Well right now the outbound flight loads look like my upgrade won't clear (since there is only J and C fares available), but I'll probably get an op-up due to sold-out/oversold PY/Y cabins. :rolleyes:

Question on CX upgrades:

Prospective flight: JFK-SYD via HKG. Want to upgrade from Premium Economy to Business. Total distance flown is 12.6k miles each way, award zone F. The amount of miles required for this upgrade (round trip) would be 55k? I ask to make sure that the layover in Hong Kong doesn't change anything (such as making me book two separate RT upgrade awards for JFK-HKG and HKG-SYD).

Just so that it's easier for you guys: https://www.asiamiles.com/am/en/redeem/charts

Ahiromu: 55k correct. If you don't stopover HK both ways, it will still be a round trip (one transit one stopover ok).

Hello,

I would like to ask whether selecting an exit-row seat will kill your chance of getting an OP-UP? I did recall reading this somewhere on the internet but ain't 100% sure. The reason I asked is that in the past year I have taken about 5 Y trips HKG-LHR and HKG-FRA. The first few times I chose a non-exit row and got upgraded from Y to PEY. The last 2 times I selected a exit-row and did not get an upgrade.

I am curious if this is just a coincidence or what I read from the net is true.

Thanks all.

I usually select exit row on either LHR or MAN to HKG in Y and have been lucky to get the OP-UP and once even a double OP-UP. So maybe just coincidence.

Thanks for the info. Then I will continue to select an exit-row seat in the future, and see when my luck kicks in.

Priority Upgrade Waitlist
 

I'm flying CX for the first time in mid-July from LAX to HKG. I was granted Silver status via a special invitation email for my company's employees. I booked a flexible fare economy ticket and transferred miles from AMEX and waitlisted for an upgrade to premium economy.

I called a few days later to check on the upgrade status (which of course I knew was still pending). In the conversation, the agent said she would put me on the "priority" waitlist. I had not seen this priority list mentioned anywhere. Any experience on whether it legitimately increases my chances of being able to upgrade?

No, you cannot even see "priority" mentioned on your MMB. They will not disclose the length on waitlist as that changes all the time.

People like to get upgrades on long haul flights. People would go for US-HKG west-bound flights instead of east-bound ones because of the longer flight time. It is difficult to estimate your chance. The positive side is that most students will have returned to HKG by then.

Just to update everybody, I decided to take the gamble and transfer over 80000 miles from Amex to Asiamiles in the hopes of upgrade. I called AM every few days to see if that might help my chances to get upgraded off the wait list with no luck. I also frequently checked expert flyer and noticed a few days before the flight (CX 829), everything was zero'ed out. I wasn't sure what that meant, however the deadline passed without a confirmed upgrade.

I'm happy to report that I requested "instant upgrade" at checkin tonight and was able to upgrade myself and my 2 family members. It will be my first time in J with CX and I look forward to this long haul transpacific flight.

So in the end, I guess the gamble paid off! Now I just have to see if I can get the return segment :)

Congratulations!

Best of luck on your return flights, which is another gamble...

Please be noted that if you do the same on the return, you and your family will be charged another 3 x 27500 miles if upgrades clear. However, if the outbound and return are deducted from the same account, there is a possibility (but I am not 100% certain as your redemption is on instant upgrades) that you may be able to get 10000 miles back for each passenger after the trip is over (27500 outbound + 27500 return - 45000 roundtrip = 10000). The unfortunate side is that even if you are successful, you still need another 27500 miles (not 45000-27500 = 17500) per upgrade initially for the return.

I was told by x5500 previously that unless you indicated during the outbound trip you want to upgrade the inbound as well, they won't credit the difference back to you... Anyway yes they will deduct the one-way upgrade required miles first...

update: had the exit row On July 3rd at T-48, at MAN, T-3, had class L opuped to PEY.

This is for reference only.

Just as a small observation, going 360 days' out is marginally helpful for J upgrades to YYZ, not helpful for YVR http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/catha...l#post25074746

Are you able to upgrade with Asia Miles and credit the original flight class to AA?

I have wait listed for the return flight home HKG-YYZ on July 18th, but I imagine it will likely have to wait for instant upgrade at Checkin.

I am wondering how long it takes for miles to post to my account from the inbound YYZ-HKG. The second leg HKG-SGN did post already (from the same date).

