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
#586
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
Interesting to see more and more anecdotes of these new 'randomized' upgrades (congratulations too!). But my J to F just never comes!!
Also, I was recently told by an ISM that they do not see/know how much partner elites have flown with CX from their iPads.
Also, I was recently told by an ISM that they do not see/know how much partner elites have flown with CX from their iPads.
#587
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708
I had an experience on 33E a few days ago where FOUR (!!!) AVOD systems were broken in Y. I found out from the outport manager, who I know (I suppose crew must've known too). Four seats went out "empty" in Y and some pax were op-upped as a result. It's possible they thought they thought the flight wasn't full.
#589
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708
#590
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold, AA 1MM lifetime gold, Starwood gold, Marriott Gold Elite
Posts: 719
Flight model changes can work in your favour if you were booked in PEY and they change to an aircraft without PEY. Accommodation in J will be likely, however by definition, this will be regional J.
#591
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 29
Upgrade Datapoint
Wife & I Just got bumped up from Y to J flying BKK-SIN on an A350 with full J service.
Am just OWS and 1st time scoring an upgrade with CX. What's surprising was we even bypassed the PY cabin straight to J. All that while only on an O booking. Someone's REALLY smiling on us !
Am just OWS and 1st time scoring an upgrade with CX. What's surprising was we even bypassed the PY cabin straight to J. All that while only on an O booking. Someone's REALLY smiling on us !
#592
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: LAS/DXB
Programs: LH HON
Posts: 1,193
Hi guys,
since my family has decided to book flights on their own (via Expedia ) - is it possible to pay the fare difference from Economy (Q) to PY at HKG? Right now the flight looks like J9 C9 D9 I9 W9 R9 E9 Y6 B6 H5 K5 M4 L3 V1 S0 N0 Q0 O0.
They would want to upsell, not asking for a cash upgrade (which I believe doesn't exist). Since they're transiting at HKG, where would be the best place to approach an agent?
since my family has decided to book flights on their own (via Expedia ) - is it possible to pay the fare difference from Economy (Q) to PY at HKG? Right now the flight looks like J9 C9 D9 I9 W9 R9 E9 Y6 B6 H5 K5 M4 L3 V1 S0 N0 Q0 O0.
They would want to upsell, not asking for a cash upgrade (which I believe doesn't exist). Since they're transiting at HKG, where would be the best place to approach an agent?
#593
#594
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,459
Except where the substituted aircraft is a 33E, which is the only aircraft type with long-haul J but no PEY!
#595
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 525
I was in PY from TPE to HKG on a reward ticket. Very surprised to get a new boarding pass at the gate on boarding for J. I'm just CX Gr and my wife didn't even have MPC. Seems pretty random and surprising since we were on reward tickets.
#596
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SYD | HGH
Programs: CX DM, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton DM, Marriott Plat
Posts: 2,121
Guess it has to be done at the back end, just a nice way to say "sorry" from CX.
#597
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: JFK 🇺🇸 (mostly); YVR 🇨🇦 (a bit less); HKG 🇭🇰 (even less)
Programs: Marco Polo GR 😂😂; HHonors Gold; Ritz Carlton Gold
Posts: 494
Hmm...op-ups I've had:
family of 3 (mom (SL), myself (AM), and brother (AM); I was 7 at the time, brother 11) HKG-YVR Y to J
As AM (before able to register for MP): PEY to J on at least 80% of trips (YVR-JFK and vice versa) 50/50 OLCI or counter/gate op-up
As SL: same percentage for YVR/JFK trips in PEY; however no J-F on those legs including long hauls to HKG ; no F-cockpit either
Best op-up:
PEY to J at OLCI T-48, use of A-Card at gate to F and this was booked with a cheapo discounted corporate rate ticket in E fare
family of 3 (mom (SL), myself (AM), and brother (AM); I was 7 at the time, brother 11) HKG-YVR Y to J
As AM (before able to register for MP): PEY to J on at least 80% of trips (YVR-JFK and vice versa) 50/50 OLCI or counter/gate op-up
As SL: same percentage for YVR/JFK trips in PEY; however no J-F on those legs including long hauls to HKG ; no F-cockpit either
Best op-up:
PEY to J at OLCI T-48, use of A-Card at gate to F and this was booked with a cheapo discounted corporate rate ticket in E fare
#598
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 90
J went from J7 yesterday to J0 today, what does that mean in the grand scheme of things? Could it mean they're planning to op-up from PEY? Oddly, looks like it's still W9 even though the seatmap shows otherwise. Trying to gauge odds of an upgrade from PEY as a OWE on JNB-HKG on 4/19.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Last edited by ckd38; Apr 11, 2017 at 3:44 pm
#599
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: UK
Programs: BA
Posts: 28
My upcoming flights have been booked into eligible sub-classes for upgrade using AM. However, my tickets have been booked through STA travel and they also ticketed it with STA Travel's own 000 stock instead of usual CX 160 stock. I have been told airlines are only able to process miles-paid upgrade when the ticket was issued by the airline themselves or their partner.
Does anybody have experience of upgrading a flight in a situation like mine?
Does anybody have experience of upgrading a flight in a situation like mine?
#600
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: HKG
Programs: CX DM, SPG Pt, Le Club Accor GO, Shangri-La GC Jade
Posts: 1,327
J went from J7 yesterday to J0 today, what does that mean in the grand scheme of things? Could it mean they're planning to op-up from PEY? Oddly, looks like it's still W9 even though the seatmap shows otherwise. Trying to gauge odds of an upgrade from PEY as a OWE on JNB-HKG on 4/19.
Thanks!
Thanks!