Jun 28, 2017, 8:46 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: eponymous_coward
Cathay Award Guide Using Alaska Airlines Miles
Note: Cathay flights cannot be booked using alaskaair.com. Mileage requirements in chart form available on alaskaair.com.
Request your Partner Award reservation on Cathay Pacific by calling Alaska Airlines Reservations at 1-800-252-7522 (TTY: Dial 711 for Relay Services) 5:00 a.m. - Midnight (PT), daily.
Routing Rules:
- If it's not on the award chart, it's not allowed. For example EUROPE is To/From HKG only.
- Stopover are only allowed on any CX award for North America awards as destination or origin. For instance: intra-Asia awards do not get a stopover. It must be a North America->Somewhere or Somewhere->North America award to qualify for a stopover.
- The only awards that do not break at HKG are intra-Asia or North American ones. For instance, Australia-Europe/Middle East/Asia outside of HKG will be two awards (breaking at HKG). The AS award chart can be misleading about this and give you the impression you can fly an award like Australia/Europe-ICN, but the chart for these award types will show "Hong Kong".
- One stop-over allowed on one way award. You can build open jaw and other advanced routings by booking multiple one way awards. Please note change fee rule below.
- Allegedly stop-over only in Hong Kong, but some have posted success in other enroute cities such as YVR or SEA.
- As of 5 June 2018 changes/cancellations made to a booking will incur a $125 fee which is waived for MVPG/MVPG75K. Bookings made prior to 5 June will be allowed one complimentary change or cancellation for up to 60 days prior to date of travel.
- Awards can be booked 330 days in advance.
- Cathay and Alaska (or an Alaska flight operated by SkyWest/Horizon on behalf of Alaska) are the only airlines allowed on a Cathay award. No other partner airlines may be used on a single award (e.g. American, JAL, Emirates).
North American Gateway Cities:
Western
Vancouver
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Seattle (Spring 2019)
Eastern (Can not be used if traveling to west coast)
Boston
Chicago
New York (JFK & EWR)
Toronto
Washington
Award Chart Links*:
Asia
Australia
Europe
India/Middle East
North America
Anyone with 90 posts and 90 days can edit the wiki. Everyone else if you want something added to the wiki please comment in the thread.
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Mar 17, 2018, 11:16 am
#1816
Happy
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,840
Originally Posted by seawolf
Old ticket wouldn't be cancelled if new ticket was not issued. Old ticket flight coupon will remain OPEN status until new ticket issued at which point, the old ticket status goes to EXCHANGED status.
Because CX resolved it on their end without AS intervention, what likely happened was AS did issued new ticket but failed to associate flight segments with the new flight coupons. Because the flight segments are still associated with the old ticket coupon which have a status of EXCHANGED, system would not allow a check-in. CX supervisor most likely looked at the record, saw the new ticket number and tied the flight segments with the new ticket coupons (which AS should have done when new ticket issued) which would be OPEN status and thus allowing check-in.
Thanks for the explanation. This reminds me the old days dealing with UA on itinerary changes. Back then Saudi's site was a god send to make sure the new ticket showed up with correct segments and"Open" status for the coupon, and the old ticket would show as you said, "exchanged".
Unfortunately since a year or more ago, Saudi site no longer worked for non-Saudi issued tickets. I have tried tickets issued with different programs, none works on Saudi site. Sad a tool to ensure reticketing accuracy no longer exists.
Is there any way to make sure the status of a reissued ticket is in order when it is correctly done?
Mar 17, 2018, 11:26 am
#1817
Happy
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,840
Originally Posted by NWplatinum
Has anyone noticed a city where the agents seem to be more competent? I seem to have the best luck in Phoenix, but its probably just random.
Yes, Phoenix. I thought that was the where the partner desk located in the old days when officially there was partner desk. Now technically there is no more partner desk we are told.
However the latest ticketing was done by SEA, by an agent sounded very young but she dd it without a hitch.
Then on the change I got an agent in Boise. While she could see CX availability no problem, she did not know the ticket needed reissue. I had to reiterate to her a few times that based on all my prior experiences, any change of a partner award ticket, there must be a reissue. So she went to check and came back after a long hold, to give me the new ticket numbers.
Mar 17, 2018, 11:37 am
#1818
jinglish
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: Hilton/Marriott Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 2,036
Originally Posted by Happy
Yes, Phoenix. I thought that was the where the partner desk located in the old days when officially there was partner desk. Now technically there is no more partner desk we are told.
However the latest ticketing was done by SEA, by an agent sounded very young but she dd it without a hitch.
Then on the change I got an agent in Boise. While she could see CX availability no problem, she did not know the ticket needed reissue. I had to reiterate to her a few times that based on all my prior experiences, any change of a partner award ticket, there must be a reissue. So she went to check and came back after a long hold, to give me the new ticket numbers.
