Cathay Pacific Award availability on Alaska Air

[SandyS]

I'm trying to book 2 business class seats Hong Kong to San Francisco on Cathay through Alaska Air points redemption on 6th May 2015.

Qantas, BA show availability for 5th, 6th & 7th May, yet AS tell me there's nothing there for any of these dates. Is this usual for them not to be showing, when they're listed elsewhere?

 

[pointshungry]

I heard people been saying the same thing, that they have limited availability only. Keep trying!!! Call them again! Good luck!!! Let us know how did you go.

 

[SandyS]

Yeah, I will keep trying, it was just when the CSA informed me that Cathay don't fly out of Newark, I wondered if he was maybe mistaken with the SFO flights too.

 

[pointshungry]

Try to call again. When I called for the first time, the agent advised me that CX changed everything and they don't fly to Europe anymore!... What?... hahaha. I just arrived from Europe on CX!.. Called again , and, of course, all is normal, nothing changed, especially THAT dramatic change... Some of the agents don't really know what's happening behind the corner. Try again! Good luck! I'll have to do it too soon...

 

[sergeyvzn]

I'm trying to book 2 business class seats Hong Kong to San Francisco on Cathay through Alaska Air points redemption on 6th May 2015.

Qantas, BA show availability for 5th, 6th & 7th May, yet AS tell me there's nothing there for any of these dates. Is this usual for them not to be showing, when they're listed elsewhere?

It's a known issue when both BA and QF show "phantom" availability for CX flights. The only 100% proof way to check it is to use Japan Airlines Mileage Bank site, they show accurate availability on CX seats that the airline offers to partners.

You can join JAL MB for free online, the site is a bit clunky but one should be able to get used to it fairly quickly

 

[smit0847]

Try to call again. When I called for the first time, the agent advised me that CX changed everything and they don't fly to Europe anymore!... What?... hahaha. I just arrived from Europe on CX!.. Called again , and, of course, all is normal, nothing changed, especially THAT dramatic change... Some of the agents don't really know what's happening behind the corner. Try again! Good luck! I'll have to do it too soon...

If its one thing I've learnt from this whole FF game, its that call centre staff rarely have any idea what they're talking about.

I keep thinking when I tlak to them: 'if I was a genius, would I be working in a call centre at 3am?'

 

[Limewood]

Its not uncommon to call the toll free AS line a few times.

As said its an award lottery keep trying.

I snagged 2 x J to HKG return using AS miles just 3 months out.

 

[SandyS]

Thanks sergeyvzn, I've checked out the JAL site and they aren't available.

So looks like a bit of changing around with my itinerary but I'm sure I'll work something out. Who needs sudoku to keep your brain trained when you've got this?

 

[pointshungry]

SandyS, they release quite a lot of last minute J and F just about 6-8 days before the flight. Whatever tix hasn't been sold, they open them up for an award inventory. I play around with AsiaMiles to check how much in advance they do it, it's almost 99,999% they will release tickets closer to your desired travel dates. Good luck!

 

[pointshungry]

Thanks, Sergeyvzn, for the tip. Do you think AsiaMiles would show true availability as well? I use them all the time. (Do you fly with them to Domodedovo? )

 

[sergeyvzn]

Thanks, Sergeyvzn, for the tip. Do you think AsiaMiles would show true availability as well? I use them all the time. (Do you fly with them to Domodedovo? )

Not quite. Asia Miles only show what Cathay has for it's own frequent flyers. This is more than they offer to their partner airlines.
And no, I'm a US DM/United/Life Miles guy, much better value (not any more with United though). My last flight to Moscow was on Air China on a USDM award ticket in J and it arrived in SVO -

 

[pointshungry]

Not quite. Asia Miles only show what Cathay has for it's own frequent flyers. This is more than they offer to their partner airlines.
And no, I'm a US DM/United/Life Miles guy, much better value (not any more with United though). My last flight to Moscow was on Air China on a USDM award ticket in J and it arrived in SVO -

Thanks. That's fair enough re Asia Miles. I thought we might be from the same place . I don't mean to hijack the thread, is Air China a good alternative to CX??? I like to use TK from Asia to fly me to KIV

 

[sergeyvzn]

Thanks. That's fair enough re Asia Miles. I thought we might be from the same place . I don't mean to hijack the thread, is Air China a good alternative to CX??? I like to use TK from Asia to fly me to KIV

Air China is ok, they've upgraded their hard product to full-flat seats now but the service is a bit a hit and miss. CX is certainly better.

 

[pointshungry]

Air China is ok, they've upgraded their hard product to full-flat seats now but the service is a bit a hit and miss. CX is certainly better.

hm, ok, thanks. Yep, I LOVE CX!.. But want to visit PEK as a stopover, have to look at Air China probably. I like Avianca as well, very good and cheapest option that I found to fly to Europe. Use them (Thai then TK) this time, but hoping for CX on the way back to AU). Many thanks for the tips.

 

[sergeyvzn]

hm, ok, thanks. Yep, I LOVE CX!.. But want to visit PEK as a stopover, have to look at Air China probably. I like Avianca as well, very good and cheapest option that I found to fly to Europe. Use them (Thai then TK) this time, but hoping for CX on the way back to AU). Many thanks for the tips.

No worries. I had a stopover in Beijing on the way back, the 72 hr transit without visa was an added bonus

 

[Limewood]

Thanks, Sergeyvzn, for the tip. Do you think AsiaMiles would show true availability as well? I use them all the time. (Do you fly with them to Domodedovo? )

The situation as I understand it is, AS only have a part of CX awards not all, I know when I was looking there were 6 X J available on CX site, when I called As few minutes later they had just 2. They do say JAL gives the correct availability. Why not try another USA city.

 

[SandyS]

The situation as I understand it is, AS only have a part of CX awards not all, I know when I was looking there were 6 X J available on CX site, when I called As few minutes later they had just 2. They do say JAL gives the correct availability. Why not try another USA city.

It looks like I can do it flying in to LAX but I was trying to avoid there. There's always ways around it, it just looked initially like there were loads of spaces available but JAL is obviously the best for checking.

I've read about last minute awards release but on this occasion, I'm trying to set up other stuff when we're there, so can't really wait until last minute plus I was wondering if all the talk about Cathy's last minute upgrade lottery would make a difference to that availability.

 

[Limewood]

Book what you can now even to LAX, lock it in, then keep looking on regular basis as you can always change it, think up to 60 days out its free, after that think $150.

 

[mlob]

SandyS. Just wondering how the Cathay award availability on their own site compared to JAL? I used Asia miles to look for availability and they always seemed to be there when I rang to check. Never saw more then 2though!

 

[SandyS]

Thanks Limewood, that's what I'll do and just keep looking.

Mlob, When I first started checking, I looked at Asia Miles and there were always heaps of seats available but not the same when I called Alaska Air and I think others have mentioned they have more availability for their own customers.

I had been using Qantas and BA sites to search but JAL showed differently for those Cathay to SFO seats that I'd wanted and that tallied with what AS told me.

Also noticed that Qantas had some availability for Cathay seats that didn't show on BA but were there on JAL and that AS definitely had but I guess all the more experienced travellers here know that already.