In July, Cathay Pacific released a new redemption table for award flights and upgrades. As we reported, many prices will increase by approximately 20% to 30%, and in some cases, even more.
Unlike British Airways, Cathay was fair enough to provide an adequate transition period. Bookings at the old prices are still possible until September 30 at 17:59 Central European time. So, here’s a reminder to quickly book the appropriate flights for your upcoming Asia trips.
It’s better not to wait until the last minute for redemption. Even now, the Cathay website occasionally experiences technical issues and a “queue” before you can access the site.
Mile Devaluation from October
You can read all the information about the upcoming increase in mileage values in the following article, where we have compared the old and new mileage tables:
Business class redemptions are likely the most interesting. Here’s how the changes look:
| Zone | Price Business Class (old) | Price Business Class (new) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – 750 miles | 16,000 miles | 16,000 miles | – |
| 751 – 2,750 miles | 25,000 miles | 28,000 miles (China, Korea, …) 32,000 miles (Japan, India, …) | + 12-28% |
| 2,751 – 5,000 miles | 45,000 miles | 58,000 miles | + 29% |
| 5,001 – 7,500 miles | 65,000 / 70,000 miles | 84,000 miles | + 20-29% |
| 7,501+ miles | 85,000 miles | 110,000 miles | + 29% |
Here’s a quick look at two particularly exciting sweet spots. While Cathay Pacific does charge fuel surcharges, they are usually in the range of €20 to €100, which is comparatively low. We have provided the price, including all taxes, fees, and surcharges.
Business Class Europe ↔ Hong Kong from 65,000 miles + €155 one way
Currently, award flights from Europe to Hong Kong cost 65,000 miles + taxes & fees. A connecting flight within Asia is possible at no additional cost as long as the total distance is under 7,500 miles.
Unfortunately, availability between Europe and Asia is currently quite poor. There are usually only a few last-minute dates available in the next few days, and otherwise, very few options.
However, the available dates (for direct flights) are displayed directly in the calendar after selecting the route + class. This is usually, but not always, correct:
Business Class Within Asia
Cathay miles are particularly attractive for flights within Asia. For routes up to 2,750 miles in distance, only 25,000 miles and surcharges starting at around €70 are required. In the future, depending on the destination, this will increase to 28,000 or 32,000 miles.
Here are a few examples:
- Tokyo – Hong Kong for 25,000 miles + €69
- Mumbai – Hong Kong for 25,000 miles + €83
- Seoul – Hong Kong – Taipei for 25,000 miles + €95
- Bangkok – Hong Kong – Singapore for 25,000 miles + €109
- Osaka – Hong Kong – Bangkok for 25,000 miles + €116
A few longer routes for 45,000 miles are also quite interesting, such as Tel Aviv – Hong Kong for 45,000 miles + HK$1,155 (~€138). In the future, the same flight would cost 58,000 miles.
Feel free to use our search form to be redirected to Asia Miles’ booking site: