Does Cathay Release More Award Seats to AsiaMiles Members?

levelnine

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Nov 7, 2009
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I'm trying to work out if I'm seeing phantom award availability or not.

Cathay Pacific has heaps of award availability between Australia and Europe that doesn't appear on Qantas, BA, etc.

Does Cathay release extra seats to AsiaMiles members?

Is there any way to confirm it is real availability before transferring points to AsiaMiles?

Eg
1673142672148.png
 
Seems like it. I noticed they sometimes come up on Alaska too, but not on QF

For example, I was looking at CX135 on 24/2 which shows 2 seats available through Alaska, yet Qantas cant see it.
 
Yes it is. I cannot book through Air china miles redeem ticket for a SYD-HKG CX reward leg, but it is available in CX.
 
I would imagine availability would always be best via the airline's own channel. Anything leftover is given out to their partner channels?

Accessibility is the other side of that coin. So while AsiaMiles may have the most available, you will also be competing with all other AsiaMiles members. Whereas on QF or Alaska less people would be looking for that CX award seat (notwithstanding the travel hackers around here :D)
 
In recent times I've definitely noted a lot of CX availability that is only available via AM, but not on QF.
I cannot find any J availability on the CX site up to 360 days out. Quite a bit of Y+ through November but that's it. How are you finding it?
 
For the next six months or so, you can see availability on the date selection dropdown from the main search page.
MEL-HKG is very thin until Jan then the seems a few seats.

1691726199354.png
 
For the next six months or so, you can see availability on the date selection dropdown from the main search page.
MEL-HKG is very thin until Jan then the seems a few seats.

View attachment 338870
If booking MEL-HKG-Onwards would you stick with a one way fare all the way or would you think as much success with a Return or Multi-City booking?
I sometimes think the CX site offers more availability when booking one-way, but I might be mistaken.
 
General advice is to search for one sector at a time however I often start with a quick "one way" check just in case it's available. ie my usual trip is MEL-MAN so I so a quick search for that then if nothing available, i will break it down to MEL-HKG or SYD-HKG or PER-HKG then once search for HKG-MAN/CDG/LHR, etc
 
Sorry, just re-read your question. I rarely book Returns and only venture into Multi-City when have at least some partial options. I've found multi-city to be buggy and unreliable (QF & CX websites)
I have noticed that QF sometimes opens up extra availably for multi-sector domestic "one ways" but have never seen it internationally.
 
Sorry, just re-read your question. I rarely book Returns and only venture into Multi-City when have at least some partial options. I've found multi-city to be buggy and unreliable (QF & CX websites)
I have noticed that QF sometimes opens up extra availably for multi-sector domestic "one ways" but have never seen it internationally.
Thank you, I thought it was just me.

Just checking it's only possible to book partner airlines via the CX website?
Any way to by-pass HKG, the fees and taxes are through the stratosphere.
 
Has anyone had any luck booking award seats for December 2024/January 2025 to either HK or Taipei? Seems to be nothing or does CX not release any this far out from those dates?
 
Yes I had opportunity to get CX Asia miles using my Citi, but when I searched I saw nothing at the time. Interestingly today checked QF lots of flights loaded from CX for classic rewards.
What time period can you see Cathay flights via Qantas? I can’t see any for the routes I’m looking for in February 2025.
 
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