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
May 16, 2019, 12:36 am
#1066
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 95
That’s a strange phrase for a phone agent to say. I’ve always had them just tell me they cannot do it or the system won’t allow it. And I’ve never had a phone agent tell me about seating allocations in a cabin I’m not travelling in.
May 16, 2019, 1:04 am
#1067
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: CX MPC DM
Posts: 416
Tell us the date of your travel, flight number, etc and I can check EF for loads. Likely scenario is the only seats available require some status to choose or are currently blocked. For some reason, CX has been blocking the last row, 33, of PEY on the 359s. Row 30 seats are usually premium which can easily be selected by pax with status.
You're inability to select a seat could be for this reason or for overbooking scenario. Either way, if you are ticketed for PEY (Y+) you will fly in that cabin or better if you happen to get lucky with an operational upgrade (op-up) to J due to overbooking. Calling AA or CX ticketing to try and get an assigned seat might work, as you are seeing everything "grayed out", as you say. I would try this, while PEY is more generally more comfortable than Y, being assigned a middle seat is not ideal.
You're inability to select a seat could be for this reason or for overbooking scenario. Either way, if you are ticketed for PEY (Y+) you will fly in that cabin or better if you happen to get lucky with an operational upgrade (op-up) to J due to overbooking. Calling AA or CX ticketing to try and get an assigned seat might work, as you are seeing everything "grayed out", as you say. I would try this, while PEY is more generally more comfortable than Y, being assigned a middle seat is not ideal.
May 16, 2019, 9:01 am
#1068
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: PHX
Programs: AA, United
Posts: 21
Tell us the date of your travel, flight number, etc and I can check EF for loads. Likely scenario is the only seats available require some status to choose or are currently blocked. For some reason, CX has been blocking the last row, 33, of PEY on the 359s. Row 30 seats are usually premium which can easily be selected by pax with status.
You're inability to select a seat could be for this reason or for overbooking scenario. Either way, if you are ticketed for PEY (Y+) you will fly in that cabin or better if you happen to get lucky with an operational upgrade (op-up) to J due to overbooking. Calling AA or CX ticketing to try and get an assigned seat might work, as you are seeing everything "grayed out", as you say. I would try this, while PEY is more generally more comfortable than Y, being assigned a middle seat is not ideal.
You're inability to select a seat could be for this reason or for overbooking scenario. Either way, if you are ticketed for PEY (Y+) you will fly in that cabin or better if you happen to get lucky with an operational upgrade (op-up) to J due to overbooking. Calling AA or CX ticketing to try and get an assigned seat might work, as you are seeing everything "grayed out", as you say. I would try this, while PEY is more generally more comfortable than Y, being assigned a middle seat is not ideal.
May 16, 2019, 6:21 pm
#1069
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: CX MPC DM
Posts: 416
travelling on CX SFO-HKG 5/22 01:15 AM departure. If you could check loads and see if there are seats in the 2 sections of the 2-4-2 arrangement I'd really appreciate it. If there isn't do you suggest not calling in and having them assign me a seat in hopes of an op-up?
Looking at this flight, EF shows - J9 C9 D9 I9 W9 R9 E9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V7 S4 N0 Q0. W, R, E are the PEY fare classes, the number after the fare class indicates the number of tickets for sale, if 9 means 9 or more. J, C, D, I are the biz fare classes. So they are still selling tickets in PEY, however the seatmap shows absolutely full PEY section, with only 33 H/K showing as blocked instead of occupied. Looks like CX is looking to overbook PEY. J Class seatmap is showing lots of empty seats. I would say the chances are high for an op-up. Whether you win the lottery it's hard to say. CX status pax (DM, GO) are higher in the food chain.
Currently 33 H&K are showing as blocked. By calling CX you might be able to get a seat assignment for one of those.
May 16, 2019, 9:17 pm
#1070
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: PHX
Programs: AA, United
Posts: 21
You can't call for an op-up. If you win the op-up lottery, either your name will be called by a gate agent or in the lounge or you when the agent scans your boarding pass and the system tells the agent to check. The other scenario is extreme overbooking where either during online check-in or at physical check-in you're given a new seat assignment with an upgrade.
