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
#151
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 102
Another data point - held Jan 2016 in early Jan 2015. I originally got a J seat on the flight I thought my brother want, but my SIL wanted my brother to leave a day earlier. Since she can live with the day I chose but the day before "would be better" I redeemed the ticket and waitlisted the day before. It cleared today (around 2.5 months from original redemption, 9.5 months from departure date)
#152
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 102
210 days:
Departure date - 4 October
SMS date - 8 March
Under four days (three actually):
Departure date - 18 June
SMS date - 15 June
Additional pointers:
Upgrade same inventory as redemption (as we have been told): http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/catha...-agent.html#15
You need I fares for Business redemption to become available: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/catha...ed-15.html#221
Departure date - 4 October
SMS date - 8 March
Under four days (three actually):
Departure date - 18 June
SMS date - 15 June
Additional pointers:
Upgrade same inventory as redemption (as we have been told): http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/catha...-agent.html#15
You need I fares for Business redemption to become available: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/catha...ed-15.html#221
#153
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: USA/Hong Kong
Programs: Marco Polo Green/AAdvantage
Posts: 39
My flight is coming up next week 3/27 on CX883 ...I'm on the waitlist of PEY to J for at least 6 months now...I'll report back if i got the upgrade clear or not....dead line to ticket is on 3/23 PST. I will see what will happens....look like they don't have any "I" seat for sale now but I do see the seat map that there are 10 seats left in J (dummy booking).
#154
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 102
Ok, I see this message after logging into CX's website:
Our records indicate that you have not issued a ticket for this booking. Please contact The Club Service Centre to issue the ticket before 06:00, 10 Apr (JFK time). Otherwise your booking will be invalid and will automatically be cancelled without further notice.
-------------------------
I paid for the ticket already, why do I see this message??? What should I do?
Our records indicate that you have not issued a ticket for this booking. Please contact The Club Service Centre to issue the ticket before 06:00, 10 Apr (JFK time). Otherwise your booking will be invalid and will automatically be cancelled without further notice.
-------------------------
I paid for the ticket already, why do I see this message??? What should I do?
#155
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 102
My flight is coming up next week 3/27 on CX883 ...I'm on the waitlist of PEY to J for at least 6 months now...I'll report back if i got the upgrade clear or not....dead line to ticket is on 3/23 PST. I will see what will happens....look like they don't have any "I" seat for sale now but I do see the seat map that there are 10 seats left in J (dummy booking).
#157
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: USA/Hong Kong
Programs: Marco Polo Green/AAdvantage
Posts: 39
Ok, I see this message after logging into CX's website:
Our records indicate that you have not issued a ticket for this booking. Please contact The Club Service Centre to issue the ticket before 06:00, 10 Apr (JFK time). Otherwise your booking will be invalid and will automatically be cancelled without further notice.
-------------------------
I paid for the ticket already, why do I see this message??? What should I do?
Our records indicate that you have not issued a ticket for this booking. Please contact The Club Service Centre to issue the ticket before 06:00, 10 Apr (JFK time). Otherwise your booking will be invalid and will automatically be cancelled without further notice.
-------------------------
I paid for the ticket already, why do I see this message??? What should I do?
#158
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: San Francisco
Programs: Amex Platinum, SPG Gold, Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 77
is there anyway to waitlist until the day of the flight? Why does the waitlist always cancel 4 days before take off
#159
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 102
I paid for PEY. So that message is suppose to be there? I thought it was referring to my booking for PEY (which I later paid of course).
#160
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: USA/Hong Kong
Programs: Marco Polo Green/AAdvantage
Posts: 39
My request for J upgrade was dropped by the system automatically, so I called the HOTLINE (wait about an hour) today. The agent told me that she cannot extend my request and currently no award available seat for redemption. She told me I could request an instant upgrade at the check-in counter but still it is relying on if the seat is available.
Last edited by jackykli; Mar 24, 2015 at 11:33 pm
#161
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriot Am, MU Pt
Posts: 3,092
If your upgrade is confirmed, but the miles haven't deducted, then you call the MPO office to ticket it.
If your upgrade is waitlisted then it will show the message and will disappear once the date has passed or if you get a notification that the upgrade is confirmed, at which point you call the MPO center to deduct your miles and ticket it.
If your upgrade is waitlisted then it will show the message and will disappear once the date has passed or if you get a notification that the upgrade is confirmed, at which point you call the MPO center to deduct your miles and ticket it.
#162
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 102
I need help!! Am I ready for upgrade?
If your upgrade is confirmed, but the miles haven't deducted, then you call the MPO office to ticket it.
If your upgrade is waitlisted then it will show the message and will disappear once the date has passed or if you get a notification that the upgrade is confirmed, at which point you call the MPO center to deduct your miles and ticket it.
If your upgrade is waitlisted then it will show the message and will disappear once the date has passed or if you get a notification that the upgrade is confirmed, at which point you call the MPO center to deduct your miles and ticket it.
After logging into my Cathay Asia Miles account, under my booking, next to business, the status is listed as "confirmed." Under status for the other bookings (which I have paid with cash), it's also listed as confirmed.
Does that mean I am confirmed for the upgrade? Am I cleared from the waitlist? I haven't received a text or email from the Marco Polo Club yet.. Neither for Asia Miles.
Can anybody tell me what does confirmed mean?
Thank you so much!!
#164
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: YVR
Programs: WS Platinum, former AC E35K
Posts: 6,335
I am looking to book a Y+ ticket with cash for me and a companion. The flight is tomorrow. Am I then able to request an upgrade after booking? If so, and the request doesn't go through immediately is there a way to upgrade at the airport if J seats are available?
I'm assuming that the upgrade wait list doesn't carry over to the airport.
Thanks
I'm assuming that the upgrade wait list doesn't carry over to the airport.
Thanks
#165
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: United 1P
Posts: 688
Hi everyone, I am newbie to Cathy. I will fly NYC-HKG-SGN RT in July. My company only reimburse the cheapest economy, and it seems that I will have to book into an N class. The flight is less than 10,000 one-way. I have two questions.
(1) can I use 45,000 Asia miles to upgrade to a business seat if I class is available?
(2) Is American Express the only credit card company that can transfer points to Asia miles?
Thank you all again!
(1) can I use 45,000 Asia miles to upgrade to a business seat if I class is available?
(2) Is American Express the only credit card company that can transfer points to Asia miles?
Thank you all again!