Newbie questions on Asian Miles with Cathay

[Duffa]

I have a Marco Polo club account. If I redeem my Citi to Asia Miles do they appear in my Marco Polo club account? Dumb question i know, but what is the difference between Marco Polo club and Asia miles??

 

[wandering_fred]

I have a Marco Polo club account. If I redeem my Citi to Asia Miles do they appear in my Marco Polo club account? Dumb question i know, but what is the difference between Marco Polo club and Asia miles??

Asia Miles is where redeemable miles are accumulated. Miles from various "bonus promotions" will appear (only) here.
MPC is the record of earnings for "status".

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[Duffa]

Asia Miles is where redeemable miles are accumulated. Miles from various "bonus promotions" will appear (only) here.
MPC is the record of earnings for "status".

Happy wandering

Fred

Off I go to Hong Kong then!!
Thanks Fred

 

[VAG newbie]

Does anyone know the routing rules for Asia Miles (AM)? They have like 5 different award charts which makes things confusing. I am only interested in the cheapest one, ie. the top one that applies to."redemption for single or mixed (two) carrier awards. For mixed carrier awards, Cathay Pacific or Dragonair must be included".

Here are the questions:

1. Does AM allow stop overs with this awards chart? Open Jaw?
2. Does it allow mixed cabin?
3. Does it allow back track? What are the maximum MPM?

As it is distance based program, other than most direct route, a sweet spot can be found on really long journeys, as the maximum miles needed is 175K in J and 260 in F regardless how far you fly. So I've been thinking about a roundtrip with AUS-HKG-USA or Europe in CX, then USA/Europe - NRT in JL, then NRT to AUS with either JL or CX, and with stop overs in HKG and Tokyo. Not sure if it is possible.

 

[yohy?!]

Does anyone know the routing rules for Asia Miles (AM)? They have like 5 different award charts which makes things confusing. I am only interested in the cheapest one, ie. the top one that applies to."redemption for single or mixed (two) carrier awards. For mixed carrier awards, Cathay Pacific or Dragonair must be included".

Here are the questions:

1. Does AM allow stop overs with this awards chart? Open Jaw?
2. Does it allow mixed cabin?
3. Does it allow back track? What are the maximum MPM?

As it is distance based program, other than most direct route, a sweet spot can be found on really long journeys, as the maximum miles needed is 175K in J and 260 in F regardless how far you fly. So I've been thinking about a roundtrip with AUS-HKG-USA or Europe in CX, then USA/Europe - NRT in JL, then NRT to AUS with either JL or CX, and with stop overs in HKG and Tokyo. Not sure if it is possible.

1. Haven't done a stopover before but should be possible - you would just pay the full miles for each leg and forgo the return discount, same for open jaw the cost would be 2 one-way tickets per the chart.

2. Yes as 2 one-ways, forgoing the return points discount

3. Back track wouldn't be relevant as these are calculated on single sectors total mileage and added together (you may be thinking of oneworld awards here which is the bottom table)

 

[VAG newbie]

1. Haven't done a stopover before but should be possible - you would just pay the full miles for each leg and forgo the return discount, same for open jaw the cost would be 2 one-way tickets per the chart.

2. Yes as 2 one-ways, forgoing the return points discount

3. Back track wouldn't be relevant as these are calculated on single sectors total mileage and added together (you may be thinking of oneworld awards here which is the bottom table)

If I have to book each segment, then that's not stopover and the value would be really bad. eg. with my itinerary above, if all 3 are allowed, then I can possibly go to several places (HKG+Japan+USA/Europe) in F for 260K. But if each segments in one way, that would be AUS-HKG for 45K in J (as no F available), HKG-USA/Europe for 105-130K in F(depending on where I am going), then USA/Europe to NRT for 105K, then NRT-AUS for 45K with JL, 70K with CX. So the minimum would be 300K and up to 340K, which would be real poor value..... In that case, the oneworld multi-carrier award chart might be better value.

 

[yohy?!]

If I have to book each segment, then that's not stopover and the value would be really bad. eg. with my itinerary above, if all 3 are allowed, then I can possibly go to several places (HKG+Japan+USA/Europe) in F for 260K. But if each segments in one way, that would be AUS-HKG for 45K in J (as no F available), HKG-USA/Europe for 105-130K in F(depending on where I am going), then USA/Europe to NRT for 105K, then NRT-AUS for 45K with JL, 70K with CX. So the minimum would be 300K and up to 340K, which would be real poor value..... In that case, the oneworld multi-carrier award chart might be better value.

agree - go the oneworld award, ive been looking at one from Asia Miles for the same reason

 

[coolkid101]

thought i'd revive an old thread instead of starting a new one - i've got a paid J class ADL-HKG CX flight coming up. I don't have any points in AM and think that crediting there would be a waste for me. Should i credit to AA or QFF? Don't really care about the SC's if there are any as we don't fly enough to get status anyway... just not sure if i'll get more miles with AA or QF. Thanks guys.

 

[VAG newbie]

thought i'd revive an old thread instead of starting a new one - i've got a paid J class ADL-HKG CX flight coming up. I don't have any points in AM and think that crediting there would be a waste for me. Should i credit to AA or QFF? Don't really care about the SC's if there are any as we don't fly enough to get status anyway... just not sure if i'll get more miles with AA or QF. Thanks guys.

