Last edit by: sxc
Routes included in upgrade bid trial: Adelaide, Amsterdam, Bangkok, Brisbane, Cebu, Chiang Mai, Chicago, Colombo, Denpasar (Bali), Dubai, Kathmandu, Rome and Seoul
https://upgrade.cathaypacific.com/offer/CathayPacific
2014 Enhance discussion thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cathay-pacific-marco-polo-club/1584763-cx-upgrade-bidding-discussion-experiences.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cathay-pacific-marco-polo-club/1819458-upgrade-bidding-coming-back.html
https://upgrade.cathaypacific.com/offer/CathayPacific
2014 Enhance discussion thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cathay-pacific-marco-polo-club/1584763-cx-upgrade-bidding-discussion-experiences.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cathay-pacific-marco-polo-club/1819458-upgrade-bidding-coming-back.html
Upgrade Bid
#62
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
List of destinations has been expanded.
Upgrade Bid will initially be offered on selected flights between Hong Kong and the following destinations:
Australia: Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney;
Bahrain;
Bangladesh: Dhaka;
Cambodia: Phnom Penh, Siem Reap;
Germany: Dusseldorf;
Italy: Rome;
Indonesia: Denpasar (Bali), Jakarta, Surabaya;
Malaysia: Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Penang;
Maldives: Male;
Myanmar: Yangon;
Nepal: Kathmandu;
Netherlands: Amsterdam;
New Zealand: Auckland, Christchurch;
Philippines: Cebu, Clark, Manila;
Sri Lanka: Colombo;
Singapore;
South Africa: Johannesburg;
South Korea: Busan, Jeju, Seoul;
Taiwan: Kaohsiung, Taichung; Taipei;
Thailand: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket;
Vietnam: Da Nang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City;
United Arab Emirates: Dubai;
United States: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York (Newark).
Upgrade Bid will initially be offered on selected flights between Hong Kong and the following destinations:
Australia: Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney;
Bahrain;
Bangladesh: Dhaka;
Cambodia: Phnom Penh, Siem Reap;
Germany: Dusseldorf;
Italy: Rome;
Indonesia: Denpasar (Bali), Jakarta, Surabaya;
Malaysia: Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Penang;
Maldives: Male;
Myanmar: Yangon;
Nepal: Kathmandu;
Netherlands: Amsterdam;
New Zealand: Auckland, Christchurch;
Philippines: Cebu, Clark, Manila;
Sri Lanka: Colombo;
Singapore;
South Africa: Johannesburg;
South Korea: Busan, Jeju, Seoul;
Taiwan: Kaohsiung, Taichung; Taipei;
Thailand: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket;
Vietnam: Da Nang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City;
United Arab Emirates: Dubai;
United States: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York (Newark).
#63
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
I'm flying AKL-HKG (CX198) in a few couple days and Upgrade Bid to J is now available for that flight. Average upgrade price is showing as $2,305 USD, with a default/recommended bid of $1,665 USD ("Strong" chance). Minimum bid is $895, with "Poor" chance of an upgrade.
Not really worth it, imo. Especially since it's a day flight and I'll be rested from the previous night anyway.
FWIW, my HKG-LAX flight the following day (CX880) is showing as not available for upgrade.
Edit: I do find it strange that they haven't added rolled out upgrade bid to BOS.
Not really worth it, imo. Especially since it's a day flight and I'll be rested from the previous night anyway.
FWIW, my HKG-LAX flight the following day (CX880) is showing as not available for upgrade.
Edit: I do find it strange that they haven't added rolled out upgrade bid to BOS.
#64
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: HKG
Programs: CX DM, SPG Pt, Le Club Accor GO, Shangri-La GC Jade
Posts: 1,327
Aside from China and India where Upgrade Bid is excluded for ex-there tickets, the obvious missing destination ex-HKG is Japan...
With no extra miles and CPs offered, the only reason I think I'll place a bid is to "buy" extra luggage if needed (which actually I never used up since making GO / DM) and Japan is definitely one popular port that people will be willing to do so
With no extra miles and CPs offered, the only reason I think I'll place a bid is to "buy" extra luggage if needed (which actually I never used up since making GO / DM) and Japan is definitely one popular port that people will be willing to do so
#65
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Aside from China and India where Upgrade Bid is excluded for ex-there tickets, the obvious missing destination ex-HKG is Japan...
