Jul 14, 2017, 5:06 pm
Last edit by: littlevoices
On the back of a similar thread on the BAEC board, it may be helpful for those going on miles / tier point runs to know which destinations are preferable for back-to-back / immediate turnarounds.
Thanks to all who have contributed so far. Please add to the below if you have experience of this at any Cathay destinations (edit the wiki below directly if you have recent experience of any destination or you are 100% certain)
Definitions:
- Excellent: you will leave the aircraft and find yourself in the boarding area for departure ("Changi T1, T2, T3 model but not T4, CX's terminal" - no segregation of arriving and departing passengers)
- Good: you have to clear central security and/or immigration before reboarding, but the typical walking + queuing time required and the aircraft turnaround time should be fine
- Possible: you have to clear central security and/or immigration before reboarding, but the typical walking + queuing time required and the aircraft turnaround time make this more risky
- Not possible
Mainland China: Not possible, especially back-to-back (same aircraft) - i.e. XMN, TAO, FUC, CTU, XIY and others
BCN: good (though note it is a 6-hour turnaround so will need to wait)
BOS: possible (though will need to go through immigration and customs and reenter via landside) Although Immigration lines can be atrocious at BOS, there are very few international flights landing at that hour, so it should be reasonable.
CDG: good (though BAEC board does not think so)
CGK: possible (unhelpful transit desk; APEC cardholders may find it more predictable to exit and reenter via landside)
CMB: excellent (though need to print return CMB-HKG boarding pass in advance - see separate thread)
DAD: not possible for U-turns.
EWR: possible (though need to clear immigration and customs and reenter via landside)
HAN: not possible for U-turns.
HKG: good (still need to reclear central security, but efficient. May require high speed walking depending on respective arrival and departure gates. No immigration required)
HND: good (need to clear security; ample time buffer)
IAD: good (though need to clear immigration and customs and reenter via landside)
ICN: good (transfer security available at satellite terminal - no need to take train to main terminal, no immigration)
JFK: possible for CX846/845 and CX888/841 (though need to clear immigration and customs and reenter via landside). Not possible for other flights
JNB: good (though note it is a 6-hour turnaround so will need to wait)
KHH: good
KTM: Possible, but get ISM to notify ground staff so they will assign an escort to take you through all the step. Not Possible without escort
KUL: excellent
LAX: possible for CX880/881 (though need to clear immigration and customs and reenter via landside). Not possible for other flights
LHR: These are 2 hour transit time combos: CX257/238; CX239/256; CX253/254. Walk to gate 3x can be LONG; intermediate transit security area.
Morning arrivals require 6 hrs transit times for 1200ish departures
MAD: good (though note it is a 6-hour turnaround so will need to wait)
MXP: good (though note it is a 6-hour turnaround so will need to wait)
MLE: good (subject to update on separate thread)
MNL: good (best to plan your turnaround on the next flight to be safe. CX906/900 and 918/902/934 depart close to each other to minimise time wastage). No need to clear immigration however your passport will be taken for processing which may take as much as 30-40 minutes.
NRT: possible (need to clear security; tighter turnarounds)
ORD: not possible
PEK: n/a - regular delays mean this is not a viable miles run route (only try to do so if you have a flex ticket)
PVG: n/a - regular delays mean this is not a viable miles run route
SFO: possible for CX872/873 and CX892/893 (though need to clear immigration and customs and reenter via landside). Not possible for other flights
SGN: not possible for U-turns.
SIN: possible, T4-T4 transit may pose some surprise to the staff
SYD: good - transit security but no immigration needed
TPE: good (still need to reclear central security, but efficient and usually empty transit facility)
Thanks to all who have contributed so far. Please add to the below if you have experience of this at any Cathay destinations (edit the wiki below directly if you have recent experience of any destination or you are 100% certain)
Definitions:
- Excellent: you will leave the aircraft and find yourself in the boarding area for departure ("Changi T1, T2, T3 model but not T4, CX's terminal" - no segregation of arriving and departing passengers)
- Good: you have to clear central security and/or immigration before reboarding, but the typical walking + queuing time required and the aircraft turnaround time should be fine
- Possible: you have to clear central security and/or immigration before reboarding, but the typical walking + queuing time required and the aircraft turnaround time make this more risky
- Not possible
Mainland China: Not possible, especially back-to-back (same aircraft) - i.e. XMN, TAO, FUC, CTU, XIY and others
BCN: good (though note it is a 6-hour turnaround so will need to wait)
BOS: possible (though will need to go through immigration and customs and reenter via landside) Although Immigration lines can be atrocious at BOS, there are very few international flights landing at that hour, so it should be reasonable.
