Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Devaluation

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Changes will be a devaluation for many first class long haul award flights, especially for those used to booking round trip awards. The changes will take effect June 22, 2018, so you have less than a month to book at the current award rates.

New Asia Miles Award Chart for Cathay Pacific (Standard Rates)

New Asia Miles Award Chart for Cathay Pacific (Choice Rates)

Old Asia Miles Award Chart for Cathay Pacific, Until June 21, 2018

New Multi-Carrier oneworld Award Chart

Old Asia Miles Oneworld Multi-Carrier Award Chart

Analysis and Examples

Let's take some example of common routes, and see how they price currently, under the old award chart, and how they'd price with the new standard and choice award charts.

NYC-HKG-NYC, Cathay Pacific First Class

The distance between NYC and Hong Kong is 8072 miles, so roundtrip is 16,144. That makes this journey fall into E on the old award chart, and the Ultra-Long (Over 7501 miles) on the new award charts.

Old Award Chart: 220,000 Asia Miles
New Standard Award Chart: 250,000 Asia Miles
New Choice Award Chart: 375,000 Asia Miles

Even if you manage to book at the standard level, that's an increase of 30,000 miles for this roundtrip award.

LAX-HKG, Cathay Pacific First Class

The distance between LAX and Hong Kong is 7260 miles, so under the old award chart it's in band D, and in the new award chart, Long Type 2.

Old Award Chart: 105,000 Asia Miles
New Standard Award Chart: 110,000 Asia Miles
New Choice Award Chart: 165,000 Asia Miles

For this award it's just a 5000 Asia Miles increase over the old one way award pricing, although the roundtrip standard pricing is 40,000 more due to the old award chart savings for roundtrip awards, which is being eliminated on June 22, 2018.

HKG-SYD, Cathay Pacific Business Class

Hong Kong to Sydney is 4581 miles, so this is band C in the old chart and Medium in the new award chart.

Old Award Chart: 45,000 Asia Miles
New Standard Award Chart: 45,000 Asia Miles
New Choice Award Chart: 70,500 Asia Miles

This at least is remaining the same price, if you manage to get the standard award rate. As with the other awards, there is a devaluation when it comes to roundtrip pricing, however, as under the old chart a roundtrip would be 80,000 miles, and this is increasing to 90,000 miles as there won't be a discount for roundtrip awards.

AMM-DOH, Royal Jordanian Business Class and DOH-SYD, Qatar First Class

This itinerary is 8734 miles, placing it in Award Zone 6 for both the old Multi-Carrier award chart and the new chart. For First Class (since the DOH-SYD leg is in Qatar First) that will mean 35,000 more miles for this itinerary.

Old Oneworld Multi-Carrier Award Chart: 115,000 Asia Miles
New Standard Award Chart: 150,000 Asia Miles

HKG-HND, Cathay First Class, HND-JFK, JAL First Class, JFK-MIA, AA First Class

This routing is 9667 miles, placing it in Award Zone 7 for both the old Multi-Carrier award chart and the new chart. For First Class that will mean 30,000 more miles for this itinerary.

Old Oneworld Multi-Carrier Award Chart: 130,000 Asia Miles
New Standard Award Chart: 160,000 Asia Miles

Overall, if you only booked one way Cathay Pacific first class and business awards with Asia Miles, this is a mild devaluation, but if you used Asia miles for the less expensive round trip awards or for oneworld multi-carrier awards in premium cabins, this is most definitely a devaluation where you may be paying 30% or more miles for some itineraries.

Asia Miles Earning Changes

While there are earning changes that can be positive for those flying paid Cathay Pacific flights, most readers of this site are not flying many Cathay Pacific paid tickets. If you do, however, primarily fly paid Cathay Pacific tickets, especially Business Class and First Class, you're likely to view the changes as a positive and not a devaluation at all. That's because in general Asia Miles members will earn more for these paid first and business class flights (and even some economy flights, although in some cases it will be less).

New Asia Miles Earning Chart