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
Oct 11, 2018, 1:58 am
#901
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX DM (OWE), TK Elite (*A Gold)
Posts: 202
Nope, no special requirements. Would be good if people can keep an eye out and see this this becomes more common. It would be a significant degradation of unpublished benefits if this is true.
Oct 11, 2018, 2:59 am
#902
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX DM (OWE), TK Elite (*A Gold)
Posts: 202
Hi All,
Your advise please. I am trying to use my mid-tier GO benefit on the following flight. I am currently booked into M class.
I just got a upgrade failure stating that there are no bookable upgrade seats available on this flight. By the look of it, there is no premium economy mean M should be upgraded to I.
Any idea why it was rejected?
Your advise please. I am trying to use my mid-tier GO benefit on the following flight. I am currently booked into M class.
I just got a upgrade failure stating that there are no bookable upgrade seats available on this flight. By the look of it, there is no premium economy mean M should be upgraded to I.
Any idea why it was rejected?
Oct 11, 2018, 9:31 am
#903
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: CX MPC DM
Posts: 416
Since the miles revaluation in June, it seems upgrade availability has been reduced also. I frequently try for upgrade award for EWR/JFK - HKG. Since June, I've been waitlisted without clearing far more often for PE->J upgrades. My last flight back HKG-EWR on 9/30 didn't clear the waitlist, but I was able to use instant upgrade at the airport. I was planning a flight for the weekend of 10/20 EWR or JFK - HKG. MPC could not confirm any flight out of NY for that weekend ( I think there's a major expo going on in Guangzhou), so I was able to confirm CX865 on 10/22. Definitely not my first choice, but that was the only flight from NYC area in +-5 days that they were willing to confirm.
All anecdotal, but to me it seems less availability despite the promised 20% increase in award inventory. Instant upgrade is a viable option. Last time I tried in HKG, they had me wait until 1 hour before scheduled departure to confirm the seat, but I did get it.
All anecdotal, but to me it seems less availability despite the promised 20% increase in award inventory. Instant upgrade is a viable option. Last time I tried in HKG, they had me wait until 1 hour before scheduled departure to confirm the seat, but I did get it.
Oct 11, 2018, 9:16 pm
#904
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX DM (OWE), TK Elite (*A Gold)
Posts: 202
Hi All,
Your advise please. I am trying to use my mid-tier GO benefit on the following flight. I am currently booked into M class.
I just got a upgrade failure stating that there are no bookable upgrade seats available on this flight. By the look of it, there is no premium economy mean M should be upgraded to I.
Any idea why it was rejected?
Your advise please. I am trying to use my mid-tier GO benefit on the following flight. I am currently booked into M class.
I just got a upgrade failure stating that there are no bookable upgrade seats available on this flight. By the look of it, there is no premium economy mean M should be upgraded to I.
Any idea why it was rejected?
Oct 11, 2018, 9:22 pm
#905
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
BUG/BUD only states that after application, you will receive credit as having flown in the most restricted fare bucket of the higher class of service. But it has nothing to do with whether it exists in the form of cash sales at all!
(Example: There are no (or very limited afaik) ex-China A class fares filed for sale on CX to Southeast Asia. However, you can apply BUG to the SE Asia sector of a China-HK-SE Asia itinerary booked in I class, and it will still be booked into A class.)
Oct 11, 2018, 9:27 pm
#906
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
If I wasn't based In Dallas that would be very attractive to me!
You are correct. The upgrade bid is not very attractive at all. $1,100 per leg to be at the bottom of a "fair" bid. Worst case scenario was to bid on the return portion so as to get some good sleep prior to meeting up with the wife in HRE.
I'll call to ask to be waitlisted. If they clear at the airport and have to be ticketed as 2 separate awards, will that require more miles?
Thank you so much!
You are correct. The upgrade bid is not very attractive at all. $1,100 per leg to be at the bottom of a "fair" bid. Worst case scenario was to bid on the return portion so as to get some good sleep prior to meeting up with the wife in HRE.
I'll call to ask to be waitlisted. If they clear at the airport and have to be ticketed as 2 separate awards, will that require more miles?
Thank you so much!
Only if both JNB-HKG+HKG-CDG are confirmed at the same time then you can do the upgrade for 35,000. But if one clears (say JNB-HKG) and one does not (HKG-CDG), bear in mind they can only generally hold the confirmed JNB-HKG seat in business for 2 days maximum.
