The Ultimate Upgrade Question thread
 

This thread is to add questions that commonly come up regarding upgrade on Cathay Pacific.

Please feel free to add questions to the Wikipost at the beginning for common upgrade questions.

Great post! Might also be good to include the "upgrades" where 2 class flight is operated by a 4 class aircraft.

EDIT from sxc: This is added. Thanks for the suggestion.

very much enjoy what you're doing sxc thanks and keep it up

^

How Does One Secure a Intercontinental Advance Upgrade?
 

I'll leave it to you, sxc, to decide whether to include this in the sticky: namely, the rather convoluted process one has to go through to confirm an upgrade. In my experience, it goes like this:

1) determine the fight/date(s) you want to upgrade. (To know which ones have availability before booking, you will need KVS or something like that).

2) 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.

3) Put the booking on hold.

4) 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).

5) Call telephone sales back. Have them issue the ticket.

6) Call Marco Polo/Asia Miles back. Give them the revenue ticket number against the PNR. Ask them to queue the ticket for re-issue with the upgrade(s) confirmed.

7) In about two or three days, you'll get a new ticket with the upgrade showing.

Note that if the Marco Polo Service Center tells you that the upgrade on the date/flight you wanted isn't available, and you want to change the booking to another date where the upgrade is available, you will need to go back to your telephone sales res agent and re-book. They won't help if it's a web booking -- so don't use the web if you want to upgrade in advance.

Thanks bitterroot - updated the FAQs with some details on mechanics of upgrading with asiamiles.

just a recent observation of a DM on regional flights. Based on accounts of flight with cabin sold as PE (so 3 class, J, PE, Y). the KVS looked like this, meaning decent load in J cabin and somewhat light PE and overbooked Econ.

F9 A9 J5 C5 D5 I4 W7 R7 E5 Y0 B0 H0 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0

He was initially moved to PE seat T-10 hours (we kept checking online checkin page)... T-3 hours he was subsequently moved to J cabin. According to belief of "one-class upgrade only", it would have meant entire PE pax were moved to J before my DM friend (with W7R7E5 type of load, it suggest at least 10-15 occupied paid PE pax) was able to score a "double upgrade" from Y to J. But I have different theory...

I think, strictly for purpose of op-ups whether regional/long-haul CX will look at PE and Economy as a same cabin class... so first thing they do is jiggle around and move economy DM/Golds to PE seats like they would always do... then when the entire PE+Y cabin combined together is full and requires an "op-up", they will select the lucky guy from the combined pack, treating as one large cabin. Thus a Gold in PE holding W fare would rank after DM on V-class. This also consistent with previous observation on a SYD route when DM were put straight to J class from Y cabin on a full PE/Y cabin.

Summary (awaiting other case study)
if DM is to travel on Y0 B0 H0 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 type of a flight, don't bother booking PE for hoping of op-up, just force yourself in with V-class gurantee and let them pick you to sit at J ahead of others holding PE.

(this guy scored double upgrade on both inbound/outbound for his weekend getaway)

This probably makes sense, as it's less work to do it this way also.

However, if this was a flight sold as J/PE/Y why is there F/A class in KVS?

methinks F cabin would be irrelevant in looking into the whole situation if this was what OP implied. (J-F opup would still function like normal)

sorry should have included "F" cabin but i missed it from the overall idea of referring to Y>J op ups

as kaka mentions J->F would probably follow the known protocol, i.e. the elites in J cabin holding revenue J tickets are eligible and the "upgraded" guy into J either from PE or Y will not be considered for J>F.

ok this is new. my DM friend has upcoming flight in a week to yyz.... he has already been upgtaded in MMB website not even online checkin. is this normal. i guess flight is super iverbooked but dont have.kvs tool handy now to verify.

interesting....I presume he was originally in Y or PEY class?

he was/is in V claas. i am waiting to aee the final verdict....

The wiki has given some real cool information.. quick question though- for upgrading BA flight with Asia Miles, where do I see the miles required/upgrade chart ?

I think it is now the same as would be required for an upgrade if you were on CX as per the award chart.

Before CX introduced its own premium economy and revised the award chart accordingly, there used to be a complicated formula for calculating the mileage requirements for premium economy redemptions or upgrades to or from premium economy on other carriers, but that appears not to be the case anymore.

Thanks..