CDG: good (though BAEC board does not think so)
CGK: possible (unhelpful transit desk; APEC cardholders may find it more predictable to exit and reenter via landside)
CMB: excellent (though need to print return CMB-HKG boarding pass in advance - see separate thread)
DAD: not possible for U-turns.
EWR: possible (though need to clear immigration and customs and reenter via landside)
HAN: not possible for U-turns.
HKG: good (still need to reclear central security, but efficient. May require high speed walking depending on respective arrival and departure gates. No immigration required)
HND: good (need to clear security; ample time buffer)
IAD: good (though need to clear immigration and customs and reenter via landside)
ICN: good (transfer security available at satellite terminal - no need to take train to main terminal, no immigration)
JFK: possible for CX846/845 and CX888/841 (though need to clear immigration and customs and reenter via landside). Not possible for other flights
JNB: good (though note it is a 6-hour turnaround so will need to wait)
KHH: good
KTM: Possible, but get ISM to notify ground staff so they will assign an escort to take you through all the step. Not Possible without escort
KUL: excellent
LAX: possible for CX880/881 (though need to clear immigration and customs and reenter via landside). Not possible for other flights
LHR: These are 2 hour transit time combos: CX257/238; CX239/256; CX253/254. Walk to gate 3x can be LONG; intermediate transit security area.
Morning arrivals require 6 hrs transit times for 1200ish departures
MAD: good (though note it is a 6-hour turnaround so will need to wait)
MXP: good (though note it is a 6-hour turnaround so will need to wait)
MLE: good (subject to update on separate thread)
MNL: good (best to plan your turnaround on the next flight to be safe. CX906/900 and 918/902/934 depart close to each other to minimise time wastage). No need to clear immigration however your passport will be taken for processing which may take as much as 30-40 minutes.
NRT: possible (need to clear security; tighter turnarounds)
ORD: not possible
PEK: n/a - regular delays mean this is not a viable miles run route (only try to do so if you have a flex ticket)
PVG: n/a - regular delays mean this is not a viable miles run route
SFO: possible for CX872/873 and CX892/893 (though need to clear immigration and customs and reenter via landside). Not possible for other flights
SGN: not possible for U-turns.
SIN: possible, T4-T4 transit may pose some surprise to the staff
SYD: good - transit security but no immigration needed
TPE: good (still need to reclear central security, but efficient and usually empty transit facility)
Wiki: Back-to-back / immediate turnarounds at Cathay destinations
Dec 28, 2017, 8:07 pm
#61
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,753
CDG
It is possible to do a same-plane turn at CDG without entering and exiting France. Well, it will be until the authorities figure it out. I did this in July, 2017 on a DONE3. When you exit the plane, head towards the main building/immigration. You'll go through one of those long tunnels with the moving walkways. At the end of the tunnel, instead of following the signs to Immigration, you can just turn around and head down the moving walkway back towards the gates in the same tunnel.
Dec 28, 2017, 10:16 pm
#62
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: HKG
Programs: BA Gold OWE
Posts: 216
i have literally done plane door to door of CX TPE turn in about 7minutes. i rushed out as first J pax (select row 11 or 12), go through transit who never.checked my boarding pass in about 15times i done it and always empty, got to the boarding of next CX flight and asked to be changed onto this flight and squeezed myself in as last pax (after they printed manifest so they manually added my name) for departing flight.
few tips
-dont check luggage in
-check in advance at HKG the CX boarding gates ex TPE for your proposed earlier flight to get onto
- have tpe hkg boarding pass, either print it urself, or ask CX HK counter to issue it, or even the HK machine can print it.
and most importantly if hk operation is messed up due to typhoon be prepared or avoid travel if possible
few tips
-dont check luggage in
-check in advance at HKG the CX boarding gates ex TPE for your proposed earlier flight to get onto
- have tpe hkg boarding pass, either print it urself, or ask CX HK counter to issue it, or even the HK machine can print it.
and most importantly if hk operation is messed up due to typhoon be prepared or avoid travel if possible
Dec 29, 2017, 1:07 am
#63
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: HKG/HND/OOL
Programs: QF Emerald. SQ Gold.