Oct 12, 2018, 10:11 am
#907
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Dallas and Harare
Programs: AA-EXP 2MM
Posts: 143
Yes, if cleared at airport, it will be 25,000 per leg (so 50,000 in total for JNB-HKG + HKG-CDG, and another 50,000 for CDG-HKG + HKG-JNB)
Only if both JNB-HKG+HKG-CDG are confirmed at the same time then you can do the upgrade for 35,000. But if one clears (say JNB-HKG) and one does not (HKG-CDG), bear in mind they can only generally hold the confirmed JNB-HKG seat in business for 2 days maximum.
Only if both JNB-HKG+HKG-CDG are confirmed at the same time then you can do the upgrade for 35,000. But if one clears (say JNB-HKG) and one does not (HKG-CDG), bear in mind they can only generally hold the confirmed JNB-HKG seat in business for 2 days maximum.
Oct 21, 2018, 9:45 pm
#908
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 192
Since the miles revaluation in June, it seems upgrade availability has been reduced also. I frequently try for upgrade award for EWR/JFK - HKG. Since June, I've been waitlisted without clearing far more often for PE->J upgrades. My last flight back HKG-EWR on 9/30 didn't clear the waitlist, but I was able to use instant upgrade at the airport. I was planning a flight for the weekend of 10/20 EWR or JFK - HKG. MPC could not confirm any flight out of NY for that weekend ( I think there's a major expo going on in Guangzhou), so I was able to confirm CX865 on 10/22. Definitely not my first choice, but that was the only flight from NYC area in +-5 days that they were willing to confirm.
All anecdotal, but to me it seems less availability despite the promised 20% increase in award inventory. Instant upgrade is a viable option. Last time I tried in HKG, they had me wait until 1 hour before scheduled departure to confirm the seat, but I did get it.
All anecdotal, but to me it seems less availability despite the promised 20% increase in award inventory. Instant upgrade is a viable option. Last time I tried in HKG, they had me wait until 1 hour before scheduled departure to confirm the seat, but I did get it.
Last flight, I had the strange experience of failing to clear waitlist, being denied an instant upgrade an hour out, but then getting an op-up at the gate. That is truly last minute seat allocation. I can only guess that someone on a connection was delayed.
Oct 21, 2018, 9:47 pm
#909
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 192
Has anyone noticed that upgrade waitlist requests now expire after a week? Previously you had until a few days before departure. Now it expires after a week, and you can go back and make another upgrade request. Why would they do this? It's annoying to have to remember to re-request an upgrade every week.
Oct 22, 2018, 1:51 am
#910
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Vancouver, Manila, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong
Programs: CX-DM, Marriott Gold, Fairmont Premier
Posts: 335
Has anyone noticed that upgrade waitlist requests now expire after a week? Previously you had until a few days before departure. Now it expires after a week, and you can go back and make another upgrade request. Why would they do this? It's annoying to have to remember to re-request an upgrade every week.
Maybe the expiry is only for new bookings?
Oct 26, 2018, 5:06 pm
#911
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: DTW - Rochester Hills, MI
Programs: Cathay MPC, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Domestic Airline Nobody
Posts: 715
I did try looking though this thread first for an answer, but there are a lot of pages, so maybe I missed it.
So this is the first time I've tried looking a buying a W or R class ticket and using miles to upgrade. After 3 calls to MPC, I am dismayed at how difficult it seems. Am I missing something?
I was told that I need to call reservations, ask them to HOLD a ticket, then call back to MPC to see if an award is available. If an upgrade is available, then great. If not, then call back, cancel the hold, make another reservation, then call back to MPC. Keep repeating this process until you hit.
Does that sound right? And MPC said that they cannot tell us if an upgrade is available until we are holding the reservation.
One chap at MPC said one alternative would be to just book and hold the ticket online, but I don't see an option for that; I only see a PAY NOW option for credit cards. (EDIT: I did notice that the HOLD option seems to be available sometimes. Perhaps user error. Anyway, this no longer needs to be part of my question.)
Is there a big availability difference between the Full Redemption bucket and the Upgrade bucket? In other words, if I can see that a full redemption is available online, does that mean chances are good that an upgrade would be available?
This sounds like the hit and miss option could take HOURS. And from reading above, it sounds like there is not a lot of success since June 22 in scoring upgrades.
So this is the first time I've tried looking a buying a W or R class ticket and using miles to upgrade. After 3 calls to MPC, I am dismayed at how difficult it seems. Am I missing something?
