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
May 27, 2016, 8:56 am
#467
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: HKG
Programs: CX DM, SPG Pt, Le Club Accor GO, Shangri-La GC Jade
Posts: 1,327
May 27, 2016, 1:49 pm
#468
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
May 27, 2016, 3:34 pm
#469
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708
May 29, 2016, 8:57 am
#470
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: HKG
Programs: CX DM, SPG Pt, Le Club Accor GO, Shangri-La GC Jade
Posts: 1,327
Jun 16, 2016, 9:15 pm
#472
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 28
Hi,
I'm a newbie here. Just wondering if it's possible to do a one-way upgrade to business for CX flight from YYZ to HKG using BA Avios? If so which fare class does this need to be? I'm assuming the ticket purchase and upgrade both happen with BA then?
Thanks a lot.
I'm a newbie here. Just wondering if it's possible to do a one-way upgrade to business for CX flight from YYZ to HKG using BA Avios? If so which fare class does this need to be? I'm assuming the ticket purchase and upgrade both happen with BA then?
Thanks a lot.
Jun 16, 2016, 9:43 pm
#473
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708
Also, fyi only PEY fares W and R are eligible for upgrade to business class on that flight. E fare (the cheapest PEY fare class) is not, nor are any regular economy fare classes.
Jun 16, 2016, 10:06 pm
#474
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 28
No, it's not. Only Asia Miles (CX's mileage program) is eligible as an upgrade currency on CX flights.
Also, fyi only PEY fares W and R are eligible for upgrade to business class on that flight. E fare (the cheapest PEY fare class) is not, nor are any regular economy fare classes.
Also, fyi only PEY fares W and R are eligible for upgrade to business class on that flight. E fare (the cheapest PEY fare class) is not, nor are any regular economy fare classes.
Jun 18, 2016, 10:40 pm
#475
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 67
No, it's not. Only Asia Miles (CX's mileage program) is eligible as an upgrade currency on CX flights.
Also, fyi only PEY fares W and R are eligible for upgrade to business class on that flight. E fare (the cheapest PEY fare class) is not, nor are any regular economy fare classes.
Also, fyi only PEY fares W and R are eligible for upgrade to business class on that flight. E fare (the cheapest PEY fare class) is not, nor are any regular economy fare classes.
Jun 18, 2016, 10:49 pm
#476
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708
Only certain cash fareclasses are eligible for upgrade (ie, not even all cash fareclasses are upgradeable). Goes without saying, no award tickets can be upgraded. The only hope is an op-up, but chances are very low unless you're a CX elite, followed by OWE.
For the interest of anyone else who stumbles across this, the cash sub fareclasses which are upgradeaable using Asia Miles are:
Economy: Y, B, H, K and M
Premium economy: W and R
Business class: All
If your sub-fareclasses is not listed for economy or premium economy above, it is ineligible for an Asia Miles upgrade.
Also, upgrades are only eligible to the next available class. For planes equipped with PEY, this means economy class can only be upgraded to premium economy. For the regional fleet, which doesn't have PEY, you can upgraded economy to business...although for other reasons, I doubt the regulars among us advise this as a good use of your miles, since CX regional biz is nothing to write home about.
Jun 24, 2016, 12:32 pm
#477
Join Date: May 2015
Location: HKG
Programs: AA EXP, Marco Polo Silver, UA Silver, Marriott AMB, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 26
Hi all.
Looking to fly CX 883 Sep 9th LAX-HKG. Currently booked in Y+ R class looking to upgrade to J. Expertflyer shows the J cabin as wide open (9+ seats, seat map fairly empty) but we are waitlisted for an upgrade.
A few questions-
Is there is subclass that CX books upgrades into that is searchable on EF? Im assuming no and that you have to call, but double checking.
We are both CX silver, as well as AA EXP. My father in law is CX Gold and has offered to use his miles if it increases our upgrade chances. I know the order of OpUp is DM, Gold, OWE, Silver. Is the same true of AM upgrades?
How does that work with airport upgrades if we dont clear in advance? Since he is not flying with us, Im assuming we would have to change the upgrade request to our own AM accounts (both of us have plenty of miles to cover the upgrade).
Is there separate availability for DM if we were to have another friend confirm the upgrades for us?
Apologies for the list of Qs. We usually fly from JFK and have our upgrades to HKG confirmed right away, but it seems LAX has less upgrade availability. Thank you!
Looking to fly CX 883 Sep 9th LAX-HKG. Currently booked in Y+ R class looking to upgrade to J. Expertflyer shows the J cabin as wide open (9+ seats, seat map fairly empty) but we are waitlisted for an upgrade.
A few questions-
Is there is subclass that CX books upgrades into that is searchable on EF? Im assuming no and that you have to call, but double checking.
We are both CX silver, as well as AA EXP. My father in law is CX Gold and has offered to use his miles if it increases our upgrade chances. I know the order of OpUp is DM, Gold, OWE, Silver. Is the same true of AM upgrades?
How does that work with airport upgrades if we dont clear in advance? Since he is not flying with us, Im assuming we would have to change the upgrade request to our own AM accounts (both of us have plenty of miles to cover the upgrade).
Is there separate availability for DM if we were to have another friend confirm the upgrades for us?
Apologies for the list of Qs. We usually fly from JFK and have our upgrades to HKG confirmed right away, but it seems LAX has less upgrade availability. Thank you!
Jun 24, 2016, 7:43 pm
#478
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: MPC,CA,MU,AF
Posts: 8,171
Things changed. Before 2008, getting a J seat, sometimes even a revenue seat, on the JFK route was so difficult.
Jun 25, 2016, 11:03 am
#479
Join Date: May 2015
Location: HKG
Programs: AA EXP, Marco Polo Silver, UA Silver, Marriott AMB, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 26
Thank you, cxfan.
It looks like we are stuck waiting for an upgrade on the waitlist for now. I suspect the increased availability ex-JFK is because we usually get instant upgrades on the route via YVR, and waitlist for the direct route (which clears about 75% of the time)
It looks like we are stuck waiting for an upgrade on the waitlist for now. I suspect the increased availability ex-JFK is because we usually get instant upgrades on the route via YVR, and waitlist for the direct route (which clears about 75% of the time)
No, EF does not show CX redemption availability.
Yes, his miles will increase your chances.
Yes, the mileage sponsor must be flying with the travelers. My family gets instant upgrades a few times (but also failed a few times, including myself as a DM).
DM has higher priority, and will help. I just did that for my wife for her SFO-HKG flights. She is GO, and I am DM. We were able to clear all her segments instantly with my miles, but not hers.
Things changed. Before 2008, getting a J seat, sometimes even a revenue seat, on the JFK route was so difficult.
Yes, his miles will increase your chances.
Yes, the mileage sponsor must be flying with the travelers. My family gets instant upgrades a few times (but also failed a few times, including myself as a DM).
DM has higher priority, and will help. I just did that for my wife for her SFO-HKG flights. She is GO, and I am DM. We were able to clear all her segments instantly with my miles, but not hers.
Things changed. Before 2008, getting a J seat, sometimes even a revenue seat, on the JFK route was so difficult.