Looking at this flight, EF shows - J9 C9 D9 I9 W9 R9 E9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V7 S4 N0 Q0. W, R, E are the PEY fare classes, the number after the fare class indicates the number of tickets for sale, if 9 means 9 or more. J, C, D, I are the biz fare classes. So they are still selling tickets in PEY, however the seatmap shows absolutely full PEY section, with only 33 H/K showing as blocked instead of occupied. Looks like CX is looking to overbook PEY. J Class seatmap is showing lots of empty seats. I would say the chances are high for an op-up. Whether you win the lottery it's hard to say. CX status pax (DM, GO) are higher in the food chain.
Currently 33 H&K are showing as blocked. By calling CX you might be able to get a seat assignment for one of those.
Looking at this flight, EF shows - J9 C9 D9 I9 W9 R9 E9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V7 S4 N0 Q0. W, R, E are the PEY fare classes, the number after the fare class indicates the number of tickets for sale, if 9 means 9 or more. J, C, D, I are the biz fare classes. So they are still selling tickets in PEY, however the seatmap shows absolutely full PEY section, with only 33 H/K showing as blocked instead of occupied. Looks like CX is looking to overbook PEY. J Class seatmap is showing lots of empty seats. I would say the chances are high for an op-up. Whether you win the lottery it's hard to say. CX status pax (DM, GO) are higher in the food chain.
Currently 33 H&K are showing as blocked. By calling CX you might be able to get a seat assignment for one of those.
May 17, 2019, 1:36 am
#1071
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: CX MPC DM
Posts: 416
Yes, I would but I'm a CX DM and I would certainly hedge my bet by calling CX Marco Polo Club and snagging 33H as I wouldn't want to seated in a middle PEY seat on a 14 hour flight to HKG in case I don't win the lottery.
May 17, 2019, 11:45 am
#1073
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708
Overall my understanding is PEY is the best class to score op ups from, so thats going for you. What's going against you is obviously CX DMs are ahead of you, and according to recent reports here so are CX GOs and even SLs. But on some flights Y is super oversold and J isn't, and they go down and op up everyone and their brother. Anyway, I don't think it's worth obsessing over. Your odds are decent, but admittedly not amazing and just roll with it. Not much you can do.
May 17, 2019, 3:02 pm
#1074
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: PHX
Programs: AA, United
Posts: 21
The question was weather to select a seat via calling CX, (to see whether they will assign me one of the blocked seats), or not and if that would have any impact on getting an op/up. Appreciate the feedback on the op/up procedure. Just wanted to give myself the best shot.
May 17, 2019, 4:35 pm
#1075
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: YYZ
Programs: CX GO, AC Aeroplan 25K, AMEX PLAT, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium, IHG Spire Amb
Posts: 464
The question was weather to select a seat via calling CX, (to see whether they will assign me one of the blocked seats), or not and if that would have any impact on getting an op/up. Appreciate the feedback on the op/up procedure. Just wanted to give myself the best shot.
If the needs for op-up arises, CX will upgrade by status, and the now vacant seats will go to whoever needs a seat assigned.
If I were you I will call in to try to get the blocked 33HK seats assigned just to protect yourself. As for the op-up, it does look like there is a chance, but as usual, plan to fly in your ticketed cabin and you won't be disappointed. And then if an op-up happens then it's a bonus.
May 18, 2019, 2:36 pm
#1076
Join Date: May 2019
Programs: American Airlines EXP
Posts: 10
Long-Shot Upgrade . . .
I purchased a Premium Economy (Class W) ticket on American Airlines for my flight to HKG from PHX. I have requested an upgrade for my AA Legs (PHX-LAX-NRT.) However, the last leg of my flight (NRT-HKG) is operated by CX and has me in Regular Economy! Is there any way, anyway at all other than paying to upgrade my entire itinerary that I can purchase or upgrade with miles just that CX leg to Business class?
Any help here would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Any help here would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
May 19, 2019, 1:54 pm
#1077
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 78
All -
Hoping someone can point a new CX traveler in the right direction.
Booked ORD-HKG in discounted business class (booked into I). Outbound flight is in early-june, return is in mid-july.
