Switching to Cathay FF program/Asia Miles?
 

Hello!

My husband and I are relocating to HK from the US for the next few years. Does it make sense to start new FF accounts with Cathay/Asia Miles, or should we continue to use our American FF accounts to book flights? We have no status on either Cathay or American right now (we currently fly mostly skyteam). We will be traveling quite extensively while based in HK so want to maximize under the right program. We will eventually move back to the US, so not sure if that should be a consideration as well.

Thank you!!

If you're there for a few years, it might just be best to join Marco Polo Club and accrue miles to AsiaMiles. I've generally been able to find award availability on AM for Cathay flights more easily than looking through AAdvantage.

However, I find earning status on Cathay harder than on AA, though - as you have to start from 0 each time you hit a new level, if I remember right.

Hello and welcome to HK!

1st, FT has a number of threads discussing the pros and cons of CX MPC versus AA. Definitely worth a search.

2nd, one or both of you should probably join CX MPC (initial USD50 fee per person that may be waived under certain circumstances). You then will have the option to credit miles and get benefits.

3rd, what frequent flyer benefits are most important to you? Some details on travel patterns/style can help the long term FT experts provide more customized advice. Some examples: mix/frequency of C (business) or above versus Y (economy), preferred US hubs, flexibility of budget, importance of lounge access, etc.

My suggestion is to join CX MPC and credit miles there. There are immediate benefits even at the lowest tier (Green) such as priority boarding and check-in while at the next level (Silver) you will have lounge access. Some economy fares earn no miles on AA, though may earn some or full points on CX. Factors that may change this answer would be if you were flying mostly paid business/first and prioritized earning miles.

Finally, there are many long term ex-pats in HK who started out expecting to stay only 2-3 years… Safe travels!

Well if you fly most Premium stick with AA. If you're an economy flyer then accrue to CX, since cheap fares don't earn to AA (but most cheap fares on AA earn to CX)

Starzzzz02 Welcome to the forum
djday congratulations on you first post!

Will you be travelling in premium cabins with CX?
Many discount economy fares earn low or nil miles with CX and other airlines ffp's
For only a few years I would stick with AA

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...help-here.html

I like how both have been lurkers, with Starzzzz02 been one for nine years!

Anyways congrats on the first posts!

Welcome to flyertalk.

Join Asia Miles. It's CX's free mileage accrual version of MPC. The latter is where status is earned and awarded. If you find that serious mileage is likely to be earned then consider MPC. If you have a biz or first long haul trip, you may be able to avoid the MPC joining fee. YMMV.

Note that in economy V class and higher will accrue full mileage with CX. S, N and Q will accrue at 25%. Note you will need Cathay H class or higher for AA and Cathay V class will accrue with QF at 50%.

If you are traveling on CX routes that are not frequent flyer heavy (eg PVG PEK or TPE are overwhelmed with status travelers) Silver status with Cathay can be quite beneficial. Again YMMV and nothing is published.

Happy wandering as you enjoy the move.

Fred

Welcome, the ONLY benefit CX/AM has over against AA is level of services if you plan to move up the rank (for example at least GO level, DM level is no brainer you go with CX). When you say "extensively" you really need to do some math, again, if you plan to travel more than 40 sectors or 60K miles per year, then go with CX. If not, go with AA.

Why AA? Their awesome earn/burn ratio and bonus miles given. If you do 50K and make AA Plat you get much bonus miles, and then keep in mind it takes only 160K of AA miles to redeem round trip CX F class, or 120K for CX J class.

CX GO also gives you one extra check-in luggage if you tend to bring a lot of gifts and buy stuff aboard (6 luggage per trip, you can be your own moving company)

Anyway, there are tons of minor differences but this is the major one that should dominate your decision making.

If OP is living in HKG, a significant consideration should be the availability of non-flying earning opportunities, and even a light flyer -- maybe especially a light flyer -- is better off with AM. Have a look at the credit card earning thread and you'll see that the earning rate per dollar spent is a lot more attractive than many other FF programs offer in their home markets.

For AA status will need 4 AA segments. Living in HKG that may be hard, unless they have trips to/from USA

LOL - your own moving company! :D

I swear that's what I'm doing most of the time. People are always asking me to ship stuff for them. It's like I've become a courier ever since people found out I have so much allowance.

This would be the major consideration if you think you will fly enough to hit any status levels. You can do a million miles a year but if none of them are on AA metal you'll be stuck at rock bottom. Otherwise, Marco Polo Club is a fairly poor programme in comparison to some of the other Oneworld airlines.

At such a horrible earn/burn ratio why should I get as many AM points as possible through non-flying means? I would rather get other programs points like Starwoods hotels, etc. that has a much better earn/burn ratio.

The only reason to fly CX and use MPO in my opinion is to earn their top 2 tiers (DM/GO) and enjoy their extraordinary services both on the ground, and on-board. Otherwise, any other OW FFP is better.

Even below DM/GO, other CX MPC benefits may be of value:
CX lounge access starting at MPC SL (OW Ruby) versus at other OW Sapphire;
MPC miles earned on certain discount Econ fares versus nothing as other OW FFP;
Only MPC miles can be used to upgrade on CX flights.