On Facebook CX Secrets page

Status Update
By CX Secrets
#534

With Amex Centurion/Gold giving out so many fake DM and GO status respectively. I find myself giving more and more op-ups and seat preferences to SL members who most likely earned their status the hard way. Does anyone else feel the same?

But how much discretion do they have, versus whatever the computer algorithm spits out at them?

Anyway, obnoxious if true. While these AmEx handouts have been a bone of contention around here, I'm sure we could all agree that any decisions like this should be made at the corporate level, not by frontline staff. While op-ups are an unpublished benefit and not something to be expected, if we're honest it's part of the program that encourages our loyalty. This GO who earns his status the hard way would be disappointed to discover staff are favoring less loyal customers in a misguided attempt to reward loyalty.

All that said, my op-up percentage this year improved noticeably compared to last year.

Is there such a thing as an op-up to a later flight?

I'm booked on CX889 this Saturday, which is showing:
F0 A0 J1 C1 D1 I1 W9 R9 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V8 S2 N1 Q0 O0

But CX837, later in the day, is showing:
J9 C9 D9 I7 W8 R7 E6 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O5

I'm CX Gold, but I've never tried this approach with CX. I'm assuming it's a very long shot but some here would certainly know better!

Thanks!

Are you flying J or Y? Looking at either of these classes, I think you are going to get on the original flight. If they can get you on the original flight, then you will travel on that original flight. Otherwise they will request for VDB (voluntary deboarding) and entice you with money and upgrade coupons. But I don't think that is going to happen in this case.

Yes, we're ticketed Y on 889. Just wishful thinking.

Forget about it.

Y is wideeeeeeeeeee open on both flights. Why would CX want to opup you up to PEY?

Op-up is short for operational upgrade. With so many seats still for sale in Economy, CX has no need for your current seat / thus any incentive to move you up the plane.

Of course, if this was some kind of milestone / birthday / anniversary, that's a different story.

Honeymoon, but I doubt that counts for much.

One assumes that this near, those last seats are unlikely to all go?

We did splash out for exit-row seats before I hit Gold, so it's not the end of the world. I'm not the shortest guy in the world, but I'm grateful not to be on one of AC's punishing 777HDs.

The Ultimate Upgrade Question thread
 

Would call them and mention the fact it's your honeymoon. The ball and chain and I got upgraded (she has no status) on our own honeymoonI made a point of telling the CX agent a few days before flying. Flight was not full. But was only short haul.

A little confused on this one. Colleague and me were on the same short haul flight yesterday, both booked in V class. Flight was zeroed out on KVS. I’m a DM and was upgraded to PEY before online check in opened. After check in, my BN was 7. He’s a MPO GR and checked in at airport, BN 200+ with a Y boarding pass. At the gate, he was upgraded from Y to J. He doesn’t fly very often and I don’t begrudge him the upgrade, just seems a little odd to me. Possibly his charm and wit at check in enable him to jump the upgrade queue? We were laughing about his luck over mine and he said he didn’t have any friends at CX or notice any special treatment at check in. Is there a new nuance to the excessively discussed pecking order of CX operational upgrades? Or just a random case of right place at right time?

I have no idea what the real reason is, but I can imagine a scenario where there were 2 people who wanted to sit together and somehow your colleague's seat was the one targeted. A lazy ground staff probably found it easier to move your colleague to J (one transaction), rather than move you and then move him (two transactions).

upgrade cathay pacific question
 

I am going to be traveling from LA to Hong Kong in March and was wondering if there are similar programs like AA has where there are VIP upgrade certificates available for purchase?

Sorry, no.

Bizarre Upgrade?
 

Hi, just wondering if anyone can shed some light on an upgrade my girlfriend got flying HKG-SYD on 9JAN14. Here are details.......

-Ticket was issued by CX and paid for Y.
-Has no status with CX (not even signed up to the program and first time on CX)
-Checked in online the day before flight
-Went to the electronic boarding pass printer but would not accept ticket.
-Lined up, check in agent took an age, tapping away on the computer (saying nothing) Gives her the boarding pass without saying anything of the upgrade to Y+
-My girlfriend didn't even notice the upgrade until 10mins later due to not even being told anything at check in.

We are just curious as to why the upgrade was given. She arrived at the airport very early and would of been one of the first to check in. Also, she had pre-selected a special meal (if this makes any difference) and there was no equipment change. Plane was very full.