I'd like to take a shot at upgrading to first. Outbound shows F4 and return F6 in expertflyer - obviously way too early to tell.
I have an AsiaMiles account with no miles in it. I have TY points and MR points I can transfer in. OW Emerald if that matters, which I assume it doesn't.
I guess my question is: what's the best way to play this?
Specifically:
1. Can I/should I call and waitlist for an upgrade? Does it matter when? Do I need to have miles in my account to do so?
2. Assuming it doesn't clear a week out, and assuming the numbers look ok, is that the right time to transfer miles in? I understand transfers take 1-4 days and I assume I want to make sure I have miles in my account in case something opens last minute - is that accurate? Fully recognize that I'm gambling if I do this and that I may very well lose.
3. Any sense of when CX has been releasing space lately? Is it 7 days out? 48 hours? 24?
Feel free to point me to other threads. I searched and only found one thread, two years old, that didn't address these questions. I may very well have missed one and if so apologies for cluttering up this thread. Similarly, I haven't read all 72 pages of this thread - but if there are posts in here that address this, I'd welcome being pointed to them.
And finally - many thanks.
Hoping someone can point a new CX traveler in the right direction.
Booked ORD-HKG in discounted business class (booked into I). Outbound flight is in early-june, return is in mid-july.
I'd like to take a shot at upgrading to first. Outbound shows F4 and return F6 in expertflyer - obviously way too early to tell.
I have an AsiaMiles account with no miles in it. I have TY points and MR points I can transfer in. OW Emerald if that matters, which I assume it doesn't.
I guess my question is: what's the best way to play this?
Specifically:
1. Can I/should I call and waitlist for an upgrade? Does it matter when? Do I need to have miles in my account to do so?
2. Assuming it doesn't clear a week out, and assuming the numbers look ok, is that the right time to transfer miles in? I understand transfers take 1-4 days and I assume I want to make sure I have miles in my account in case something opens last minute - is that accurate? Fully recognize that I'm gambling if I do this and that I may very well lose.
3. Any sense of when CX has been releasing space lately? Is it 7 days out? 48 hours? 24?
Feel free to point me to other threads. I searched and only found one thread, two years old, that didn't address these questions. I may very well have missed one and if so apologies for cluttering up this thread. Similarly, I haven't read all 72 pages of this thread - but if there are posts in here that address this, I'd welcome being pointed to them.
And finally - many thanks.
May 20, 2019, 7:39 am
#1078
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX DM, JGC Sapphire, FWC Gold
Posts: 329
May 22, 2019, 10:35 am
#1079
Join Date: May 2019
Programs: AA
Posts: 9
So, I've read most of this thread now and have a pretty good understanding of upgrades on Cathay, but a few questions persist. Stil a newb obvi.
I bought two CX tix fare class "E" direct on their website for an IAD->HKG RT for 7/5->7/16 (we have an add-on to fly HKG<->HKT). I checked EF and still plenty of availability in all classes except PE on both legs from/to IAD.
I bought the tix knowing I couldn't upgrade on miles which I decided against and figured I'm completely okay with PE if that's all I end up with. Both of us are OWR. Pretty far down in the pecking order but at least not at the bottom.
Can I still bid for an upgrade? And, if so, what's the typical min-bid to upgrade?
Am I still eligible for an op-up with fare class "E" to business?
Still WAY too early to tell loads at this point... but am highly considering bidding up to business if I can for a min-bid.
I bought two CX tix fare class "E" direct on their website for an IAD->HKG RT for 7/5->7/16 (we have an add-on to fly HKG<->HKT). I checked EF and still plenty of availability in all classes except PE on both legs from/to IAD.
I bought the tix knowing I couldn't upgrade on miles which I decided against and figured I'm completely okay with PE if that's all I end up with. Both of us are OWR. Pretty far down in the pecking order but at least not at the bottom.
Can I still bid for an upgrade? And, if so, what's the typical min-bid to upgrade?
Am I still eligible for an op-up with fare class "E" to business?
Still WAY too early to tell loads at this point... but am highly considering bidding up to business if I can for a min-bid.
May 22, 2019, 10:47 am
#1080
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), TK Elite (*G), BT VIP, HH D, BW DS
Posts: 484
Yes, eligible for op-up.