Cathay Pacific Asia Miles: Easy methods to earn and redeem miles, elite standing and extra

Metro Loud
22 Min Read


Asia Miles is the loyalty program of Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific and HK Specific. These airways join Hong Kong with the world, as Cathay Pacific’s route community covers many main cities in Asia, Australia, Europe and North America.

The airline can also be a Oneworld member, so you possibly can earn and redeem miles with different main carriers like Alaska Airways, American Airways and British Airways. You need to use its Oneworld award chart to ebook round-the-world journeys on associate airways or get a stable deal on Cathay Pacific flights.

Additional, you possibly can earn Asia Miles with motels, automotive rental corporations, retail companions and this system’s cobranded bank card. Asia Miles can also be a switch associate of American Specific Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One and Citi ThankYou Rewards, so incomes miles in this system is straightforward.

There are numerous methods to redeem your miles, however we suggest concentrating on flight rewards. These offers you the very best worth per mile, particularly whenever you ebook tickets in premium cabins.

Right here is all the things it’s essential to learn about Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles program.

What are Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles companions?

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Cathay Pacific is a Oneworld member, which implies you possibly can earn and redeem Asia Miles with the next Oneworld airways:

  • Alaska Airways
  • American Airways
  • British Airways
  • Finnair
  • Fiji Airways
  • Iberia
  • Japan Airways
  • Malaysia Airways
  • Qantas
  • Qatar Airways
  • Royal Air Maroc
  • Royal Jordanian Airways
  • SriLankan Airways

Moreover, Asia Miles companions with a number of airways exterior the Oneworld alliance. Remember to learn the specifics of every partnership, as some could have restrictions on reciprocal mileage incomes and redeeming.

The non-Oneworld alliance companions embody:

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  • Air Canada (Star Alliance)
  • Air China (Star Alliance)
  • Air New Zealand (Star Alliance)
  • Austrian Airways (Star Alliance)
  • Bangkok Airways
  • Gulf Air
  • LATAM
  • Lufthansa (Star Alliance)
  • Shenzhen Airways (Star Alliance)
  • Swiss (Star Alliance)

Cathay Pacific elite standing

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Cathay Pacific has an elite standing program that awards frequent flyers advantages like lounge entry and advance seat reservations. These advantages could make the journey expertise smoother and extra luxurious when flying on any Oneworld service.

To earn standing with Cathay Pacific, you may want to achieve the next variety of standing factors per yr to improve or renew your elite standing:

  • Inexperienced: 0 factors
  • Silver: 300 factors
  • Gold: 600 factors
  • Diamond: 1,200 factors

Assembly the standing factors necessities can qualify you for considered one of Cathay’s standing tiers. You will earn standing factors whenever you fly on paid flights operated by Cathay Pacific or any of its companions. The variety of earned standing factors will depend on the airline you are flying with, the route you are flying and the category of service you are touring in.

You need to use this calculator on Cathay Pacific’s web site to calculate what number of standing factors you may earn.

CATHAY PACIFIC

Try the Cathay web site for extra data on elite standing tiers and their respective advantages.

Easy methods to earn Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

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You possibly can earn Asia Miles each on and off the aircraft — this is a take a look at all the very best methods you possibly can fill up on Asia Miles.

Earn Asia Miles by flying

If you fly with Cathay Pacific, you may earn Asia Miles based mostly on the fare class you are booked in and the zone you are flying to, not on how a lot you spend. Because of this longer flights in premium cabins will earn extra miles.

You possibly can view all incomes charges on the Asia Miles web site and use this system’s incomes calculator to cost out particular flights. For instance, I priced out a ticket from San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) to Hong Kong Worldwide Airport (HKG) within the W fare class (premium economic system), which usually begins round $2,100 round-trip. This ticket earns 7,500 Asia Miles one-way.

CATHAY PACIFIC

Flights on Cathay Pacific’s airline companions additionally earn miles based mostly on distance flown and fare class. You need to use the Cathay Pacific calculator to calculate the variety of Asia Miles you may earn on associate flights.

CATHAY PACIFIC

Earn Asia Miles whenever you keep at motels

You possibly can earn Asia Miles as a substitute of resort factors at 1000’s of motels worldwide, together with when staying at Accor, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott and IHG manufacturers. Look carefully at these incomes charges earlier than you choose to earn Asia Miles as a substitute of resort factors. Generally, you could discover that you just’re higher off incomes resort factors if you happen to can redeem them for high-end resort stays.

Associated: Easy methods to hold your airline, resort and rental automotive factors and miles from expiring

Convert resort factors to Asia Miles

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In case you have a stash of resort factors you need to unload, you possibly can switch them to Asia Miles. Once more, make sure the switch ratio is smart in your particular redemption.

Earn Asia Miles along with your favourite rental automotive firm

Asia Miles companions with quite a few rental automotive corporations, together with massive names like Avis, Hertz and Nationwide. Simply be aware that you just seemingly will not earn rental automotive factors if you happen to decide to earn Asia Miles in your automotive rental. Ensure that to evaluate which factors you worth extra earlier than you ebook your automotive.