My anecdotes are mirroring yours. My most recent CX award was booked by a young-sounding Seattle agent who admitted that she was still new to CX bookings but managed to coax the system into returning the same availability as BA. But I just talked to a Boise agent last night about a schedule change for my AA award... and apparently she didn't reissue the ticket.
Mar 17, 2018, 12:02 pm
#1819
seawolf
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,716
Originally Posted by Happy
Thanks for the explanation. This reminds me the old days dealing with UA on itinerary changes. Back then Saudi's site was a god send to make sure the new ticket showed up with correct segments and"Open" status for the coupon, and the old ticket would show as you said, "exchanged".
Unfortunately since a year or more ago, Saudi site no longer worked for non-Saudi issued tickets. I have tried tickets issued with different programs, none works on Saudi site. Sad a tool to ensure reticketing accuracy no longer exists.
Is there any way to make sure the status of a reissued ticket is in order when it is correctly done?
I don't think any site will show you that. Even if you see a new ticket is issued and OPEN status (which AA ticket receipt site use to show), it doesn't mean those coupons are associated with each flight segment correctly.
Mar 17, 2018, 12:18 pm
#1820
NWplatinum
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
As I posted earlier, if they dont go with the usual mantra of their name, where they are, asking your name, and thanking you for your status just hang up and call back.
Seattle agents seem to be 50/50. Boise agents range from extremely competent and good at finishing tickets to absolutely terrible with agents making you wait 30 min and really not even know the first thing about international awards.
I had an agent out of Boise who didnt do the usual introduction, and I knew I was in for a bad ride. I was booking CX intra-Asia route where Qantas site was showing tons of options in every class of service and maybe 3 flights with J seats. When I kept asking her to check a specific flight she kept telling me and repeating theres nothing, not even Coach which I knew was totally wrong. Hung up, called back, and got the flight I wanted in Business in under 5 minutes.
I can usually tell within the first 15 seconds if this agent is going to be helpful or not.
Mar 19, 2018, 12:56 pm
#1821
golfingboy
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 7,390
Is AS blocking CX award space or is inventory much more limited solely for AS now? I am trying to book CMB-HKG-JFK award in F for December and BA is showing 1 F seat on 3 out of 4 HKG-JFK flights and one flight even has 7+ J seats but both agents I spoke with over the phone said only coach is available.
ETA: Or is this something AS needs to look at segment by segment rather than CMB-JFK? So search CMB-HKG then search HKG-JFK before putting them together? I don't know any help or answer (blocking?) would be appreciated.
Last edited by golfingboy; Mar 19, 2018 at 1:22 pm
Mar 19, 2018, 1:32 pm
#1822
dkerr
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,060
Originally Posted by golfingboy
Is AS blocking CX award space or is inventory much more limited solely for AS now? I am trying to book CMB-HKG-JFK award in F for December and BA is showing 1 F seat on 3 out of 4 HKG-JFK flights and one flight even has 7+ J seats but both agents I spoke with over the phone said only coach is available.
ETA: Or is this something AS needs to look at segment by segment rather than CMB-JFK? So search CMB-HKG then search HKG-JFK before putting them together? I don't know any help or answer (blocking?) would be appreciated.
Almost certainly BA is showing phantom availability... I can guarantee that there is not 7+ available business class seats on any HKG-JFK flight. I suggest using an alternate search method to confirm what you see on BA (like QF or JL) and search segment-by-segment as well as through flights.
DAK
Mar 19, 2018, 1:49 pm
#1823
golfingboy
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 7,390
Originally Posted by dkerr
Almost certainly BA is showing phantom availability... I can guarantee that there is not 7+ available business class seats on any HKG-JFK flight. I suggest using an alternate search method to confirm what you see on BA (like QF or JL) and search segment-by-segment as well as through flights.
DAK
Qantas is showing F availability on the exact same 3 CX flights that BA is showing and I searched for 5 seats and two CX flights are showing as available in business.
ETA - called AS again and asked only for HKG-JFK and they see the F space... Seems like the problem is intra-Asia... Agent says they can't see any availability from CMB/SIN/BKK/CGK-HKG.. Really strange.
Last edited by golfingboy; Mar 19, 2018 at 2:05 pm
Mar 19, 2018, 3:10 pm
#1824
Happy
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,840
Originally Posted by seawolf
I don't think any site will show you that. Even if you see a new ticket is issued and OPEN status (which AA ticket receipt site use to show), it doesn't mean those coupons are associated with each flight segment correctly.
Saudi's site used to show that. It had saved many bad occasions when UA agents failed to reissue tickets after both involuntary and voluntary changes stemmed from schedule changes. Basically it was an invaluable tool that was no longer existent.