With no extra miles and CPs offered, the only reason I think I'll place a bid is to "buy" extra luggage if needed (which actually I never used up since making GO / DM) and Japan is definitely one popular port that people will be willing to do so
With no extra miles and CPs offered, the only reason I think I'll place a bid is to "buy" extra luggage if needed (which actually I never used up since making GO / DM) and Japan is definitely one popular port that people will be willing to do so
#66
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: BA SL, CX GR, IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 569
List of destinations has been expanded.
Upgrade Bid will initially be offered on selected flights between Hong Kong and the following destinations:
Australia: Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney;
Bahrain;
Bangladesh: Dhaka;
Cambodia: Phnom Penh, Siem Reap;
Germany: Dusseldorf;
Italy: Rome;
Indonesia: Denpasar (Bali), Jakarta, Surabaya;
Malaysia: Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Penang;
Maldives: Male;
Myanmar: Yangon;
Nepal: Kathmandu;
Netherlands: Amsterdam;
New Zealand: Auckland, Christchurch;
Philippines: Cebu, Clark, Manila;
Sri Lanka: Colombo;
Singapore;
South Africa: Johannesburg;
South Korea: Busan, Jeju, Seoul;
Taiwan: Kaohsiung, Taichung; Taipei;
Thailand: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket;
Vietnam: Da Nang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City;
United Arab Emirates: Dubai;
United States: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York (Newark).
Upgrade Bid will initially be offered on selected flights between Hong Kong and the following destinations:
Australia: Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney;
Bahrain;
Bangladesh: Dhaka;
Cambodia: Phnom Penh, Siem Reap;
Germany: Dusseldorf;
Italy: Rome;
Indonesia: Denpasar (Bali), Jakarta, Surabaya;
Malaysia: Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Penang;
Maldives: Male;
Myanmar: Yangon;
Nepal: Kathmandu;
Netherlands: Amsterdam;
New Zealand: Auckland, Christchurch;
Philippines: Cebu, Clark, Manila;
Sri Lanka: Colombo;
Singapore;
South Africa: Johannesburg;
South Korea: Busan, Jeju, Seoul;
Taiwan: Kaohsiung, Taichung; Taipei;
Thailand: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket;
Vietnam: Da Nang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City;
United Arab Emirates: Dubai;
United States: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York (Newark).
#67
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,704
I'm flying AKL-HKG (CX198) in a few couple days and Upgrade Bid to J is now available for that flight. Average upgrade price is showing as $2,305 USD, with a default/recommended bid of $1,665 USD ("Strong" chance). Minimum bid is $895, with "Poor" chance of an upgrade.
I don't know what economy class costs, but let's say it's $800 USD round-trip. This "strong chance" $1,665 you mention would imply a $4,130 round-trip ticket cost ($800 economy + $1,650 + $1,650 for the biz class upgrades). Except you have to deal with the hassle of an upgrade bid, the uncertainty, the lack of mileage accrual, and whatever else stupidity is built into the system. Whereas I literally just went on the website, spent 5 minutes and bought her a ticket (it was maybe April or May, something like that) and I was done with the hassle. I don't see there is any value here?
I still think this bidding system overall is just an admission that CX sucks at its own revenue control/ yield management.
I didn't check, but with ex-outport fares as cheap as they are, perhaps my $4k HKG-AKL ticket was more expensive than ex-somewhere else. That almost always seems to be the case when I buy ex-HKG tickets, that it would've been cheaper to start somewhere else. In which case the bidding price for your example doesn't make any sense to me.
Prices in J class have fallen enough lately that you're just better off buying the damn J ticket.
#69
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,671
It sounds like Upgrade Bid is CX's aspirational just like our oneworld multi-carrier/hotel loyalty program suite/villa redemptions.
#70
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, Marco Polo Gold
Posts: 1,084
As I've said before, it's a sham Cathay won't even give you the upgraded class's points, miles, when at the end for a "strong bid" you're paying the SAME price if you just purchase the ticket straight-up.
The whole point of upgrade is for flyers to get last minute seat at a steep discount.
The whole point of upgrade is for flyers to get last minute seat at a steep discount.
#73
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: HKG
Programs: CX DM, SPG Pt, Le Club Accor GO, Shangri-La GC Jade
Posts: 1,327
I think I can't even upgrade half a sector if upgrading through CX upgrade bid... Not to mention I can't further upgrade it to J...
So even for business trip I won't use CX's upgrade bid system...
#75
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 935
I didn't check, but with ex-outport fares as cheap as they are, perhaps my $4k HKG-AKL ticket was more expensive than ex-somewhere else. That almost always seems to be the case when I buy ex-HKG tickets, that it would've been cheaper to start somewhere else. In which case the bidding price for your example doesn't make any sense to me.