Associated: Get monetary savings in your subsequent journey: Use these tricks to by no means pay full worth for a rental automotive

Use the Asia Miles bank card for purchases

Cathay Pacific gives a cobranded bank card within the U.S. in partnership with Synchrony Financial institution. The Cathay World Elite Mastercard® earns 3 miles per greenback spent on Cathay Pacific and HK Specific purchases, 2 miles per greenback spent on eating and eligible eating supply providers and 1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases.

Moreover, the cardboard is providing an elevated bonus of 38,000 miles after spending $3,000 along with your card within the first 90 days of account opening. You will additionally obtain a number of perks when flying Cathay Pacific, together with precedence check-in and boarding.

The data for the Cathay World Elite Mastercard has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.

Switch miles from bank card applications

Alternatively, you possibly can switch rewards from 4 applications with transferable currencies on to Asia Miles:

  • American Specific Membership Rewards
  • Bilt Rewards
  • Capital One
  • Citi ThankYou Rewards

Every has a switch ratio of 1:1, so 10,000 factors or miles equals 10,000 Asia Miles.

With bigger welcome bonuses and better incomes charges than the Cathay World Elite Mastercard, you could take into account a card that earns factors or miles you possibly can switch to Asia Miles as a substitute.

Listed below are a few of our favourite transferable rewards-earning playing cards:

  • American Specific® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards factors after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases with the cardboard inside the first six months of card membership.
  • The Platinum Card® from American Specific: Discover out your supply and see if you’re eligible to earn as excessive as 175,000 Membership Rewards factors after spending $8,000 on purchases with the cardboard within the first six months of card membership. Welcome gives range and also you is probably not eligible for a proposal.
  • Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
  • Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Playing cards: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

Easy methods to redeem Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

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In contrast to many U.S. carriers, Cathay Pacific has continued to cost award tickets based mostly on a normal award chart. This implies you are not topic to dynamic pricing, and awards on each Cathay Pacific and its companions might be redeemed at a predictable charge — so long as there’s open award house.

That stated, redeeming your miles is usually a bit complicated. The loyalty program has three totally different award charts that cowl various kinds of redemption. Here is a fast overview:

  • Asia Miles award chart: Costs award tickets on Cathay Pacific-operated flights.
  • Airline companions award chart: Costs award tickets on Oneworld and nonalliance associate carriers.
  • Oneworld multicarrier award chart: Costs multistop award tickets operated by two or extra Oneworld companions. You need to use this to construct round-the-world award tickets.

Observe that the airline does cross on gas surcharges, that are priced based mostly on area and never fare kind. Try Cathay’s up to date gas surcharge chart to seek out out the associated fee.

Ebook Cathay Pacific flights with Asia Miles

Whereas Cathay Pacific now not publishes an official award chart for its flights, it does have commonplace award pricing based mostly on the flight distance. Because of this you may pay extra Asia Miles for longer flights.

We ran a number of take a look at searches and located that awards needs to be priced in line with the next chart. This solely applies to award tickets the place Cathay Pacific is the one working airline.

Distance Economic system Premium economic system Enterprise class Firstclass
1 to 750 miles 7,000 11,000 16,000 25,000
751 to 2,750 miles (Sort 1) 9,000 20,000 28,000 43,000
751 to 2,750 miles (Sort 2) 13,000 23,000 32,000 50,000
2,751 to five,000 miles 20,000 38,000 58,000 90,000
5,001 to 7,500 miles 27,000 50,000 88,000 125,000
7,501-plus miles 38,000 75,000 115,000 160,000

You will discover that the 751- to 2,750-mile band has two costs. Sort 1 refers to itineraries beginning or ending in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal or Sri Lanka. All different locations on this distance band can be priced based mostly on Sort 2 pricing.

Ebook associate flights with Asia Miles

Asia Miles would not formally publish an airline associate award chart. All associate awards have a mileage surcharge on prime of Cathay Pacific awards of the identical size.

For instance, Cathay costs 7,000 miles for a flight as much as 750 miles in size by itself steel, however reserving a flight of this size on associate airline Alaska Airways requires 10,000 miles, reflecting the associate mileage surcharges.

CATHAY PACIFIC

To determine the associate award pricing, you may want to go looking on Cathay Pacific’s web site. Simply enter your origin, vacation spot and airline. You’ll then see the pricing for all obtainable cabins. Observe that choose companions are usually not eligible for on-line bookings.

Ebook award tickets on-line

You possibly can ebook award tickets operated wholly by Cathay Pacific on-line. Simply head to the award redemption web page and register. Enter your search standards on the heart of the display, and click on the “Search flights” button to provoke your search.

