Denis Carlin

I am going to book some flights with Cathay for October and December this year and was going to win the Marco Polo club, can I book the flights and join the Marco Polo club just before the first flight or do I need to be a member before booking to get the points?
Sorry if it's a daft question and thanks in advance.

Mwenenzi

You can join Asiamiles ffp/marcopolo before the flights and after buying the tickets
https://www.asiamiles.com/en/home.html
https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_...roduction.html

But worth considering if Asiamiles/Marco is best ffp long term for your travels

General FFP:- Which Frequent Flyer Program to Join? Help Is Here!

Oneworld:- Deciding on a Oneworld Frequent Flyer Program? Help is here

Be mindful of expiry Miles/Points that Do and Don't Expire. Click to open the wiki.

www.wheretocredit.com

Another thread by OP (maybe this trip) --->Europe to Japan/Australia - Cathay or Singapore?. I post

Denis Carlin

Thanks for the prompt and informative reply. That's great, I can go ahead and book the flights and have time to be sure if Marco Polo is definitely worth it.
Yes, it's for the trip in the other thread.
I decided that flying with Cathay made most sense due to cost, travel time and stopover city (prefer HK to Singapore, also love Tokyo but Swiss are more expensive than Cathay) as well as new planes and decent service.
Please correct me if I'm wrong!

In a way, Miles and More make sense as I live in Switzerland but they are more expensive than Cathay and I will be travelling to Asia and Australia many more times in the future.

Mwenenzi

Singapore Airlines (7401 KrisFlyer Miles) and Swiss (6140 Miles and More) are both Star Alliance.
So 1 or both are likely to expire before you get enough ff miles to use.
All your 3 ffp's have a hard expiry of the ff miles. Use them or loose them
FF miles are a byproduct of flying and not a the reason to select flights

Denis Carlin

Thanks again.
Yes, I understand that hence my selection of Cathay, as explained above. The FF miles are a potential bonus that I'll try and make the most of (with these flights I would go over 40,000 Asia Miles by the end of the year so maybe have a chance at some benefit next year).

Am I correct or missing something?

garykung

My question to OP is simple - which exactly MPC level are we talking about here?

Denis Carlin

The two flights planned would give me 270 MPC Points so I should reach 300 within the year easily to get Silver.
In fact, in japan and/or Australia, I may get enough from a few domestic flights to get there quickly.

garykung

Without commenting the goods and bads of MPC (trust me - it is going to be the bads), I would suggest OP to secure the entire 300 CP before making a commitment.

270 CP in this case is still GR.

Denis Carlin

I'm planning on flying Kagoshima(or Fukuoka)->Amami Oshima-> Kagoshima->Yakushima->Kagoshima, so, 4 legs with japan Airlines but I can't see how many MCPs I'd get for that.

garykung

5 or less for each segment.

Cambo

Be aware, you have to be signed up for MPC BEFORE you do fly. And the MPC sign-up does cost USD 100, which subsequent renewal fees are waved (ie after the first year), if you collected enough points in that year. Best sign-up right before you fly, because the paid 1 year period starts running, when you sign-up.

Is MPC bad: Many say so, although there are bad things, such as, it takes a little longer to reach GO/DM. Though if you will never get higher than Silver, do not fly J class though do visit HKG, Silver can be very attractive, because it gives you lounge access in HKG. Something, to my knowledge, no other FF program will give you. Nor does CX have the requirement to "also" collect sectors by flying on own metal, like BA does. Especially, if you fly a lot (through) HKG, though are based at a lower-status out-station, MPC can be very attractive, because CX is usually quite reasonably priced for the lower-status out-stations.

Many hi-so HKG based flyers do disgust CX, but that is more a combination of high HKG originating fares and the -happening at all FF/loyalty programs and at all airlines- declining (primary and secondary) benefits standards. Read FT to see the whining at other forums........

ernestnywang

Information available at https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_...ub-points.html.

Note flights operated by JAC are not considered oneworld flights and do not earn MPO points or AM.

Denis Carlin

Very helpful, thanks a lot.