CX889 Award Availability when Booking Through QFF

[Captain Halliday]

Does anyone have any experience/knowledge of J award availability on CX889 the JFK-YVR service?

I'm looking for 3 seats. I can see 2 J award seats across a wide range of dates. But never 3 together.

I'm considering booking 2 in J and then hoping a third is released into the award bucket.

Any insights? What are my chances of all 3 of us sitting in J?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: CX889 Award availability

Does anyone have any experience/knowledge of J award availability on CX889 the JFK-YVR service?

I'm looking for 3 seats. I can see 2 J award seats across a wide range of dates. But never 3 together.

I'm considering booking 2 in J and then hoping a third is released into the award bucket.

Any insights? What are my chances of all 3 of us sitting in J?

It depends how brave you are! After the initial allocation CX usually waits until fairly close to departure to release more seats... starting at maybe two weeks out, then a week out, then the few days before departure. No guarantee seats will be released at any of those time intervals though.

First class is a good example... the whole cabin (bar one seat) can be available for awards, but maybe not released until the last day or two.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Re: CX889 Award availability

Can you book 3 pax on one PNR across two classes of travel on a Classic Award?

In my scenario above, could I book 3 J Award seats but accept that one of us would be in PE, or would it have to be two bookings?

 

[madrooster]

Re: CX889 Award availability

Does anyone have any experience/knowledge of J award availability on CX889 the JFK-YVR service?

I'm looking for 3 seats. I can see 2 J award seats across a wide range of dates. But never 3 together.

I'm considering booking 2 in J and then hoping a third is released into the award bucket.

Any insights? What are my chances of all 3 of us sitting in J?

I've seen U9 on this route before but only closer to departure.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Re: CX889 Award availability

I've seen U9 on this route before but only closer to departure.

It wasn't between Christmas and New Year by any chance

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: CX889 Award availability

Can you book 3 pax on one PNR across two classes of travel on a Classic Award?

In my scenario above, could I book 3 J Award seats but accept that one of us would be in PE, or would it have to be two bookings?

I'm not 100% sure how asia miles works, but it would be unusual to issue a business class redemption which contained no business class flights (at least one sector would need to be in the required class for the award to be issued at the higher price).

You could waitlist for the business class award.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Re: CX889 Award availability

I'm not 100% sure how asia miles works, but it would be unusual to issue a business class redemption which contained no business class flights (at least one sector would need to be in the required class for the award to be issued at the higher price).

You could waitlist for the business class award.

Thanks MEL_Traveller. I possibly should have mentions it would be a QF redemption on CX as a OW partner airline.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: CX889 Award availability

Thanks MEL_Traveller. I possibly should have mentions it would be a QF redemption on CX as a OW partner airline.

Yeah - that probably rules out both options.

Re the 'U9' - not uncommon to see large numbers of seats open up - even 4 or 5 in F the day before departure.

 

[clazman]

Re: CX889 Award availability

My standard booking to JFK is Per - HK - JFK (stop YVR), booking with QF points, never had any issues with dates / availability booking 2 in J

Curious if the availability changes with a 2nd leg added to the route

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Does anyone have any experience/knowledge of J award availability on CX889 the JFK-YVR service?

I'm looking for 3 seats. I can see 2 J award seats across a wide range of dates. But never 3 together.

I'm considering booking 2 in J and then hoping a third is released into the award bucket.

Any insights? What are my chances of all 3 of us sitting in J?

What dates are you looking at?

If you sign up to JAL Mileage Bank and search for CX award availability it will display the actual number of J award seats which was handy when booking HKG/YVR on CX using QF points.

I noticed that JL MB shows 'U3' to/from Canada & USA yet European cities it says 'C3' but will still books into 'U'. In a GDS those dates also show as "U3'.

 

[Captain Halliday]

What dates are you looking at?

If you sign up to JAL Mileage Bank and search for CX award availability it will display the actual number of J award seats which was handy when booking HKG/YVR on CX using QF points.

I noticed that JL MB shows 'U3' to/from Canada & USA yet European cities it says 'C3' but will still books into 'U'. In a GDS those dates also show as "U3'.

Good tip. I forgot JL shows the number of availables. Thanks ozbeachbabe.

 

[Captain Halliday]

If you sign up to JAL Mileage Bank and search for CX award availability it will display the actual number of J award seats which was handy when booking HKG/YVR on CX using QF points.

I've check and it's only 2J across a range of dates. So I'm left with a terrible moral dilemma...

Do I put Miss 5 in Y or Mrs Halliday?

Lose/lose

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I've check and it's only 2J across a range of dates. So I'm left with a terrible moral dilemma...

Do I put Miss 5 in Y or Mrs Halliday?

Lose/lose

You might need to check with Cathay if a child under 6 can travel unaccompanied: https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en...nfants/unaccompanied-children-and-minors.html

 

[Captain Halliday]

So my new plan for JFK-YVR is to book 3xY Classic Award seats to make sure we actually have a seat.

Then I'm hopping at T-48 the remaining J inventory is released so I can cancel the Y seats and rebook J.

I'll burn 18k (3x6k) points on cancellation fees if this comes off. Is my understanding of T&Cs correct here?

And before anyone asked, yeah I dithered too long for the two J seats that were available.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So my new plan for JFK-YVR is to book 3xY Classic Award seats to make sure we actually have a seat.

Then I'm hopping at T-48 the remaining J inventory is released so I can cancel the Y seats and rebook J.

I'll burn 18k (3x6k) points on cancellation fees if this comes off. Is my understanding of T&Cs correct here?

And before anyone asked, yeah I dithered too long for the two J seats that were available.

It will be a change fee - 5000 points. You don't need to cancel.