Oct 29, 2013, 4:27 am
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
Dec 20, 2015, 1:47 am
#361
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriot Am, MU Pt
Posts: 3,092
Dec 20, 2015, 4:00 am
#363
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 52
Dec 23, 2015, 1:28 pm
#364
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: AA EXP 2MM; UA 1K
Posts: 122
In the event that one intends to upgrade with AM, but credit flight miles to another OW program: if already waitlisted is there any danger in changing the FF # in your record via the website before clearing the upgrade.
Dec 30, 2015, 11:57 pm
#365
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: MNL
Programs: Star Alliance
Posts: 12
Sorry, newbie question here. How does one exactly check flight loads and how do you determine if you have a good change of an upgrade?
I'm a MP Gold and I'm looking to book a EWR/JFK-HKG flight in November.
I'm a MP Gold and I'm looking to book a EWR/JFK-HKG flight in November.
Jan 16, 2016, 11:33 pm
#366
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 407
I'd greatly appreciate if someone could help educate me on how to interpret the inventory tables on EF. I'm a Diamond member with an upcoming flight booked in D inventory and I'm trying to maximize my chances of an upgrade to F.
I fully understand what all the various buckets (letters) represent, so no help needed there. But I'm less clear on what kind of inventory configuration is most likely to result in an oversold situation. My flight is coming up in about seven days and there's no cost to switch to a different aircraft.
Here's what it's looking like at the moment on the two days I'm able to depart:
1.) F4 A4 J9 C9 D8 I6 W2 R0 E0 Y6 B4 H2 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
2.) F4 A4 J9 C9 D9 I9 W3 R1 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
3.) F3 A3 J9 C9 D9 I9 W4 R2 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M7 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
4.) F2 A2 J7 C7 D6 I4 W9 R5 E2 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L7 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
I'm assuming flight #1 is the best option given Y and PE inventories, but then again the business cabin of flight #4 is the only one that's starting to look tight.
Any suggestions?
I fully understand what all the various buckets (letters) represent, so no help needed there. But I'm less clear on what kind of inventory configuration is most likely to result in an oversold situation. My flight is coming up in about seven days and there's no cost to switch to a different aircraft.
Here's what it's looking like at the moment on the two days I'm able to depart:
1.) F4 A4 J9 C9 D8 I6 W2 R0 E0 Y6 B4 H2 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
2.) F4 A4 J9 C9 D9 I9 W3 R1 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
3.) F3 A3 J9 C9 D9 I9 W4 R2 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M7 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
4.) F2 A2 J7 C7 D6 I4 W9 R5 E2 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L7 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
I'm assuming flight #1 is the best option given Y and PE inventories, but then again the business cabin of flight #4 is the only one that's starting to look tight.
Any suggestions?
Jan 17, 2016, 6:12 am
#367
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: HKG
Programs: CX DM, SPG Pt, Le Club Accor GO, Shangri-La GC Jade
Posts: 1,327
Here's what it's looking like at the moment on the two days I'm able to depart:
1.) F4 A4 J9 C9 D8 I6 W2 R0 E0 Y6 B4 H2 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
2.) F4 A4 J9 C9 D9 I9 W3 R1 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
3.) F3 A3 J9 C9 D9 I9 W4 R2 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M7 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
4.) F2 A2 J7 C7 D6 I4 W9 R5 E2 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L7 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
I'm assuming flight #1 is the best option given Y and PE inventories, but then again the business cabin of flight #4 is the only one that's starting to look tight.
Any suggestions?
1.) F4 A4 J9 C9 D8 I6 W2 R0 E0 Y6 B4 H2 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
2.) F4 A4 J9 C9 D9 I9 W3 R1 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
3.) F3 A3 J9 C9 D9 I9 W4 R2 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M7 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
4.) F2 A2 J7 C7 D6 I4 W9 R5 E2 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L7 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
I'm assuming flight #1 is the best option given Y and PE inventories, but then again the business cabin of flight #4 is the only one that's starting to look tight.
Any suggestions?
