Cathay Pacific Mileage

[PDLM]

Yes, you are correct. I make a reservation for a redemption (in fact at the point I make the reservation it doesn't matter whether it's going to be an upgrade or a full redemption - same booking class). If it's a long way out then they might set the deadline by which you have to confirm and issue the ticket (and the underlying ticket if it's to be an upgrade) at 14 days before the flight, but for shorter notice stuff you can negotiate a much shorter deadline. For flights ex-HKG I've negotiated them down to 24 hours before as the deadline on occasion.

I almost always buy the underlying ticket from CX - through the website if available, and direct from telephone sales if I need to invoke the Diamond privilege because the flight is full in the class I need to book (obviously when booking an upgrade from economy you buy the cheapest available upgradeable fare). Note that you don't get exempted from the other conditions of the underlying fare (min/max stay, rebooking charges, valid flights, etc.). Since you can always get any YBHKMLV fare you want from CX up to 24 hours before the flight I've never really seen much benefit in booking through an agent. Sometimes though I'm trying to upgrade a segment on a round-the-world ticket that I have bought somewhere else, and which might be on the ticket stock of another OneWorld airline. In this case if it's an e-ticket they normally just need to know the ticket number, but if it's paper or they can't see the e-tkt image for some reason then you need to fax them a copy of the underlying ticket. This means that you need a few more days and can't leave it quite to the last minute.

[tx75070]

Just tried booking Ceibu with miles departing on a Friday returning on a Sunday. I asked what the first available date was. "Sorry sir, can not" She checked all the way through Dec. 21 and no economy seats available. Can do it on business class, but probably not worth using the miles.

[PDLM]

That's curious - the flights seem to be fairly open for money, so I'm sure I'd get it confirmed instantly as a Diamond. But I would never use miles to redeem a short-haul economy flight - you get far better value redeeming them for long-haul business class (either as an upgrade or a full award). For the cost (25,000 miles) of a round trip economy redemption to Cebu you can have a one-way upgrade to Sydney.

Except at CNY or Easter, Cebu is HK$2550 or HK$2950 (+taxes) (min/max 2/7days, books into M). It's not worth 25,000 miles to save that.

[bluepiggy]

My husband and I can't get a booking to redeem our air miles for London or Paris and we've tried to book it 8 months in advance. And reading the exchange of info here only confirmed what we already know all along, that this CX loyalty program sucks especially for us who only hold Marco Polo card. Now, we avoid flying with CX unless it's absolutely necessary.

[PDLM]

Er, it's a loyalty programme. Fly with CX and you get to use the miles (because you'll have status). Don't fly with CX and you don't. What would be the point of a loyalty programme where you didn't get any benefits from being loyal?

If you fly to Europe 5 times or more a year on CX then you'll get Gold status from that alone, and with Gold status you will have pretty good access to rewards. (And guaranteed access to fare classes all the way down to V at 72 hours notice)

[bluepiggy]

I understand the concept of the loyalty program but with our situation we were put off by CX and this isn't the first time it happened, so we choose to avoid using them since. Why be loyal to someone whose service is crap (to my opinion)?

[PDLM]

No reason at all. But in my experience CX's service is excellent - lapses are only very occasional and relatively minor.

[fsklee]

MPC status always helps. For other Asia Miles members, it may be easier to:
* Book way in advance;
* Be more flexible in the traveling dates;
* Go for the less crowded destinations, and;
* If nothing else works, do:
- Unrestricted economy, or;
- Waitlist
* Do not go for business/first or upgrade awards - It is difficult especially if you are traveling with others. CX long haul business class flights are often full these days, and when they are not, they may still have to leave some room for last day bookings by DMs and potential op-ups from economy.

For non MPC members, it may be easier going for economy unless you see a business class award seat available. MPC members should not book awards online, simply call the MPC hotline as the MPC agents can handle priorities.

[KnowItAll]

>> Why be loyal to someone whose service is crap (to my opinion)?

I agree. It boils down to an individuals perception of the airlines, the more individuals who get convinced that perhaps their loyalty program isnt that rewarding, the more pressure there is (hopefully) to address the problems with the program.

There will always be a few who will wave the CX flag and there will always be a few who love pissing on that flag.. their opinions are usually discounted over time as general consensus builds in one direction or the other.