CATHAY PACIFIC

Nonetheless, the method for really reserving award tickets is a bit difficult. You possibly can solely ebook tickets for sure companions on-line. The next airways present award house and needs to be bookable on the Asia Miles web site:

  • Air China
  • Alaska Airways
  • British Airways
  • Cathay Pacific
  • Finnair
  • Iberia
  • Japan Airways
  • LATAM
  • Malaysia Airways
  • Qantas
  • Qatar Airways
  • Royal Jordanian
  • S7 Airways
  • SriLankan Airways

Should you’re hoping to ebook considered one of these airways, comply with the instructions above for reserving a Cathay Pacific award ticket. If not, comply with our information to looking for Oneworld award house to seek out the award ticket you’d wish to ebook. Then, name Asia Miles whenever you’re able to ebook.

Ebook a round-the-world ticket with the Oneworld multicarrier award chart

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You possibly can ebook a round-the-world ticket for comparatively few miles utilizing this chart. These awards are priced based mostly on the space flown and your cabin of journey. You possibly can ebook these awards in any class you would like, together with first-class. Here is a take a look at pricing:

CATHAY PACIFIC

The routing guidelines are fairly easy:

  • You are allowed a most of 5 stopovers, plus two transfers and two open jaws.
  • You possibly can fly as much as 50,000 miles.
  • You should return to the unique level of departure.
  • You should fly at the very least two Oneworld companions, not together with Cathay Pacific or Cathay Dragon.
  • You possibly can’t add nonalliance companions to a multicarrier award.
  • You can’t journey in premium economic system.

To ebook considered one of these tickets, discover award house and guarantee your ticket meets all of the restrictions. Then, name Asia Miles to ebook.

Use Asia Miles for upgrades and companion awards

You may as well use your miles to improve paid Cathay Pacific flights or take a companion with you in your journey. Here is a take a look at the companion award chart:

CATHAY PACIFIC

And this is the improve award chart:

CATHAY PACIFIC

Redeem Asia Miles for merchandise and different journey

You may as well use your Asia Miles for merchandise, resort stays and different nonair journey redemptions. That stated, that is hardly ever a good suggestion. You nearly all the time get a decrease cent-per-point worth when in comparison with reserving premium airfare; in some circumstances, you get lower than half of TPG’s June 2025 valuation of 1.3 cents per mile.

Our recommendation is to skip these redemptions if you happen to can. They supply poor worth, particularly if you happen to journey usually and might use your Asia Miles for future flights.

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles candy spots

Cathay Pacific first- and business-class flights

Unsurprisingly, utilizing Asia Miles for Cathay Pacific tickets is usually a whole lot. Whereas the loyalty program would not have the world’s finest pricing on Cathay Pacific awards, you possibly can nonetheless rating a stable deal on premium cabin tickets, particularly if you happen to’re departing from the West Coast.

Here is a take a look at Asia Miles’ one-way award pricing from U.S. locations to its hub at HKG:

Route Economic system award worth Premium economic system worth Enterprise-class award worth First-class award worth
Boston Logan Worldwide Airport (BOS) to HKG 38,000 miles 75,000 miles 115,000 miles 160,000 miles
Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD) to HKG 38,000 miles 75,000 miles 115,000 miles 160,000 miles
Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX) to HKG 27,000 miles 50,000 miles 88,000 miles 125,000 miles
New York’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) to HKG 38,000 miles 75,000 miles 115,000 miles 160,000 miles
SFO to HKG 27,000 miles 50,000 miles 88,000 miles 125,000 miles

Observe that business- and first-class award availability throughout the Pacific might be very troublesome to seek out.

Spherical-the-world tickets with the Oneworld multicarrier award chart

The Oneworld multicarrier award chart might be extraordinarily beneficial for reserving round-the-world tickets on Oneworld carriers. You need to use these awards to ebook a ticket with as much as 5 stopovers. These tickets span a number of areas in case your ticket is 50,000 miles or fewer.

Remember to permit loads of time and suppleness to plan and ebook a round-the-world itinerary.

British Airways award tickets

Asia Miles costs decrease gas surcharges than different Oneworld companions on British Airways award tickets — even in premium cabins. Chances are you’ll pay barely extra miles than when reserving with different carriers, however the money financial savings could also be sufficient to warrant the upper miles value.

For instance, you possibly can fly round-trip from JFK to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) in British Airways enterprise class for 126,000 Asia Miles and $818 with no peak/off-peak pricing.

CATHAY PACIFIC

Reserving by way of the American Airways AAdvantage program would set you again 115,000 miles plus almost $1,783 in taxes and charges. British Airways Membership provides related surcharges, although you might be able to decrease these prices by redeeming further Avios.

Should you’re transferring factors or miles to ebook a British Airways ticket, you should definitely evaluate the award pricing by way of British Airways and Cathay Pacific; the latter could supply comparable award costs with fewer taxes and charges.

Backside line

Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles program is probably not in your radar as the very best program for incomes (and redeeming) rewards within the Oneworld alliance. Whereas it is not good, there are some glorious offers available. You will get the very best offers when redeeming for Cathay Pacific flights from the West Coast to Hong Kong and multicarrier round-the-world tickets, particularly if you happen to ebook in premium cabins.

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