Posts: 3,170
almost always you will have a seat unless u travel in midst of holiday. the gate agent will try to discourage you to swtich to pending departing flight by saying you wont get meal service but just say thats no problem, again i almost always had meal even at last row of 77H
Dec 29, 2017, 3:40 am
#64
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: BA SL, CX GR, IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 579
yes i always book the same plane in/out which have near 1.5hr layover. if you are really into it like me, check which "earlier" flight uses long haul eqipment and try to time to get on earlier flight with long haul.
almost always you will have a seat unless u travel in midst of holiday. the gate agent will try to discourage you to swtich to pending departing flight by saying you wont get meal service but just say thats no problem, again i almost always had meal even at last row of 77H
almost always you will have a seat unless u travel in midst of holiday. the gate agent will try to discourage you to swtich to pending departing flight by saying you wont get meal service but just say thats no problem, again i almost always had meal even at last row of 77H
Dec 29, 2017, 5:15 am
#65
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: HKG/HND/OOL
Programs: QF Emerald. SQ Gold.
Posts: 3,170
all ex TPE are fully flex ticket. this alone is why i believe in ex tpe routings
Dec 30, 2017, 9:17 am
#66
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TPE / HSZ
Programs: CX GO (=SPH), IHG Diamond Amb, Hertz 5*, Accor, Hilton, National
Posts: 6,437
Dec 30, 2017, 5:28 pm
#67
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: HKG/HND/OOL
Programs: QF Emerald. SQ Gold.
Posts: 3,170
should have clarified all business tickets my bad.... cuz i dont see why anyone would do TPE turn for mere economy flight.
Dec 30, 2017, 8:06 pm
#68
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: BA SL, CX GR, IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 579
Jan 7, 2018, 8:33 am
#69
Join Date: Dec 2017
Programs: Cathay, JGC
Posts: 72
i have literally done plane door to door of CX TPE turn in about 7minutes. i rushed out as first J pax (select row 11 or 12), go through transit who never.checked my boarding pass in about 15times i done it and always empty, got to the boarding of next CX flight and asked to be changed onto this flight and squeezed myself in as last pax (after they printed manifest so they manually added my name) for departing flight.
few tips
-dont check luggage in
-check in advance at HKG the CX boarding gates ex TPE for your proposed earlier flight to get onto
- have tpe hkg boarding pass, either print it urself, or ask CX HK counter to issue it, or even the HK machine can print it.
and most importantly if hk operation is messed up due to typhoon be prepared or avoid travel if possible
few tips
-dont check luggage in
-check in advance at HKG the CX boarding gates ex TPE for your proposed earlier flight to get onto
- have tpe hkg boarding pass, either print it urself, or ask CX HK counter to issue it, or even the HK machine can print it.
and most importantly if hk operation is messed up due to typhoon be prepared or avoid travel if possible
Jan 8, 2018, 7:29 pm
#70
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HK
Programs: Qantas (Lifetime Gold), PAL (Elite), British Airways (now sadly blue), Cathay MPO DM
Posts: 647
KHH - I beg to differ
I often do this at TPE and return on the same plane. Tried the same at KHH just for a change, and when I went to the transit security area it was completely unmanned! I had to run around like a crazy person trying to find anyone who would let me through to the other side. Never again. (this was about 2 years ago fwiw).
Jan 8, 2018, 7:34 pm
#71
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HK
Programs: Qantas (Lifetime Gold), PAL (Elite), British Airways (now sadly blue), Cathay MPO DM
Posts: 647
My experience was that the airside transit was not manned (although it clearly existed). I guess I could have gone through immigration and out again - I didn't think of that. (I was flying back on the same plane so didn't have much time).
Jan 9, 2018, 6:00 am
#72
Join Date: Dec 2017
Programs: Cathay, JGC
Posts: 72
I often do this at TPE and return on the same plane. Tried the same at KHH just for a change, and when I went to the transit security area it was completely unmanned! I had to run around like a crazy person trying to find anyone who would let me through to the other side. Never again. (this was about 2 years ago fwiw).
Jan 10, 2018, 6:47 am
#74
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: MPC-DM, Enrich-Plat
Posts: 1,310
Not done myself, though pretty well doable. Will be walking long distances though. Keep in mind the HKG departing airplane can be significantly delayed. The outbound airplane might continue to SIN, so, you may not have the same machine, when you return.
Jan 16, 2018, 2:13 pm
#75
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: BA Gold, DL PM, , Hilton Diamond (from being in a bed), SPG Plat, MR Plat
Posts: 922
Ok not really b2b but travelling on CX 712 from SIN-BKK on a revenue ticket and then have just had to add CX 712 on an Avios ticket for the same day. The SIN-HKG flight that stops in BKK. Thought I was going to be in BKK but now need to be back in HKG. I will be HBO but what are my options, will it be treated like one ticket or will I have to get off and transfer and then go back to the gate?
Many thanks.
Many thanks.