Perhaps this has to do with the the fact that the ticket was upgraded from PE to J (HKG-SGN was not upgraded). Does anybody know how long this delay will take since it will affect the calculation of how many Asiamiles I need to transfer over if it doesn't post in time.

It should take two days, but sometimes the CX's terrible system does not pick it up and think it was a full redemption. It happens to my wife as recent as last year. I had to call to get that fixed. You should contact them. It should be posted already.

I have a 1-way CX award ticket (JFK to HKG in Feb 2016) in Biz Class, obtained via AA miles. Is it possible to upgrade via Asia Miles to a first class seat (once space opens up)? Trying to cover myself in case of CX <=> AA shenanigans in the way of F award space not being released to partners.

From the Wiki, I wasn't sure if it had to be a round trip ticket.

Not possible, but you'd be insane not to convert the award to f class (for an extra 12.5k aa miles).

Indeed that is my plan first and foremost (convert using AA miles), but I'm working on backup options in case availability via AA doesn't materialize.

Maybe tack on a regional flight with f availability so the entire ticket books into f?

AA redemption strategy should be discussed in the AA forum.

cxfan1960
CX CoMod

Interesting option but only one we in HK can dream about cos there's no easy ways to manufacture or even earn AAdvantage miles.

Perhaps continue AAdvantage on CX discussion here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...-new-post.html ?

My return leg is coming up and since I have a connection, my understanding is I won't be able to Instant Upgrade HKG-YYZ leg until I transfer through HKG. I will be starting my journey DAD-HKG. Can anyone tell me where the CX service desk is located once I arrive at HKG to request the instant upgrade?

Questions on upgrading BA WT+ (Premium Economy) > CW (Business) with Asia Miles:

1. Do Asia Miles upgrades (the fare class) for BA come from award flights, the same as BA? So if I see a flight with award availability in CW on AA/BA.com, I should be able to upgrade with Asia miles?

2. Please confirm this example: DFW-LHR (4761 miles, award zone C), a round trip upgrade from WT+ to CW (Premium Economy to Business) would only cost me 22.5k Asia Miles plus applicable fees? I understand the fees would be in the $600-800 range.

3. Let's say I have LAX-DFW-LON as a round trip, with LAX-DFW being a codeshare with AA. Am i able to only upgrade the DFW-LON-DFW segments with 22.5k Asia miles plus fees, or would I be forced to book a ticket in economy the whole way and upgrade the whole journey? I'm inclined to say no, but one can hope :).

4. If I'm gathering this information correctly, since I'm only able to upgrade a round trip ticket, I pretty much have to find availability on both to/fro before actually booking my upgrade?

Thanks!

You can request it at the transfer counters before going through transfer security, at the lounge service desk (if you have lounge access as a Y/PEY traveler), or at the gate agent desk at your departure gate.

Can someone assess the following plan I've cooked up? I'm about to book a ticket for HKG -> NYC - I have both Cathay Gold and AA Plat, but I'm aiming for Exec Plat so I'd rather credit my miles to AA.

1. Request an upgrade from Y to PEY for the flight using Asia Miles while on Cathay Gold
2. Assuming once upgraded, wait for as *long* as possible and hope for a free op-up to J while the flight is boarding. Since I'm Gold I have higher priority than OWEs
3. Either way if I do or do not get it, request to change my FF number from Marco Polo to AAdvantage.

Any problems with this plan?

Once beeped for boarding, that is when you have the final chance of op-up, it is too late to change your programme.

It is also a courtesy not to make request to change FF programme once people are queued up for boarding. The gate agents are busy at that time.

Thanks for the info - In that case, I should be able to change my FF program before boarding starts, correct?

Hi, I have Prem Econ tkts SFO-HKG-BLR and MAA-HKG-SFO. Out Sep 5 Returning Oct 3. Have bought R fare class hoping will get upgrade to J using Asia Miles. Still on upgrade waitlist though despite numerous calls to Asia Miles (terrible wait time every call). There are 3 flights SFO-HKG every day and am betting chances of upgrade are high considering the low travel season. Should I hang on or buy a lower fare class Prem Econ which will save me a few hundred $$?

Hang on if CX879 but you will be made to sweat:

Flight Availability
SFO to HKG on 03/10/15 12:00 AM
Flying CX
Direct/Non-Stop Only
Expanded
CX 873 SFO 1:00 → HKG 6:10
F3 A3 J9 C9 D9 I2 W9 R7 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
Expanded
CX 879 SFO 13:35 → HKG 18:55
J9 C9 D9 I5 W9 R6 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0

Traveling mid-week in January (out Wed, return Mon/Tues). I have some flexibility on the outbound from SFO/ LAX/ YVR. Of the following, what are the best odds for a lowly green member to clear an upgrade PE to J?

