What is the best strategy to try and get an upgrade with miles from PE to J? I would be very bummed out to get a PE ticket eligible for upgrade (i.e. Flex fare) only to find out that an upgrade is not possible. Would calling them upfront help? For what it's worth, it would be for a route that doesn't seem to be too popular, Delhi to HK.

QQ, I have a Essential/Flex short haul and I've requested the upgrade by miles. I checked for straight redemption and both were clear, so I punched in the upgrade straight after booking the eco ticket... and immediately learned the existence of different buckets :D.
Now I have a "Waitlist" [outbound] and "On hold --> Confirmed" [inbound, 2 seats!] booking, no miles have been taken. I know what the outbound J is wide open (my companion is the only other person, unless the two baby seats are really taken, so 21-23 seats / 24 free).

Is this a situation you'd expect to clear up? If the waitlist leg isn't confirmed, do they upgrade the semi-confirmed leg separately? The expiration is 14 Sep apparently (fligtht is Nov).

If useful info for anyone, the flight showed J4 at checkin and at the counter I was able to process a mileage upgrade from Y+ to J with no issues.

Anecdotal reference for CX548 in September 2023: placed on waitlist for Y+ to J mileage upgrade for several months. Waitlist deadline set about 4 days before departure. Waitlist cleared mere hours before the deadline. Kind of unexpected and was prepared for the waitlist to expire without clearing and having to ask at the check-in counter on the day of departure.

Hi, long time lurker. I am traveling SFO-HKG at the end of the month
Looks like Cathay hasn't been releasing any J seats even days before the flight nowadays.

So I am thinking about trying to get put on the waitlist to upgrade award Y+ to J but I guess a question would be is it even possible to upgrade given that I have Fare Class T tickets. Also don't really want to transfer points and end up not being able to upgrade so its looking like the best choice is to just go a little early and try to upgrade at check in?

If you have a T class ticket, you redeemed miles for the ticket. Upgrade awards are not applicable to mileage-redemption ticket. Your only hope is for U class to open up for whichever programme you redeemed from and then change your T class to a U class one.

Just spoke to a Cathay agent via their Chat function and they mentioned that my chances of a redemption upgrade (PEY to J) are low given there are not many J class seats available and they are all for the highest price at the moment. My waitlist redemption expires 5.00pm on September 16...should I even bother trying again from Sept 16 onwards?

Flight is CX888
Sept 20 00:45
HKG to YVR

Hey, bumping my own question for any advice you have. Thanks a bunch in advance!

Unfortunately not much you can do if waitlist doesn't clear before expiring even if you keep calling to check for availability. From that point on your hopes are pinned on the check-in staff being able to release an upgrade for you at check-in counter subject to on the spot availability.

So my waiting expiration was marked in the email as "22:00, 14 Sep 2023". But it has not yet expired in the system.... the confirmed return leg still has two seats and nothing is altered as far as I can see. Is something amiss? Should I chase them up?

So all my requests for upgrade were denied prior to the flight. I took my MNL-HKG flight (Cx902) and went to the service desk near gate 4/5 to speak to the CX agent. They said redemption upgrade seats were available and they processed it right then and there.


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Recent SIN-HKG data point. Y to J waitlist never cleared. Flight full on the day and remained in Y.

Is there a way to contact the miles/upgrade team over phone directly? By means of the regular CX service line, the wait time seems to be very long (30+ mins) and after the wait the line even dropped once. Thanks.

I find using the chat bot and requesting to talk to an agent the quickest way to reach a human at CX nowadays.

Thanks, will try