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
#1321
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 905
Adding a data point here.
PVG - HKG on 8th March. Booking was 7pm but I arrived early to catch the 9am flight instead as I was on flex fare. Lady at the counter made some calls and was issued a boarding pass for Premium Economy. Proceed to the gate and found out was upgraded to J instead, all the way to the front of the plane at row 11.
On 10th, similar happened with flex fare, went to check in HKG-CDG at the machine and was issued a boarding pass for PEY at 32F. Went through customs and had a nice supper at The Pier and went to my gate, was checking my phone and I noticed the app showing me my seat have been changed to 23D. When I refreshed it, it suddenly switched to my original Y seat which was 40K, so I was thinking probably I have been op-down back to my original booking. Surprise surprise, when I was at the gate they bumped me up to J at 23D. F and J was full, and I suspect the rest of the plane as well.
So basically I booked Y but was bumped all the way to J on both the regional connecting and long haul flights from Shanghai to Paris. I am a GO member.
PVG - HKG on 8th March. Booking was 7pm but I arrived early to catch the 9am flight instead as I was on flex fare. Lady at the counter made some calls and was issued a boarding pass for Premium Economy. Proceed to the gate and found out was upgraded to J instead, all the way to the front of the plane at row 11.
On 10th, similar happened with flex fare, went to check in HKG-CDG at the machine and was issued a boarding pass for PEY at 32F. Went through customs and had a nice supper at The Pier and went to my gate, was checking my phone and I noticed the app showing me my seat have been changed to 23D. When I refreshed it, it suddenly switched to my original Y seat which was 40K, so I was thinking probably I have been op-down back to my original booking. Surprise surprise, when I was at the gate they bumped me up to J at 23D. F and J was full, and I suspect the rest of the plane as well.
So basically I booked Y but was bumped all the way to J on both the regional connecting and long haul flights from Shanghai to Paris. I am a GO member.
Not sure if they had a special reason to upgrade you (e.g. membership anniversary, milestone etc.) rather than an overbooked Y cabin simply?
#1329
Join Date: Jan 2024
Programs: CX Gold
Posts: 59
#1330
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 905
Question about how staff tickets come into play in seat inventory.
I am currently waitlisted for upgrade on a flight this week. Flight loading on ExpertFlyer is showing only 4 seats in J remaining for sale. However a friendly source is telling me there are 3 CX staff members booked on the flight on ID tickets. Does that mean 7 seats actually remain for sale since staff tickets theoretically always make way for revenue passengers? Just trying to gauge my upgrade chances.
I am currently waitlisted for upgrade on a flight this week. Flight loading on ExpertFlyer is showing only 4 seats in J remaining for sale. However a friendly source is telling me there are 3 CX staff members booked on the flight on ID tickets. Does that mean 7 seats actually remain for sale since staff tickets theoretically always make way for revenue passengers? Just trying to gauge my upgrade chances.
#1331
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,803
Question about how staff tickets come into play in seat inventory.
I am currently waitlisted for upgrade on a flight this week. Flight loading on ExpertFlyer is showing only 4 seats in J remaining for sale. However a friendly source is telling me there are 3 CX staff members booked on the flight on ID tickets. Does that mean 7 seats actually remain for sale since staff tickets theoretically always make way for revenue passengers? Just trying to gauge my upgrade chances.
I am currently waitlisted for upgrade on a flight this week. Flight loading on ExpertFlyer is showing only 4 seats in J remaining for sale. However a friendly source is telling me there are 3 CX staff members booked on the flight on ID tickets. Does that mean 7 seats actually remain for sale since staff tickets theoretically always make way for revenue passengers? Just trying to gauge my upgrade chances.
#1332
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 95
Question about how staff tickets come into play in seat inventory.
I am currently waitlisted for upgrade on a flight this week. Flight loading on ExpertFlyer is showing only 4 seats in J remaining for sale. However a friendly source is telling me there are 3 CX staff members booked on the flight on ID tickets. Does that mean 7 seats actually remain for sale since staff tickets theoretically always make way for revenue passengers? Just trying to gauge my upgrade chances.
I am currently waitlisted for upgrade on a flight this week. Flight loading on ExpertFlyer is showing only 4 seats in J remaining for sale. However a friendly source is telling me there are 3 CX staff members booked on the flight on ID tickets. Does that mean 7 seats actually remain for sale since staff tickets theoretically always make way for revenue passengers? Just trying to gauge my upgrade chances.
#1333
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold, BA Silver, Hertz President's Club
Posts: 486
DiamondMile is correct in saying that staff (standby) tickets are waiting to be uplifted into those seats, or as a matter of fact: any seat. They can also be accepted into a lower cabin even though they've 'booked' a J seat, should they wish to.
#1334
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: SYD
Programs: Too many golds, no plat: OZ*G, AC*G, NZ*G, VA Gold, QF Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 5,350
Hi all, I'm looking into the feasibility of booking PEY seats SYD-HKG-KIX and return in early June, and using AsiaMiles to upgrade to J. I have no AsiaMiles status and would be transferring the miles from Amex MR, so would value as much certainty as possible before transferring my MR points.
I've waded through much of this thread and have learned a lot but have a few questions:
I've waded through much of this thread and have learned a lot but have a few questions:
- Am I right that even though I have ExpertFlyer there's no way to definitively search for confirmable business class upgrade inventory, but that I class (discounted business) is my best proxy? (though not necessarily reliable)
- I would probably only try to upgrade the long-haul sectors, and leave the HKG-Japan sectors in PEY. Does that mean that as an upgrade guide I should just look at I inventory on SYD-HKG-SYD (which is remarkably good right now; I9 most flights) or would married sector logic apply and there would need to be I available on SYD-HKG-KIX (there's almost none)?
- If there is business upgrade inventory, does that clear immediately (even though I have no status)?
- If there's not business upgrade inventory, does the waitlist typically clear automatically or should I be calling and requesting manual review?
- Assuming I manage to confirm upgrades for the long-haul legs, do I still have the option to bid for upgrades on the intra-Asia flights or does the system not allow a mix of miles and cash based upgrades?
#1335
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold, BA Silver, Hertz President's Club
Posts: 486
Hi all, I'm looking into the feasibility of booking PEY seats SYD-HKG-KIX and return in early June, and using AsiaMiles to upgrade to J. I have no AsiaMiles status and would be transferring the miles from Amex MR, so would value as much certainty as possible before transferring my MR points.
I've waded through much of this thread and have learned a lot but have a few questions:
I've waded through much of this thread and have learned a lot but have a few questions:
- Am I right that even though I have ExpertFlyer there's no way to definitively search for confirmable business class upgrade inventory, but that I class (discounted business) is my best proxy? (though not necessarily reliable)
- I would probably only try to upgrade the long-haul sectors, and leave the HKG-Japan sectors in PEY. Does that mean that as an upgrade guide I should just look at I inventory on SYD-HKG-SYD (which is remarkably good right now; I9 most flights) or would married sector logic apply and there would need to be I available on SYD-HKG-KIX (there's almost none)?
- If there is business upgrade inventory, does that clear immediately (even though I have no status)?
- If there's not business upgrade inventory, does the waitlist typically clear automatically or should I be calling and requesting manual review?
- Assuming I manage to confirm upgrades for the long-haul legs, do I still have the option to bid for upgrades on the intra-Asia flights or does the system not allow a mix of miles and cash based upgrades?
2. Not sure.
3. Yes; inventory logic works the same. If there is inventory in a revenue class (such as I), you will buy the flight/it will ticket instantly
4. Since the system knows you're waitlisted, it'll clear automatically if inventory becomes available
5. Not sure.