Old Jul 17, 2017, 12:11 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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
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Upgrade Bid

Old Aug 31, 2017, 1:37 am
  #61  
sxc
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Originally Posted by Ausriver
Did you book into W fare class?
No it was R class.
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Old Aug 31, 2017, 8:24 am
  #62  
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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).
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Old Aug 31, 2017, 8:35 am
  #63  
 
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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.
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Old Aug 31, 2017, 12:00 pm
  #64  
 
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Originally Posted by G-CIVC
List of destinations has been expanded.
....
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
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Old Aug 31, 2017, 1:47 pm
  #65  
 
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Originally Posted by sscywong
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
Luggage allowance is not increased for upgrade bids.
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Old Sep 1, 2017, 12:48 am
  #66  
 
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Originally Posted by G-CIVC
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).
Thanks for the info. While I'm flying ex-HKG to TPE on KA next month, somehow my flight (revenue ticket)is not eligible for upgrade. Anyone has idea on it?
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Old Sep 1, 2017, 12:56 am
  #67  
 
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Originally Posted by swingaling
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.
These prices are idiotic! I bought a family member a ticket on CX, HKG-AKL earlier this year. If memory serves me right I spent about $4k USD.

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.
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Old Sep 1, 2017, 1:03 am
  #68  
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Wonder why a colleague got an invite to bid email but was told her flight was not eligible on login?
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Old Sep 1, 2017, 1:05 am
  #69  
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Originally Posted by QRC3288
These prices are idiotic! I bought a family member a ticket on CX, HKG-AKL earlier this year. If memory serves me right I spent about $4k USD.
It sounds like Upgrade Bid is CX's aspirational just like our oneworld multi-carrier/hotel loyalty program suite/villa redemptions.
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Old Sep 1, 2017, 7:59 am
  #70  
 
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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.
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Old Sep 1, 2017, 8:49 am
  #71  
 
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Originally Posted by swingaling
Luggage allowance is not increased for upgrade bids.
Oh I mis-remembered this...

So no point to place a bid then...
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Old Sep 1, 2017, 8:50 am
  #72  
 
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i dont kbow about step discount.

only use i see is for business trip where company pays for economy on long haul
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Old Sep 1, 2017, 9:11 am
  #73  
 
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Originally Posted by fakecd
i dont kbow about step discount.

only use i see is for business trip where company pays for economy on long haul
Earlier this year (Apr) I flew HKG-JFK//YYZ-HKG in Y... My TA managed to help me to "upgrade" my ticket to W for US$1000 round trip... (and then I upgrade it to U round trip by 45,000 miles)

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...
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Old Sep 1, 2017, 10:53 am
  #74  
 
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No love for London

I wonder why they still don't allow bidding on London routes.

Even if LHR is very busy, surely they could make the LGW route eligible at least...
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Old Sep 1, 2017, 10:57 am
  #75  
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Originally Posted by QRC3288
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.
Indeed. I recently bought HEL-AMS-HKG-AKL return in J for a little less than USD 3,000. Y would have been a little over USD 1,000 (not that I would do such a trip in Y).
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