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
Dec 2, 2014 | 2:53 pm
#107
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 19
Is there something I can push the travel agency? Or the airline? Just looking for some suggestions/advice here.
Dec 17, 2014 | 12:22 am
#108
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Washington DC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 16
Hey everyone, I'd love some advice on what to do. I'm trying to upgrade to business class on CX831 this Friday, but my award booking was dropped by the system yesterday because they were "clearing the waitlists". I've called MPC a few times now and each time they told me that there's no space, and to keep calling back to check upgrade availability. Is this really all I can do?
Also, a dummy booking in I class for the same flight goes through to the payment screen, but seat selection pulls up the seatmap with no available seats. Does this mean the flight is oversold and there's a good chance of op-ups?
Thanks in advance!
Also, a dummy booking in I class for the same flight goes through to the payment screen, but seat selection pulls up the seatmap with no available seats. Does this mean the flight is oversold and there's a good chance of op-ups?
Thanks in advance!
Dec 17, 2014 | 1:14 am
#109
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 22,114
Well it's about T-48. They're still not releasing seats.
On the other hand KVS shows J9 C9. I suggest further calling may yield results.
Edit 16:23: cx.com shows 2 J redemption seats. And MPO says these seats are available for upgrade. Call ASAP.
On the other hand KVS shows J9 C9. I suggest further calling may yield results.
Edit 16:23: cx.com shows 2 J redemption seats. And MPO says these seats are available for upgrade. Call ASAP.
Last edited by percysmith; Dec 17, 2014 at 1:24 am
Dec 17, 2014 | 7:02 pm
#110
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Washington DC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 16
Thanks for the heads-up, I got the upgrade! Looking forward to a nice relaxing flight home.
Dec 27, 2014 | 11:45 pm
#112
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 8,239
Fyi, BN doesn't exist anymore. And by accounts and an increasing # of anecdotes the time you check in is irrelevant now. Yes, if you check in you'll get a low "SEC". However, no a low "SEC" # does not mean you have priority over another GO who is a higher SEC. That was the old BN system. Instead now, an internal "CIV" score determines the tiebreaker, and you don't know how your CIV compares to other GOs.
For your exact question, we probably need a bit more details...route, flight # would be helpful. Overall your chances are not high on any flight given all DMs will have priority over you, but still possible.
For your exact question, we probably need a bit more details...route, flight # would be helpful. Overall your chances are not high on any flight given all DMs will have priority over you, but still possible.
Jan 16, 2015 | 5:50 pm
#113
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX silver
Posts: 2
I find being pleasant and polite to check in staff, smiling, dressing smartly and not a traveling with a horde of children and hangers in has resulted in many upgrades with CX over the last 8 years. Just an idea!
Jan 21, 2015 | 1:53 pm
#116
formerly gohima
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 535
Thanks to the always wonderful resources here at FT, I was able to secure holds on upgrades from PEY to J for CX845 (JFK-HKG) and CX890 (HKG-EWR). Despite the wiki saying holds are hard to come by now, the agent was able to secure me a hold till the 30th(!) while I transfer miles from AMEX MR.
She did not mention it but do I have to call back to have the remove the hold and formally book the seat once the miles are in my asiamiles account? Both seats (J and PEY) are showing on my itinerary.
She did not mention it but do I have to call back to have the remove the hold and formally book the seat once the miles are in my asiamiles account? Both seats (J and PEY) are showing on my itinerary.
Jan 27, 2015 | 4:54 am
#118
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 32
Hi everyone, I'd love some advice on what to do.
I am going to fly on CX254 on 12/2(Thu) from LHR to HKG. I hold a L-class economy ticket and I am a Marco Polo Green. Just wanna know that what I could do to maximize my chances to get a free upgrade.
Should I check-in online as soon as possible to get a small BN? Or, I should check-in at the airport as late as possible? Or, should I check-in at the airport as soos as possible?
Would it help if I choose an decent seat so that in case some MPO member choose my seat they would move me to other class?
Anything else that I could do?
I am going to fly on CX254 on 12/2(Thu) from LHR to HKG. I hold a L-class economy ticket and I am a Marco Polo Green. Just wanna know that what I could do to maximize my chances to get a free upgrade.
Should I check-in online as soon as possible to get a small BN? Or, I should check-in at the airport as late as possible? Or, should I check-in at the airport as soos as possible?
Would it help if I choose an decent seat so that in case some MPO member choose my seat they would move me to other class?
Anything else that I could do?
Feb 1, 2015 | 9:43 am
#120
Join Date: Oct 2011
Programs: CX-Gold ; LH Miles & More
Posts: 41
Change of upgrade at the aiport system?
I asked for a mileage upgrade from PEY to J and was on waiting list. I was told that T-48 the waitinglist will be cleared. I went to the airport, based on an dummy booking it looked like 6 seats in J were still available (about 4 hours before departure) and so I tried to ask for a mileage upgrade again but was told that at the moment only few seats are available and I should ask "frequently" again because there is not such a waitinglist anymore at the airport.
This was new for me. In the past they noted my request and I was called if an upgrade is possible instead to ask them again and again (which is nerving for both sides). I changed the lounge and asked another one again and he confirmed the changed system but at least told me that CX is waiting now if people buying tickets until one hour before departure and he suggested that I should ask again 50 minutes before departure whether then seats are available for an upgrade.
I understand of course that CX tries to sell the tickets before upgrade using miles but what I do not understand why it is no longer possible to note the request to a "new waiting list" at the airport respectively after T-48
I asked for a mileage upgrade from PEY to J and was on waiting list. I was told that T-48 the waitinglist will be cleared. I went to the airport, based on an dummy booking it looked like 6 seats in J were still available (about 4 hours before departure) and so I tried to ask for a mileage upgrade again but was told that at the moment only few seats are available and I should ask "frequently" again because there is not such a waitinglist anymore at the airport.
This was new for me. In the past they noted my request and I was called if an upgrade is possible instead to ask them again and again (which is nerving for both sides). I changed the lounge and asked another one again and he confirmed the changed system but at least told me that CX is waiting now if people buying tickets until one hour before departure and he suggested that I should ask again 50 minutes before departure whether then seats are available for an upgrade.
I understand of course that CX tries to sell the tickets before upgrade using miles but what I do not understand why it is no longer possible to note the request to a "new waiting list" at the airport respectively after T-48