Questions and Answers

Am super excited my wife and I are flying on AS points on CX from YVR to JFK in about 6 weeks. Right now we have one first class and one business class seat in each direction, and am hoping I”ll be able to upgrade the business class seat both ways as we get closer. Just a couple quick questions…..

1-My understanding is within 2 weeks of departure there will hopefully be seats that open up in 1st class if available. Right now there are 2 in each direction available (at least when I look at the seat map on CX when doing a dummy booking). In practice, do these seats become available at T-14 days, or is it hit or miss with a greater likelihood a day or two in advance? And are they released at a specific time each day (Like midnight Hong Kong time.)? I’ve been looking every few days just in case, but probably wasting my time this far out.

2-IIRC, I can’t use Expert Flyer to track CX flights? So does that mean best route is to look at Qantas or JAL website for availability?

Even though it’s a comparatively short flight I’m looking forward to this as it’s our first time in CX and no plans to fly to Asia in the near future, so this is probably our best option to experience CX. Thanks for the insights, just want to make sure I’m not missing out on a better way to try to snag these seats.

It’s a hit or miss. It’s more likely that it’ll be released for awards a day or two before, compared to two weeks before, but no guarantees. Furthermore AS has had a history of not being able to see all CX F space even if it’d available Keep checking on QF/JL and call Alaska

Thanks David! I’ll defini keep trying and cross my fingers!

I just flew cx in first from Ord to Hk with my two kids using alaska miles. They made three seats available a week in advance!! Monitored qf website to find them. Alaska miraculously could see all 3.

Our cabin still had 2 seats on sale right up to takeoff (outside of my horde) but never become award available.

I also tried to see a pattern of when seats are released but couldn’t seen it. Prob overnight in Hk.

Good luck! Note than cx business is great and flying together in first is quite an individual experience.

3 seats in CX F using AS miles is amazing! Honestly, there’s really not a pattern though generally they release an F seat at when the schedule opens and then one or two more very last minute. Anything in between is random.

[USER=29]@David W[/USER] – I know, couldn’t believe my eyes! Nor my ears, when the AS agent could see it too! I saw a few days with this availability.

Thanks for the report Mick! I’m hopeful a seat will open up each direction to move the J seat up to F. Worst case we’ll each get to experience J and F on CX!

I’m also tracking CX partner availability, but had been doing so on BA. Is QF now everybody’s go-to, more accurate than BA?

BA is still the easiest one to use, however I dont think they display space close to departure. So for seats about a week or less from departure, you might want to check QF or JL’s sites for space, if it’s not showing on BA. Or call American to find space.