1, 2, 3 has J wide open... Even W may seems tight J must be able to absorb the oversold W (if any at all) so no way J will get full
4 actually also unlike to get full... J7 may means a tighter J, but I4 I would say there should still be seats available in J... And F2 A2 also... so there's even less chance for one in J to use miles to upgrade to F
Jan 17, 2016, 9:56 am
#368
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 407
My view: Zero op-up chance from J to F
1, 2, 3 has J wide open... Even W may seems tight J must be able to absorb the oversold W (if any at all) so no way J will get full
4 actually also unlike to get full... J7 may means a tighter J, but I4 I would say there should still be seats available in J... And F2 A2 also... so there's even less chance for one in J to use miles to upgrade to F
1, 2, 3 has J wide open... Even W may seems tight J must be able to absorb the oversold W (if any at all) so no way J will get full
4 actually also unlike to get full... J7 may means a tighter J, but I4 I would say there should still be seats available in J... And F2 A2 also... so there's even less chance for one in J to use miles to upgrade to F
I'd really love to hear from someone else on this who (a.) works for CX; (b.) has in the past; or (c.) has had experience analyzing these inventory figures with a reasonable track record of success.
Jan 17, 2016, 12:37 pm
#370
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ORD [formerly] + HKG
Programs: CX Diamond, AA exExPlat, BAEC exGold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Starriott Titanium, GE
Posts: 2,966
Jan 17, 2016, 8:16 pm
#371
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Too many now to keep track of
Programs: A handful of shiny cards
Posts: 221
Thanks very much for your perspective on this. I suppose with seven (now six) days to go, I figured that Y6 on flight #1 probably represents an oversold or about to be oversold situation as Y0 does not just mean full but indeed oversold to the point that the airline won't oversell more. With only 2 left in W (I understand CX also oversells PE), I'm also assuming that there is very likely going to be a wave of PE to J opt-ups. Whether or not that will ultimately push a DM into the front is another question entirely.
I'd really love to hear from someone else on this who (a.) works for CX; (b.) has in the past; or (c.) has had experience analyzing these inventory figures with a reasonable track record of success.
I'd really love to hear from someone else on this who (a.) works for CX; (b.) has in the past; or (c.) has had experience analyzing these inventory figures with a reasonable track record of success.
Unfortunately, while EF does give a decent overview of loadings it is not infallible. I have had flights where 3 days out EF has said that W is still 4, Y9 and looking at the seat map (again, not an entirely accurate source) there was still 24 seats available yet I had an op-up from Y to J and bypassed PE. I've also been on a flight where everything was zero on my flight out of HKG, yet there ended up being a few seats left in PE and no one was upgraded.
The other thing to keep in mind is that last minute rush for award seats that could be released in the last 48-24 hours before the flight. If all but 1 are released, then if an op-up is needed you would also have to be at the very top of the status list on the flight.
Jan 20, 2016, 8:53 am
#372
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SIN
Programs: JL GC | Marriott LT Silver | Global Entry | SQ Silver
Posts: 6,819
Can someone check the loads on the following flights?
SIN-HKG 22 JAN CX714
HKG-KIX 22 JAN CX596
I wonder if my friend and I have a chance for an upgrade from Economy to Premium Economy. We're both on the same ticket.
SIN-HKG 22 JAN CX714
HKG-KIX 22 JAN CX596
I wonder if my friend and I have a chance for an upgrade from Economy to Premium Economy. We're both on the same ticket.
Jan 20, 2016, 4:46 pm
#374
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SIN
Programs: JL GC | Marriott LT Silver | Global Entry | SQ Silver
Posts: 6,819
Jan 22, 2016, 9:29 pm
#375
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 92
Can you use your AM to upgrade someone else without travelling with them?
Hello, I have read through 25 pages of thread and not too sure if I can use my miles to upgrade someone else without travelling with them? I want to buy my father PE and get him upgraded to Business.
Or do I have to spend the money to transfer miles to his account, etc.?
He is on my redemption group, so I can redeem an award ticket for him, but the website would not allow me to redeem the upgrade for him because it would say they cannot find a reservation under my account.
Or do I have to spend the money to transfer miles to his account, etc.?
He is on my redemption group, so I can redeem an award ticket for him, but the website would not allow me to redeem the upgrade for him because it would say they cannot find a reservation under my account.