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
Jul 11, 2019, 8:18 pm
#1126
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 51
I was on CX502 and the flight was 95% full. Someone kindly explain why (1 day before flight) the seat inventory looked like the one below, which is definitely not what I was expecting (in terms of load factor).
J9 C9 D9 I9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 HKGKIX 1635 2125 773 0
L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O9
Thanks for explaining!
J9 C9 D9 I9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 HKGKIX 1635 2125 773 0
L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O9
Thanks for explaining!
Jul 12, 2019, 7:34 am
#1127
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), TK Elite (*G), BT VIP, HH D, BW DS
Posts: 484
I was on CX502 and the flight was 95% full. Someone kindly explain why (1 day before flight) the seat inventory looked like the one below, which is definitely not what I was expecting (in terms of load factor).
J9 C9 D9 I9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 HKGKIX 1635 2125 773 0
L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O9
Thanks for explaining!
J9 C9 D9 I9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 HKGKIX 1635 2125 773 0
L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O9
Thanks for explaining!
Could also be due to a last minute equipment change, wherein the sudden increased capacity results in a fire sale. Either way, it's a very common situation.
Jul 13, 2019, 10:57 pm
#1128
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Vancouver, Manila, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong
Programs: CX-DM, Marriott Gold, Fairmont Premier
Posts: 335
thanks for the thorough explaination. Meanwhile I received an email saying the following:
Your booking on Business Class of CX321 (HKGBCN), 17Jul19 has been confirmed. Please check details on Manage Booking and issue ticket before 13/07/2019 18:00.
Clicking on Manage Booking lets me see the booking as usual, with a yellow marking for the upgraded sector, but no way to issue or confirm. So I still need to call!? - which I just tried, but gave up after 20min on hold. This must be the most frustrating customer service/website experience after Qatar!!
Any other way to get this upgrade finalised?!
Your booking on Business Class of CX321 (HKGBCN), 17Jul19 has been confirmed. Please check details on Manage Booking and issue ticket before 13/07/2019 18:00.
Clicking on Manage Booking lets me see the booking as usual, with a yellow marking for the upgraded sector, but no way to issue or confirm. So I still need to call!? - which I just tried, but gave up after 20min on hold. This must be the most frustrating customer service/website experience after Qatar!!
Any other way to get this upgrade finalised?!
I've always called in once I receive the email. I don't think there's a way to confirm it online.
What number are you calling? Asiamiles or Marco Polo or Diamond line?
Jul 14, 2019, 7:02 pm
#1129
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: CX MPC DM
Posts: 416
thanks for the thorough explaination. Meanwhile I received an email saying the following:
Your booking on Business Class of CX321 (HKGBCN), 17Jul19 has been confirmed. Please check details on Manage Booking and issue ticket before 13/07/2019 18:00.
Clicking on Manage Booking lets me see the booking as usual, with a yellow marking for the upgraded sector, but no way to issue or confirm. So I still need to call!? - which I just tried, but gave up after 20min on hold. This must be the most frustrating customer service/website experience after Qatar!!
Any other way to get this upgrade finalised?!
Your booking on Business Class of CX321 (HKGBCN), 17Jul19 has been confirmed. Please check details on Manage Booking and issue ticket before 13/07/2019 18:00.
Clicking on Manage Booking lets me see the booking as usual, with a yellow marking for the upgraded sector, but no way to issue or confirm. So I still need to call!? - which I just tried, but gave up after 20min on hold. This must be the most frustrating customer service/website experience after Qatar!!
Any other way to get this upgrade finalised?!
If you called the regular ticketing or Asia Miles desk, the wait times can be long. If you are MPC member, definitely call the MPC service desk first as wait times are much quicker.
Jul 19, 2019, 12:43 am
#1132
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Vancouver, Manila, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong
Programs: CX-DM, Marriott Gold, Fairmont Premier
Posts: 335
If your deadline passes you'll need to call in every day till your flight to find out if there are any award seats released. I've had a few occasions where my waitlist expired and the second it expired I called and there were available award seats.
Other times I had to upgrade at the lounge. Had to wait 1 hour before the flight and just nagged as much as I could until I got the upgrade. The flight was at 1am, was waiting at the pier desk at 11:59pm and they started to check and I was lucky to get my upgrade.
Last year most of my waitlists cleared a few weeks before the deadline. Now I have 4 waiting with 2 coming up within 10 days of the waitlist expiring. Seems a lot harder this year to get the upgrade confirmation.
Jul 20, 2019, 5:47 pm
#1133
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 51
Bought a class V ticket from HKG to YYZ due to workplace restrictions (economy only). When i tried to “rebook the flight” to the same day but different booking class, premium economy, class L, was available for less than 3000hkd. So i grabbed the chance for more club points and paid for the upgrade myself. I was Upgraded at the gate to business class.
I’d say best 3000hkd i have ever spent.