Outbound
CX873
CX883

Return
CX872
CX882

Lessons Learnt from PE to J Upgrade
SFO-HKG-BLR Sep
MAA-HKG-SFO Oct
Original tkt booking for PE, R class to be eligible for Upgrade
1. Asia Miles typically do not clear upgrades until 4 days before travel date if the travel date is a weekend. For weekday travel chances are higher.
2. Call Asia Miles and have them put your upgrade request on Priority Waitlist. Not sure what the diff is but anything to improve your chances!
3. Redeem miles when you think a Round-trip chance is high. Do not redeem miles just for 1 leg of a R/T segment at the time of booking. If you wait closer to travel date your chances of getting R/T upgrade is higher. In most cases they might offer upgrade for 1 leg of the R/T which will deduct more miles SFO-HKG-SFO R/T is 30K but SFO-HKG is 20K. For this you will need to wait almost till the week of travel as in most cases the entire R/T will not be cleared for upgrade at the time of booking (1-2 mo before travel).
4. Do NOT transfer miles from other AM accounts to yours. Alternate way is to use redemption group. Redemption group is an amazing thing. You can use miles from other AM accounts as long as they add you to the redemption group. This way you don't need to transfer miles from the group and incur the fees $120 for 10k. For the same reservation you could use miles from multiple AM accounts - however for each upgrade segment it needs to come from one specific account. You cannot borrow here and there for a single segment.
5. once you redeem miles AM charges you to undo i.e. to get the miles back to your account. typically it costs $120.

Sorry, could anyone who have EF access please help me check the inventory of the following?

8 Sep HKG-LHR
13 Sep LHR-HKG

Planning to upgrade my company paid Y ticket to W by cash then to U by miles and one way Z by an "appreciation card"... :p

Sounds too ideal right? :p :p :p

08 Sep HKG-LHR:
CX 255 F1 A2 J6 C1 D4 I0 W0 R0 E0 Y9 B9 H7 K2 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
CX 257 J6 C0 D3 I0 W0 R0 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
CX 239 J3 C1 D2 I0 W2 R3 E1 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M7 L7 V1 S1 N0 Q0 O0
CX 253 F1 A2 J9 C6 D8 I3 W2 R2 E0 Y9 B7 H0 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
CX 251 F0 A0 J4 C0 D0 I0 W0 R0 E0 Y9 B9 H2 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0

13 Sep LHR-HKG:
CX 252 F1 A3 J7 C0 D2 I0 W0 R1 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N4 Q3 O0
CX 238 J1 C0 D0 I0 W0 R1 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O9
CX 250 F0 A1 J3 C0 D0 I0 W2 R3 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O9
CX 256 J4 C0 D2 I0 W0 R0 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N7 Q6 O3
CX 254 F0 A1 J0 C0 D0 I0 W3 R5 E1 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O9

With only F1 and F0 for the flights, yes, too ideal :D

I thought those appreciation card can only be applied to revenue flights? Not sure if the original (pey) fare would bypass this?

Thanks :D

Actually based on the current loading I think I may have difficulty even trying to get U... Let alone Z... Aside from 253 to LHR on 8 Sep...

But it's interesting that 8 Sep 253 has F1 A2... Also R is consistently having more seat than W if not same...


No such condition on the card... Of course they can always deny me by says "Sorry no seat" and I won't even know that's fact or not...

Hi
I wanna upgrade myself from y to Y+ or W.
Please could someone give me the loading for:

13th Sept cx 746 dxb-hkg
21st Sept cx 745 hkg-dxb

Thanx

Seat map CX252 Sept 11 2105
 

CX 252 CX410 LHR-HKG-ICN Friday Sept 11th:
Just purchased PE ticket but cannot select seat for CX252, could a kind person please post seat loading for the sector. I think its rather full, but seats are still being sold.
If as suspected, its full, will not being able to select a seat influence being off loaded?

CX 252 0 LHR
11/09/15 12:25 HKG
12/09/15 7:05 77W
Su,M,T,W,F,Sa
90% / 11m F1 A1 J2 C0 D0 I0 W0 R0 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O9

Prem econ seat map is indeep full.
Given there is J2 left they may probably bump elites up to J.

Many thanks Kind Person^