I was told that I need to call reservations, ask them to HOLD a ticket, then call back to MPC to see if an award is available. If an upgrade is available, then great. If not, then call back, cancel the hold, make another reservation, then call back to MPC. Keep repeating this process until you hit.
Does that sound right? And MPC said that they cannot tell us if an upgrade is available until we are holding the reservation.
One chap at MPC said one alternative would be to just book and hold the ticket online, but I don't see an option for that; I only see a PAY NOW option for credit cards. (EDIT: I did notice that the HOLD option seems to be available sometimes. Perhaps user error. Anyway, this no longer needs to be part of my question.)
Is there a big availability difference between the Full Redemption bucket and the Upgrade bucket? In other words, if I can see that a full redemption is available online, does that mean chances are good that an upgrade would be available?
This sounds like the hit and miss option could take HOURS. And from reading above, it sounds like there is not a lot of success since June 22 in scoring upgrades.
Last edited by Gongzuokuang; Oct 26, 2018 at 5:27 pm
Oct 28, 2018, 7:03 pm
#912
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: CX MPC DM
Posts: 416
Unfortunately, I think all the information is anecdotal, as I'm not aware of any tool that's able to scrape upgrade award inventory. What's your route and date of travel? I try do the PEY->J upgrade just about every trip, EWR/JFK-HKG. I've too have noticed that since June 22 it feels like scoring an upgrade has become more difficult. Currently, I'm sitting on the waitlist for HKG-EWR on Nov. 18. EF shows J ticket availability wide open, I9, but they won't confirm. Probably since it's part of the pre-Thankgiving rush and one would assume that flights in that period would start to fill up with revenue pax.
I haven't had to jump through too many hoops to score an upgrade, but I do use a TA to book my tickets and call MPC on my behalf to ask for upgrade award. She's pretty comfortable with the staff and can speak Canto. Sometimes she is able to find out about inventory before making an actual booking, or she makes a booking and then if she can't get a confirmation, will ask about different flights out of JFK/EWR or +-3 days. I've had to adjust my travel dates a few times to guarantee confirmation. Just last week, I did a Monday departure on CX865, JFK-YVR-HKG, just to confirm the upgrade. My normal pattern would have a weekend arrival and YVR stopover adds significant time to the flight. But many times it's easier to get confirmation on CX865, even on weekend departure, than the other flights.
Regarding waitlist, I've waitlisted 4 times with only 1 success for clearing the waitlist. Other times, I was able to use instant upgrade at the airport or received op-up. If you don't want to risk waitlist and have confirmation, then I think your only choice is to continue this process, make a dummy booking, (i.e. don't pay), call to see if you can get confirmation, cancel it then try again. Yes, it's frustrating and seems just a little more frustrating since June 22.
I haven't had to jump through too many hoops to score an upgrade, but I do use a TA to book my tickets and call MPC on my behalf to ask for upgrade award. She's pretty comfortable with the staff and can speak Canto. Sometimes she is able to find out about inventory before making an actual booking, or she makes a booking and then if she can't get a confirmation, will ask about different flights out of JFK/EWR or +-3 days. I've had to adjust my travel dates a few times to guarantee confirmation. Just last week, I did a Monday departure on CX865, JFK-YVR-HKG, just to confirm the upgrade. My normal pattern would have a weekend arrival and YVR stopover adds significant time to the flight. But many times it's easier to get confirmation on CX865, even on weekend departure, than the other flights.
Regarding waitlist, I've waitlisted 4 times with only 1 success for clearing the waitlist. Other times, I was able to use instant upgrade at the airport or received op-up. If you don't want to risk waitlist and have confirmation, then I think your only choice is to continue this process, make a dummy booking, (i.e. don't pay), call to see if you can get confirmation, cancel it then try again. Yes, it's frustrating and seems just a little more frustrating since June 22.
Nov 13, 2018, 4:48 pm
#915
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: YYZ
Programs: CX GO, AC Aeroplan 25K, AMEX PLAT, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium, IHG Spire Amb
Posts: 464
A quick search on this forum should reveal multiple posts that describe CX does not do cheap upgrades closer to departure as many other airlines do.
There is an Upgrade Bid thing that they have rolled out but that is of super limited success and in most cases the reasonable bid amount is actually greater than the fare difference to upfare to the higher class.
There is an Upgrade Bid thing that they have rolled out but that is of super limited success and in most cases the reasonable bid amount is actually greater than the fare difference to upfare to the higher class.