I’d say best 3000hkd i have ever spent.
Jul 20, 2019, 6:02 pm
#1134
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Singapore
Programs: MPC, KF, Accor, SPG, HH
Posts: 902
Bought a class V ticket from HKG to YYZ due to workplace restrictions (economy only). When i tried to “rebook the flight” to the same day but different booking class, premium economy, class L, was available for less than 3000hkd. So i grabbed the chance for more club points and paid for the upgrade myself. I was Upgraded at the gate to business class.
I’d say best 3000hkd i have ever spent.
I’d say best 3000hkd i have ever spent.
Jul 24, 2019, 5:42 pm
#1136
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 238
updating
CX newbie flying HNG >SEA. I’m booked in economy but have paid for an exit row seat. Just found that I am eligible to bid on an upgrade to PE. On AA when you waitlist for an upgrade (points+$) and it goes through, whatever you paid for an extra legroom seat gets refunded. Is this the case with CX too?
TIA,
Clay
TIA,
Clay
Sep 9, 2019, 8:21 am
#1138
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: HKG/YVR/CGO
Programs: CX DM
Posts: 55
Cathay sells biz class tickets in 4 different fare class. They are J,C.D and I listed and basically that's the order of the fare price, J being most expensive and least restrictive, I class being the most discounted fare with the most restrictions.
Attempting to discern whether you're PEY (R class) ticket will get confirmed for upgrade award is non-specific as there aren't any tools available for us to accurately predict if CX will release an upgrade award to biz (i.e. J). High availability for I class tickets (most discounted biz) is a possible indicator for upgrade award inventory but there is no guarantee. I've had plenty of booking that showed I9, yet was unable to confirm upgrade award early. CX wants go sell revenue tickets as a priority. If revenue management predicts they can sell those tickets then upgrade award won't be available.
The user above looks like they are posting from a tool called KvsTool which can check for ticket availability. I use, like many others, expertlyer.com, which shows similar numbers. For your flight, EF is showing - J9 C5 D3 I0 W6 R4 E1 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V2 S0 N0 Q0 O0. Given those numbers -- I0, I wouldn't be very confident on clearing the waitlist for an upgrade confirmation. The waitlist will disappear at T-96 (4 days before departure). Theres a chance that closer to departure, CX may open more discount tickets and possibly open some upgrade awards. Problem is that if that happens after waitlist expires, T-96, those awards become first come, first served, no more waitlist.
The strategy would be to call MPC every day and inquire about upgrade availability. If upgrade is still not confirmed, ask at the check-in counter for instant upgrade.
We really need a FAQ about this in the "Will my award waitlist clear?" thread.
Attempting to discern whether you're PEY (R class) ticket will get confirmed for upgrade award is non-specific as there aren't any tools available for us to accurately predict if CX will release an upgrade award to biz (i.e. J). High availability for I class tickets (most discounted biz) is a possible indicator for upgrade award inventory but there is no guarantee. I've had plenty of booking that showed I9, yet was unable to confirm upgrade award early. CX wants go sell revenue tickets as a priority. If revenue management predicts they can sell those tickets then upgrade award won't be available.
The user above looks like they are posting from a tool called KvsTool which can check for ticket availability. I use, like many others, expertlyer.com, which shows similar numbers. For your flight, EF is showing - J9 C5 D3 I0 W6 R4 E1 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V2 S0 N0 Q0 O0. Given those numbers -- I0, I wouldn't be very confident on clearing the waitlist for an upgrade confirmation. The waitlist will disappear at T-96 (4 days before departure). Theres a chance that closer to departure, CX may open more discount tickets and possibly open some upgrade awards. Problem is that if that happens after waitlist expires, T-96, those awards become first come, first served, no more waitlist.
The strategy would be to call MPC every day and inquire about upgrade availability. If upgrade is still not confirmed, ask at the check-in counter for instant upgrade.
We really need a FAQ about this in the "Will my award waitlist clear?" thread.
Sep 9, 2019, 7:40 pm
#1139
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: CX MPC DM
Posts: 416
Well, thank you. But now there's an additional tool in the arsenal. See the thread - ExpertFlyer now showing CX Award Availability?
In short, if you have access to a Sabre, most likely through a travel agent, it's now showing U award availability. I just had a chat with my travel agent today and she took a look, as she was unaware of this new addition.
In short, if you have access to a Sabre, most likely through a travel agent, it's now showing U award availability. I just had a chat with my travel agent today and she took a look, as she was unaware of this new addition.
Oct 15, 2019, 6:27 pm
#1140
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CGK/LAX
Programs: KF,JMB, OZ, SPG,AA,UA,AS
Posts: 1,163
Quick question, I just called CX to use my AsiaMiles to upgrade a segment of a upcoming flight. The upgrade was confirmed and the agent told me that they would call me back to collect the tax difference, is this normal? How long does it take for them to call you back? My PNR is now showing the same flight now in business and economy.