Mar 20, 2018, 12:00 am
#1825
jmoorfoot
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 292
I just got a CX J award MELxHKGxSFO with an AS segment SFO-SEA. The availability was showing on QF but not on BA. I originally just asked for the CX flight, but when the agent had found that, I asked about adding SFO-FCA. He checked and said that wasn't a valid routing, and priced it out separately, but then I thought about just going to SEA, & that was available for the same points, so I grabbed it. I'm waitlisted for an upgrade on the AS leg, but as far as I can there isn't a big advantage over Y (maybe lounge access at SFO and food on the plane).
Mar 20, 2018, 1:16 am
#1826
Flying for Fun
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
Originally Posted by golfingboy
Qantas is showing F availability on the exact same 3 CX flights that BA is showing and I searched for 5 seats and two CX flights are showing as available in business.
ETA - called AS again and asked only for HKG-JFK and they see the F space... Seems like the problem is intra-Asia... Agent says they can't see any availability from CMB/SIN/BKK/CGK-HKG.. Really strange.
A lot of CX intra-Asia flights and flights to India, the Middle East and Africa are 3-class aircraft without an F cabin. Did you look at the details on BA to see what cabin each segment is booking into? My guess is the CMB-HGK segment is in J. If you ask AS for CNB-JFK they won't see F as a whole but should see J on the first segment and F on the second. I use Qantas to search availability and have had 100% success in AS seeing what I see even with only one seat availability. I booked 2 JNB-HKG-BOS in J last October for travel last month. After booking J space was still available and remained available right up to departure. If you find J to HKG and F back to the US feed AS the specific flight information and class. I was able to upgrade one HKG-BOS to F at T-11 days. At T-4 there was F availability each of the 3 days preceeding my flight and 3 days after so upgrades last minute seem to be plentiful.
I also booked CX J YVR-HKG-DPS on the A350 in November for mid January on found on QF. Called AS and like my prior booking had it secured in under 10 minutes.
I know there seems to be a lot of people on this thread having issues securing award bookings on CX while my experience has always been exceptional. I have often wondered if the success rate for booking CX awards is in anyway correlated to those who solely buy miles for redemption and those that earn their miles organically. My YVR-HKG//HKG-DPS in J was booked with my 50K bonus miles for reaching MVPG75K. Thank you AS.
James
Mar 20, 2018, 1:40 am
#1827
PhlyCalifornia
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 15
Does anyone know if CX blocks the window seats in F cabin? I assume they block it for OW elites. I booked F, but can only select a middle seat. I wonder if I can change it within 24 hours of flight or at the check in desk.
Mar 20, 2018, 1:44 am
#1828
NWplatinum
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
Originally Posted by PhlyCalifornia
Does anyone know if CX blocks the window seats in F cabin? I assume they block it for OW elites. I booked F, but can only select a middle seat. I wonder if I can change it within 24 hours of flight or at the check in desk.
Either call their 1800 number when they are open, or alternatively you can reach them 24/7 365 on Twitter and give them your Cathay confirmation number and tell them which seat you want.
Mar 20, 2018, 10:12 am
#1829
seawolf
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,716
Originally Posted by PhlyCalifornia
Does anyone know if CX blocks the window seats in F cabin? I assume they block it for OW elites. I booked F, but can only select a middle seat. I wonder if I can change it within 24 hours of flight or at the check in desk.
Row 1 window seats are blocked unless you have OWE/OWS (not sure about OWR). Row 2 windows are blocked as bassinet seats. Calling to request them may yield better results.
Mar 20, 2018, 3:15 pm
#1830
golfingboy
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 7,390
Originally Posted by Flying for Fun
A lot of CX intra-Asia flights and flights to India, the Middle East and Africa are 3-class aircraft without an F cabin. Did you look at the details on BA to see what cabin each segment is booking into? My guess is the CMB-HGK segment is in J. If you ask AS for CNB-JFK they won't see F as a whole but should see J on the first segment and F on the second.
Ok so another interesting development. I called AS again and only asked to search intra-Asia tickets and the representative explained that CX does not permit AS awards from certain destinations... I learned BLR, MAA, and CMB are “blacked out”, but the agent was able to see DEL-HKG, BKK-HKG and SIN-HKG. I went ahead and added SIN-HKG in J to my HKG-JFK award in F (DEL-HKG flight time doesn’t work).
Not sure if the agent is misinformed, but that would explain all the problems I was having earlier.. Not sure if this is a new thing, but one thing a few reps have told me (consistent) that CX does limit certain routes for AS awards.
Originally Posted by seawolf
Row 1 window seats are blocked unless you have OWE/OWS (not sure about OWR). Row 2 windows are blocked as bassinet seats. Calling to request them may yield better results.
OWR is eligible to pick seats in row 1... I added my AA FF # in the CX reservation (AS Award) and viola all seats opened up except the window seats in row 2. Calling typically allows one to select a better seat.
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