In theory you always get more out of AA than QF. Not only it has a much lower redemption rate, there is no fuel surcharge which saves you hundreds and even thousands.

Issue is, can you get AA miles any other ways to make it useful. Buying miles from AA is the only effective way of earning AA miles for Aussies other than flying. If you are not willing to buy miles, then AA may not be suitable.

Also note that AA award calendar opens much later than QF, BA and AM, so many highly sought after redemptions (eg. SYD-LAX) would be taken up by QF, BA and AM members before AA have access to it.

If you have a credit card that can transfer to AM (many Aus cards do), it's not a bad idea to credit it to AM.

 

[Bazzi]

Another AM newbie here and can't seem to find the answer on AM website - can anyone tell me if I book PE now with the points I have and then when I amass enough points for a J redemption - same flight/date etc - is this an easy fix over the phone or do I have to cancel, pay cancellation fee USD100, wait for points to be recredited and rebook?

 

[VAG newbie]

Another AM newbie here and can't seem to find the answer on AM website - can anyone tell me if I book PE now with the points I have and then when I amass enough points for a J redemption - same flight/date etc - is this an easy fix over the phone or do I have to cancel, pay cancellation fee USD100, wait for points to be recredited and rebook?

You can simply upgrade, pay the point difference and $100 fee. I did it earlier this year. I was booked in JL in J SYD-NRT on 80k rt with AM. Then JL decided to fly 77W, F space was wide open. I simply called for an upgrade and it was done all over the phone. Very easy.

 

[Bazzi]

You can simply upgrade, pay the point difference and $100 fee. I did it earlier this year. I was booked in JL in J SYD-NRT on 80k rt with AM. Then JL decided to fly 77W, F space was wide open. I simply called for an upgrade and it was done all over the phone. Very easy.

Thanks for that.

 

[M@rcoPolo]

Looking at a C return SYD to HKG award redemption for 80,000 points miles - however the first leg SYD to HKG is only available via BNE (with a 4 hours stopover...)

If I book the award and later on an award seat opens up on the direct SYD - HKG flight would I need to pay a change fee if I want to move to the direct flight?

 

[paultiffen]

I didnt realise that redemptions on Jal need to be one way only

Thoughts on best option of booking an explorer award (does this need to return to origin) or booking a return and hoping jal space opens up?

 

[annielee]

another newbie here on AM...when trying to find flights on the AM Flight Reward page from MEL-KUL :
- 45k miles for MH, BA and etc..but no CX
- 70k miles when i tried sector by sector, MEL-HKG, and then HKG-KUL (transit only, less than 24hours)
are the above no of miles required looks right ??

 

[andye]

another newbie here on AM...when trying to find flights on the AM Flight Reward page from MEL-KUL :
- 45k miles for MH, BA and etc..but no CX
- 70k miles when i tried sector by sector, MEL-HKG, and then HKG-KUL (transit only, less than 24hours)
are the above no of miles required looks right ??

Yes. AM works on flown miles so routing via HKG puts it over 5000 miles and into the next column

 

[andye]

As an aside if you wanted to fly MEL-HKG-KUL you could use Alaska miles 30k (50k Amex MR via SPG) for J with low taxes and a stopover. You would need availability on the CX flight from HKG to KUL as Dragonair cant be booked with Alaska miles

 

[annielee]

but only to HKG with 30k Alaska miles, my final destination is KUL, so it wont be good use of miles..

As an aside if you wanted to fly MEL-HKG-KUL you could use Alaska miles 30k (50k Amex MR via SPG) for J with low taxes and a stopover. You would need availability on the CX flight from HKG to KUL as Dragonair cant be booked with Alaska miles

 

[moffat39]

First time user for Cathay Pacific. Ordinarily I book J Krisflyer redemptions on SQ with points from credit cards (Westpac Altitude and Amex. I know that I can transfer points to AM). It took me few goes to master the SQ site when first booking and now trying AM site for the first time and am struggling to see how it works.

I am looking for 2 J redemptions Brisbane to either Paris or Barcelona departing end of August and coming back end of September/early October 2017. If there was availability could depart and return Melbourne as an alternative. Waitlist availability only on SQ so I thought I would give AM a try. My initial searches with AM is that no availability at all. I appreciate that trying to find 2 J redemptions is difficult around those dates.

Have researched points hack site from which I have learnt that the points required for a return booking is 175,000 each in J and a few other tips.

Any advice or comments as to the likelihood of there being 2 J redemptions for around those dates would be greatly appreciated including if there other destinations in Europe with better availability for J redemptions. Most of the trip will be in Toulouse visiting son (that's why we are looking at Barcelona as well) with a trip to Paris as well.

 

[andye]

There is a fair bit of availability on BA HKG-LHR on 24th Aug which you can redeem with Asia Miles. Also 2 J seats on AY HKG-HEL on 30th Aug, nothing else last week of Aug.
There is some PE from SYD-HKG but I couldnt find any J at end Aug.

If you book the leg starting from HKG the taxes shouldnt be too high even on BA.

Havent looked at return but would imagine availability similar.

I used the BA site to search

I 'm pretty sure the open jaw allowance with Asia Miles means you wouldn't need to fly out of London for it still to price as a return. You should be able to mix and match carriers but remember the mileage is the total flown miles not orgin-destination