also, I dont know but it would seem unlikely that gate/lounge agents would know of your future bookings, right?

My wife received a J->F upgrade on her birthday two years ago at the gate. She took the last F seat. J wasn't full.