I think everyone's blood pressure will come down a bit if we all treat it like a availability-dependent upgrade token at check-in desk, with no certain probability of clearing?

At most the benefit is valued at nil as you won't even consider using it (e.g. you won't gamble on upgrading to J for long-haul).

That would be true if it didn't cost us (customer) more to get them. But they do.

The issue is it's at 1,600 CP (for the DM version at least). while I don't find that amount of CP difficult to obtain, it's still a full 1/3 past the DM threshold and thus on average 1/3 of another DM card to "buy" those benefits. I'm currently giving out a GO card so I make sure I get 1,800, but in years I don't care about getting the GO companion card (1,800 CP), with the 1,600 benefit worthless, I can easily spend my $ elsewhere north of 1,200 instead of going for 1,600 or 1,800. The post-COVID capacity problem at HKIA is over, all the other airlines are back (except AF doesn't have F anymore, and EK is missing one of their daily flights, but overall the capacity is back).

For me it's really about incremental revenue spend on CX. Although I understand my own spending habits might differ from many, I don't think the logic is flawed. It's not a freebie from CX to us, it's a return of value for customer loyalty ($). And those benefits have really declined in value from pre-COVID until now.

CX has reinvested elsewhere, so this isn't totally a whinge-fest. The lounges are great and the DM program (treatment on board, front line staff awareness, corporate responsiveness, HKIA lounges, others) is really good. But the BUDs are annoying, because they've gone downhill

Can you take your incremental revenue elsewhere?

If not then CX doesn't have to substantially reward you for it. They can, for instance, include cutlery for your meals in incremental revenue.

Just curious, with the pared down F-routes at CX, what is a guesstimate for the split between paying vs non-paying (e.g. redemption, BUD, etc) F customers?

yup. and i do. EK F to Europe in a few weeks, last singapore trip a few weeks ago SQ. (CX has started swapping in regionals).

At least 3x US trips later this year unbooked but can easily/gladly tie up one through Japan.

If I gave all my business to CX I'd probably do in the 3-4k CP range. Would be a stretch to go less than 1,200 but definitely under 1,600 or 1,800 is possible based on how I choose my routings.

Good for you. Sometimes loyalty is synonymous with laziness.

The sample size is too small to tell, but I’d say at least 2 non-paying. For long haul, there’s usually at least 1 seat for redemption. BUDs, once confirmed, do not take away redemption quotas. I am unsure if it takes away upgrade quotas though.

You are quite right that adopting this mindset would help to manage our expectations. However fundamentally, this is not how the BUDs are presented. Given how CX is now treating BUDs it is no longer an incentive to continue past 1200 points noting that neither the lounge passes nor companion gold are particularly useful (particularly for members who aren't HKG based).

Had it been available at 1200, I'd tone my expectations. But hitting 1600 only to be further nickel-and-dimed by revenue is just childish. What's worse than not having those BUD, is watching them expire. I have no incentive to move past 1100 atm.

I've had very good experience with using bookable upgrades ever since I got assigned a relationship manager, rather than having to go thru the Guangzhou / Manila call center BS.

Anyway, my personal speculation ;) is that the above discussions on bookable upgrades will soon be moot with the rollout of the new MPO program which will involve changes on this front as well. Sooner than you think. It's May already :cool:

Personal speculation - sure..the winky is intriguing of course!
Pray, tell us more!!!

Any recent experiences extending BUDs?
 

Bumping. I've got 3 BUDs expiring shortly, plus 4 more new ones dropping into the account. They feel too valuable to just let go to waste and yet I really am struggling to use them again.

Could be anecdotal, but I fare doesn't seem open on the stuff we're looking at either (ironically, pure biz redemption tickets are). As last ditch, we were looking at PEY to I, but that has been thwarted by lack of I.

Any recent anecdotes? Or smart ways to use these recently? Really struggling to use these post-COVID. I guess hats off to CX forcing us to pay more out of pocket, I think this is probably my highest spending 2-year period on CX in maybe a decade. But it'd be nice to actually use these things we've "earned", starting to feel like funny money.

(I should give credit where due, there seem to be a lot of redemption tickets under the black star Diamond thing. It seems easier to outright redeem miles for tickets than using the BUDs? Is that an accurate observation?) Back in the pre-Covid days, I found it was a lot easier, we'd just them entirely as J and F class discount tickets. Today, not as much.

(Update, 2 more lounge passes likely expiring too, after losing the 2 last year).

Suggestion: DM and/or DM+GO get more redemption nominees? Feels pretty pointless to pay the $50 to cycle through new people just to give them F lounge access via a coupon. My redemption nominees are static, full of family and helpers. If I had a few more to play with, would be nice to offer friends or people I know without access, either an upgrade on their ticket or the lounge.

For when? And how far away are your proposed dates? I've had no problem at all, but for trips I had planned 5-7 months out. Last year to/from CDG, J to F (when that route still had F). This year to/ from LHR, J to F. Confirmed within 24 hours.

At present I'm looking at trips in October. I guess that's the problem. I almost never have 5-7 months visibility unfortunately. However, I've always booked pretty close in and at least back in the "good old days" pre COVID when the BUDs program was still fairly new, that didn't seem to be as much of an issue.

I got 2 J to F HKG to JFK this smmer, whihc was a surprise, but like I you I have 3 expiring and fourmore about to accure + useless lounge passes that I do struggle to use. I would use to Y to J on an upcoming regional just not to lose them if they prcoess was easier to do. As it is, I will j ust book J to avoid the hassle.

Would love to gift the lounge passes to a friend/colleague that is Gold and who would like to see if the F lounge makes DM worth it for him. Hes not in my redeption group though, so cant. Its a pretty useless perk or me and you, it seems.