Although Avios are a British Airways Club currency, you can use them with other airlines beyond just BA. Thanks to BA's membership in the oneworld alliance, members can book flights with the Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific as well.
Here's everything you need to know about using Avios with Cathay Pacific flights.
Using Avios on Cathay Pacific Reduces Your Taxes
Before going into the “how” of booking Cathay Pacific airfare with Avios, let’s first understand one of its key benefits: you can save on taxes when you book flights with the airline via a European city. To understand the potential tax differences, let's explore the costs associated with a Business Class flight with British Airways from London to Hong Kong.
For a one-way Business Class ticket from London to Hong Kong using British Airways, you'd typically use 75,000 Avios and pay £367.12 in taxes. Booking a return ticket during off-peak times would total 150,000 Avios and £583.06 in taxes. However, if you book the outbound and return legs as separate one-way tickets, the return journey from Hong Kong to London would only incur £35.44 in taxes, reducing the total taxes to £402.56, saving you £180.50.
Now, let's compare it with using Avios for a Cathay Pacific redemption to see which option offers better value. When redeeming Avios for Cathay Pacific flights, you generally have two choices: book directly from the UK to Hong Kong or from a European city like Amsterdam due to better seat availability and less competition. Cathay Pacific's high-quality Business and First Class seats are highly sought after and often sell out faster than similar classes on British Airways, so travellers often choose flights from cities with no major oneworld partners, like Amsterdam.
Flying out of Amsterdam shows better availability and lower taxes — only £78.50 compared to higher rates from the UK. However, this option does use an additional 15,000 Avios due to the constant peak pricing by British Airways. You also need to consider the cost of getting to Amsterdam, which involves 9,000 Avios and £25 if flying Club Europe from London to Amsterdam. By spending 24,000 Avios during off-peak times and adding three hours to your travel time, you can save £263.62, which equals to a value of 1.1p per Avios point used.
How to Book Cathay Pacific Flights with Avios
1. Login to BA Club
Start your booking process by logging into your British Airways Club account, previously known as the British Airways Executive Club, on the BA website.
2. Navigate to Booking
Once logged in, navigate to the Avios booking tool. Enter your travel details, such as departure and arrival destinations, travel dates, and preferred class of travel. Be sure to check the box that allows you to search for flights booked with Avios to see availability.
3. Select Flights
This involves flexibility and a bit of strategy. Since availability on Cathay Pacific can vary based on the route and time of year, it may help to be flexible with your travel dates. If your preferred options are limited, consider starting your journey from less popular airports or cities. When flights are available, they will be listed along with the amount of Avios required for booking.
4. Confirm
Confirm your booking details after selecting your flight. Review the flight times, the Avios cost, and applicable taxes or fees. Once everything looks correct, finalise your booking. You'll receive a confirmation email with all your travel details. Make sure to review this for accuracy and save it for your records. If your plans change, Cathay Pacific Avios bookings follow the same cancellation and change rules as BA, which allows flexibility up to 24 hours before departure.
How To Earn Avios on Cathay Pacific Flights
When you travel on a Cathay Pacific airfare, the Avios points earned depend on the type of fare and the class you fly in. Here’s the breakdown of Avios earned based on the miles you travel:
- Economy Lowest (Fare Classes K, L, M, N, Q, S, V): Earns 25% of the miles flown.
- Economy Low (Fare Classes Y, B, H): Earns 100% of the miles flown.
- Premium Economy Lowest (Fare Classes R, E): Also earns 100% of the miles flown.
- Premium Economy Flexible (Fare Class W): Earns 110% of the miles flown.
- Business (Fare Classes J, C, D, I, P): Earns 125% of the miles flown.
- First Class (Fare Classes F, A): Earns 150% of the miles flown.
Remember that a minimum of 500 Avios is guaranteed per flight, although this may be less for certain discounted economy fares.
Example Calculations:
- Business Class Travel: For a journey covering 2,000 miles in Business Class, you would accumulate: 2,000 miles × 125% = 2,500 Avios
- Economy Lowest Class Travel: For the same distance in the lowest Economy class, you would accumulate: 2,000 miles × 25% = 500 Avios
Tip: Tools like the Great Circle Mapper can be used to determine your flight distance.
How to Collect Tier Points on Cathay Pacific Flights
The number of Tier Points you earn also depends on your ticket's cabin class:
Tier Points by Cabin Class:
- Economy (Discounted): Generally, earns fewer Tier Points, varying by fare.
- Economy (Flexible): Receives the standard allocation of Tier Points.
- Premium Economy (Lowest and Flexible): Receives a higher allocation than standard Economy.
- Business Class: Benefits from an even higher allocation.
- First Class: Receives the maximum allocation of Tier Points.
Other Points to Keep in Mind
The British Airways' 2,000-Mile Rule
British Airways' 2000-Mile Rule states that for flights shorter than 2,000 miles, the Tier Points awarded differ from those for longer flights. This typically results in fewer Tier Points for short-haul travel in the same cabin class.
Companion Voucher
The British Airways 2-4-1 Companion Voucher cannot be used when you fly Cathay Pacific. This might influence your decision to use Avios for solo trips or if you've already used your Companion Voucher.
Avios Tier Bonuses
When flying Cathay Pacific, no additional Avios tier bonuses are granted for holding a status in the British Airways Club. Bronze, Silver, and Gold members will not receive extra points beyond the calculated mileage percentages.
Avios Costs for Cathay Pacific Flights
Generally, the same number of Avios points are required to book Cathay Pacific and British Airways flights on peak travel days. However, some variations on off-peak days could present savings opportunities. The Avios cost for flights on Cathay Pacific can differ slightly due to variations in demand, specific routes, and seasonal changes. On peak days, the cost of Avios remains high and consistent with high-demand periods. In contrast, off-peak periods might offer lower rates, making them more attractive for Avios users looking for value.
Starting from Different European Cities
In addition to reducing the Avios cost and the monetary costs associated with taxes and fees, starting your journey from different European cities can also increase seat availability, especially in premium cabins, which may be booked more quickly from popular departure points like London. You might be able to find better availability and more advantageous redemption options by starting a trip from cities like Amsterdam or Madrid.
Flying out of different European cities can also help you avoid the UK's higher Air Passenger Duty (APD), which is not applicable when departing from other European countries. This can help save more, especially on long-haul Business or First Class flights, where the APD contributes a considerable portion of ticket taxes and fees.
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Final Thoughts
With a bit of planning and know-how, your Avios can take you further than you thought. Using Avios for Cathay Pacific flights is a smart strategy to stretch your travel dollars further, and with the potential for savings on taxes and more affordable routes, it's an attractive option for travelling to Asia.
