AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. Terms Apply to the offers listed on this page. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
So often we hear about program devaluations and in an age of grim news, it’s nice to point out aspects of a program that increase its value. This is precisely the case with Alaska making Cathay Pacific and select LATAM award flights bookable online through its website.
While this addition doesn't directly increase Alaska miles value, Alaska's simplification of the process of booking with these partners makes it easier to take advantage of these sweet spots. Gone are the days of having to find a flight with the award space you want to book, then calling Alaska with that information to complete the booking.
That's great news because — let’s be honest — who wants to use a phone to make calls anymore?
Alaska Award Chart for Cathay Pacific
Booking Cathay Pacific flights using Alaska miles can be an incredible value. Here are some examples of what you can expect for one-way business and first class flights to/from the U.S.:
- Asia: 50k miles in business or 70k miles for first
- Australia or New Zealand: 60k miles for business or 80k miles in first
- Africa, India, South Asia, or the Middle East: 62.5k miles for business or upgrade to first class for just 70k miles each way.
Alaska partner bookings are region-based, so this rate will be the same for any city in the U.S. you originate from. However, you can only combine Cathay Pacific award flights with domestic U.S. flights on Alaska Airways. You can't combine awards operated on two different partners (e.g. American Airlines and Cathay Pacific)
50k points for one-way business class awards to Asia is a steal when this flight can cost upwards of $5,000 or more.
Finding Cathay Pacific Award Availability via Alaska
Award availability can be difficult to find, but searching with Alaska’s month-view calendar and selecting the preferred fare class makes it easier to search. You can also use the American Airlines calendar view to get a good look at what is available.
One thing to note is that Cathay Pacific flies the A350 on most of its U.S. routes, and these planes do not offer a first-class product. There is a chance that will change in 2023. So, if you’re looking to fly Cathay First Class bookmark this article to keep this redemption on your radar.
Another benefit of booking with Alaska miles is that you can add a stopover in Hong Kong on any international award ticket. Stop off in HKG for as long as you’d like on your way to Singapore at the same 50k-mile rate. Use the multi-city option to book a stopover.
Alaska Award Chart for LATAM
LATAM award flights can now be booked with Alaska Mileage Plan online for select regions. Here are the destinations you can now book at alaskaair.com:
- Between South America and the US, Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, and Canada: starting at 25,000 miles in economy or 45,000 in business
- Between two cities in South America: 12,500 miles in economy or 25,000 in business
- South America to/from Easter Island: 22,500 miles in economy or 35,000 in business
Booking a one-way flight will also open the opportunity to add a stop-over with LATAM at no extra charge. Use the multi-city option when starting your search to book a stopover.
Since LATAM left the Oneworld alliance, it's no longer part of an alliance. So, booking with Alaska miles can present a rare way to book LATAM awards.
Final Thoughts
The best ways to earn Alaska miles are with Alaska Airlines personal and business cards. The only major transferable points program that transfers to Alaska is Marriott Bonvoy. However, the transfer rate is not favorable at 3 Marriott points to every 1 Alaska mile.
Alaska announced changes are coming to their partner awards later this year. So, if you find something that fits your travel plans, don't wait to book!
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Wow, finally. Don’t know why it so hard for Alaska to show partner award tickets online. Hate having to call and manually go through with an agent what options there are.