So was she just extremely lucky or is there something else in the CX upgrade world that determines who gets the upgrade? Cheers

One possible possibility could be your gf's seat was originally beside a DM / baby / elder / etc. And that party wish to be seated together with another pax, thus needing her seat.

Since your gf was travelling as a single pax, it was easier to move her around. At the same time, CX does not want to anger anyone by reseating her to a random Y seat. So since there was an availability in PEY - they chose to just op up her.

Exactly. Although we tend to view op-ups as a frequent flyer benefit, and CX does make some effort to prioritize on that basis, don't forget that the "op" is short for "operational." At the end of the day, CX will upgrade who they need to in order to accommodate a range of requests from pax, simplify life for the ground crew and get the flight out on time.

No AM U/G on KA if purchased from CX website?
 

I purchased an H fare for KA192 (HKG>DAC) from the CX website. Ticket was sold as CX6192. After checking in at the AE station in the morning I decided I wanted to upgrade using AM. J was wide open so I didn't expect any issues. I was first denied at the KA check-in counter at HKG. They said this could not be done as the ticket was purchased from CX.

I checked again at The Wing F lounge and was initially told it does not matter where the ticket was purchased but only the fare class. As I was on an H fare I figured great.

Later the lounge person came back and told me the same thing as the check-in agent.

Is this normal? I didn't see this requirement anywhere in the T&C on the AM site.

https://www.asiamiles.com/am/en/redeem/charts#2

"3. Awards are not available on any codeshare flights."?

Bit of a harsh interpretation...but a compliant one.

Thanks percysmith. I missed that one and didn't really consider it to be a codeshare but, yes, technically it is. Will make sure to book all KA flights from their website.

One sector upgrade without a mortgage
 

Hello wise Cathay folk,

I have a return business trip from Auckland to London on Cathay coming up in July. of the 4 long haul sectors, 3 currently show no first class with CX254 being the exception. (CX only fly old style biz on 777-200 between HKG & AKL).

As I've heard wonderful things about CX first, I called the call center to find out how much it would be to pay the fare difference to upgrade to first from LHR to HKG on the return leg. To my surprise I was told that I would have to buy a completely new fare - for $28,000 NZD(!). For comparison this is roughly twice the price of a return Emirates first class for all 4 sectors instead of 1

Unsurprisingly I declined.

Anyway, I know in the wiki for this thread it states that it's highly unlikely to be able to pay for a 'cheap' upgrade on check in, but my question is; what about a regular priced upgrade?

I am more than willing to pay a fair price for this sector if given the opportunity, but the marginal cost of this upgrade is an absurd $17,000

Maybe I'm totally wrong in my thinking, but I thought it was worth asking.

Thanks in advance

Use points? Should only take 50,000 Asia Miles.

Sorry should've clarified, Only joined Asia Miles recently on booking this flight so points aren't an option.

Essentially just wanted to know if cash upgrades on the day / at check in are an option at all, not just 'cheap' upgrades as per the wiki.

Any thoughts on my chances for an upgrade? I'm a OWS (no MP status) flying SFO-HKG on the afternoon flight (879) in a few days in PE. PE has been zeroed out for a week now, so I would guess that it is oversold. This is a 747, so there are 26 PE seats. Y still shows some availability (Y4), but it's tight up front - F2J1 right now.

My first upgrade to Premium Economy
 

I was upgraded to Premium Economy today for my return flight from HKG-SIN. Flight was delayed for about 2 hours+. There were massive delays in HKG today due to weather as well as technical glitches with the toilet (so they said).

I was upgraded during boarding. First time I've ever been upgraded on a flight and this is the second time I've flown on CX (first time was from SIN-HKG just a few days before). When the scanner beeped red, I kinda panicked.... :eek: The staff gave me a new ticket which read Premium Economy.

I'm guessing flight was oversold? I'm only a normal Asia Miles member. The SEQ number on the ticket reads 90.

Hi everyone. Me and my fiance will be on our honeymoon in Aug. I have booked a return flight from HK to LAX on PEY with R fare for 8/24/14. I've requested to be upgraded to business, however, are being placed on the waitlist in the mean time. I checked and it seems business are all wide open... any reason they cannot accommodate the upgrade now? Also, what would be my chances of getting the upgrade cleared?

TIA