For a RT JFK-HKG Economy restricted ticket, Mar 25- Apr 8. On CathayPacific.com, it's US$718. On Cathay-usa.com, same date, it's US$743. Both includes tax. On the first website, next to the quote, it says I'll earn 0 miles. (I did a search for other dates, more expensive, and it came up with 16 thousand miles.) On 2nd website, no # of miles quoted.

So, what's the difference between 2 sites? And is that 0 miles just a typo or is that a catch?

Sorry to waste your time with a guess instead of an answer, but I noted that Air Canada's LAX-YVR fares were similarly different depending on whether you were a booking as a Canadian or an American.

The difference seemed to be that although "taxes" were included in both fares, the taxes were different. Apparently if you sell a ticket in Canada, even for a LAX origination, you can apply a bunch of Canadian taxes and fees in lieu of similar (and higher) American ones.

Actually it has more to do with different search engines than it is with taxes.

CathayPacific.com's CRS is based in HKG and is wired through their own CRS, whereas the CX-USA's search engine is wired through an affiliate agency that uses SABRE.

It's not to say who is right and who isn't. CX's fare however, might be that that certain ticket does not earn miles hence the zero count. CX-USA's website doesn't as it has to take into consideration of what class it is booked into in the first place.

I'm not aware that certain cheaper CX tickets don't earn miles (other than the Asian pass, which is clearly indicated).
Can someone please confirm?

Only tickets in YBHKLMS earn AsiaMiles on CX. There are many cheaper fares around - often in V class - which do not.

How do I find out if the fare is V or not, from CX own's (2) websites?

More importantly, does this imply I won't get any miles for this route regardless of which websites I buy the tix from? I did a brief search on the same outbound flights that week, from CathayPacific.com, and they all say 0 miles.

Is this something new? I have never heard of not getting *any* miles for a regular RT int'l ticket. I'm now getting nervous.


[This message has been edited by adamak (edited Jan 27, 2004).]

I would trust the website. If it says zero miles then assume that you will get zero miles. If it says actual miles then get a printout of that page if/when you buy the ticket.

Alternatively, on the main www.cathaypacific.com site, when you are making a reservation, on the final page before you commit there is a section which says "Terms and Conditions" and within that a link to a popup with "Travel Restrictions".

Click to this popup and you then see a list of sections. Click on the first one "Penalties & Surcharges" and you will see some text that starts something like this:

Penalties:
1 - PSGR P1 ADT RULES DISPLAY
FARE COMPONENT 1 ADT HKGNYC CX HLE60HK PU 1 S
FCL: HLE60HK TRF:1003 RULE: 0577 BK: H PUBL:CX HKG
PTC: ADT-ADULT FTC: XES-SPECIAL EXCURSION
PE.PENALTIES

The information you need is the Booking Class, which is shown after the "BK:" and in this case would be H class (which is mileage accruing).

HTH

I inquired Jade in NYC about Feb. fares on CX from JFK to SIN last week. It was just above 800USD.

I realise this fare is more expensive than the one the original poster got. But this is K fare, mileage eligible with CX's FFP AsiaMiles, and is valid for six months. You can also have stopovers both ways and date changes are permitted free of charge except the JFK-HKG.

I was a little surprised about Feb. fares ex SFO to TPE, which was about 660USD with the same conditions....

Booking Class V does earn miles: however, 25 % only, if you are member of BA Executive Club - is there any other oneworld partner that accredits V-Class on CX?

Hmmm - maybe. Not sure if that would work in the case that the ticket is endorsed "No Mileage Accrual" which many V class tickets are.

Thanks everyone, but I dont' have a problem anymore. Those cheap $700 ish tickets are gone. (the class was -0- according to the terms & condition). Now Cathay-usa.com has cheaper ones, $860, and CathayPacific.com has the same route for $970. (H and V, don't remember which is which, but both earn full miles).

Thanks for all the info. I'd never known.