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Cathay Pacific's loyalty program, Asia Miles, has announced a new transfer bonus for targeted members. Through the end of January 2021, you can transfer bank points to your Asia Miles account and receive up to a 15% bonus. However, this transfer bonus works a bit differently than most. You'll need to register for the promotion to find out what bonus you're targeted for.
Often overlooked, Asia Miles can provide fantastic value, particularly on select Oneworld partner redemptions. Let's take a look at the details of this promotion and some of the opportunities it could present.
Asia Miles Transfer Bonus Key Terms
- We recommend that you first register for this promotion before transferring points.
- Asia Miles will reveal what transfer bonus you get upon registration.
- For loyalty members in the U.S., transfer Amex Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points, Capital One Miles, or Brex Points to Asia Miles and receive up to 15% bonus miles.
- This bonus is available for point conversions initiated from December 28, 2020 through 23:59 (GMT+8) January 31, 2021.
- Asia Miles will credit your bonus miles to your account within 8 to 10 weeks after the end date of the promotion.
- Points conversions are non-reversible, non-refundable, and non-transferable.
- There is no limit to the number of points you can convert to Asia Miles through this promotion.
- See this link for the full terms and conditions.
Although Asia Miles doesn't require you to register before transferring points, it certainly makes things simpler. That's because after registering, you'll receive an email confirmation like this:
You can use this email confirmation to prove you registered if you somehow don't receive your bonus miles after converting points. Just be sure to alert Asia Miles to your missing bonus miles by May 31, 2021.
As with other transfer bonuses executed on the airline side, when you complete a qualifying transfer, you'll end up with two transactions: the initial transfer amount and the 10–15% bonus. Initial transfer times can be anywhere from immediate (Amex and Citi) to 4/5 days (Capital One).
Unfortunately, you may have to wait a bit for your bonus miles. Asia Miles pledges to deposit the miles 8–10 weeks after the promotion is over. However, reports indicate that it hasn't necessarily taken that long in the past. In any case, don't expect your bonus to appear immediately following your initial transfer.
Lucrative Asia Miles Redemption Options
Asia Miles utilizes a distance-based award chart for Cathay Pacific flights, partner-operated flights, and multi-stop itineraries operated by Oneworld partners. At first glance, it's difficult to decipher where the sweet spots might be. But after tinkering with the award calculator tool a bit, you're liable to find some fun idiosyncrasies, including the ability to search award space much further in advance than other programs.
Let's take a look at a few of our favorite Asia Miles redemptions to see what they'd look like with a 15% transfer bonus.
Los Angeles to Hong Kong in Cathay Pacific Business Class
One of the best ways to use Asia Miles is (unsurprisingly) for award redemptions on Cathay Pacific flights.
For example, a one-way business class award from Los Angeles to Hong Kong typically requires 70,000 Asia Miles. That's an easy number to remember since it's the same number of miles required when booking the flight with AA miles. However, if you were targeted for a 15% bonus, you can now book this flight for as little as 61,000 points.
Fly Qatar Qsuite from Perth to Atlanta
Another quirk of the Asia Miles program is that the award chart tops out at journeys of 7,500 miles or more. Translation: you can book an itinerary that's twice that distance for the same price.
This peculiarity lends itself great to redemptions on Qatar Airways, as it favors ultra-long-haul flights on a route network that stretches across the globe. With Asia Miles, it's even possible to book a one-way Qatar itinerary from Perth to Atlanta via Doha—a journey of over 13,000 miles!
If you're going to fly for that long, you may as well do it in style. That's why I'd recommend opting for business class. Both segments are currently operated by aircraft featuring Qsuite, arguably the best business class product in the sky.
This ultra-mega-long haul itinerary goes for 90,000 Asia Miles. But with a 15% bonus, you could book this once-in-a-lifetime redemption for only 79,000 Membership Rewards or ThankYou Points.
Chicago to Syndey via Japan
Getting to Australia from the U.S. can be tough when it comes to award availability. A common remedy for this is to route yourself through Asia first, opening the door for much more award availability.
Besides Cathay Pacific, one of the best airlines to do this with is Japan Airlines (JAL for short). It's known for a great onboard product, often making premium-class travelers thankful for the extra travel hours.
Chicago to Sydney is another redemption that falls firmly in the top tier of Asia Miles' award chart. That means it costs 90,000 miles in business class.
With a 10% or 15% transfer bonus, that drops the price to 82,000 and 79,000 miles respectively. Not bad for nearly 24 hours in an incredible product.
Bottom Line
Asia Miles is offering loyalty members up to 15% bonus miles for converting bank points through the end of January. Unfortunately, the bonus points won't post immediately. So, you'll either have to wait before completing any booking or transfer enough points in the original transfer and use the bonus miles later on.
While a 15% transfer bonus is certainly compelling, the fact that you have to wait almost kills the deal for me. I don't tend to convert points speculatively So, when I do, it's because I have my eye on that perfect redemption. If it takes weeks to get the bonus, the award availability I'm eyeing could easily disappear in the meantime.
If you anticipate making an award booking with Asia Miles sometime this year, a 15% transfer bonus could really increase your point value. Otherwise, think carefully before you transfer your points without a plan.
Will you transfer points to Asia Miles with a 15% bonus?
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Considering the low bonus and the fact that you do not reedem the mails directly with the ariline (the same as Multiplus with LATAM for example), i would definitely would not go with it.
If this third party happens to change the terms without notice, you may find yourself in (sort of) troubles.
70,000 Asia miles on Cathay Pacific LAX-HKG in business… or 70,000 Alaska miles for the same route, but in First class… (50,000 AS in business).
Looks like all the FF programs are trying to bring in cash by offering transfer bonuses. Asia Miles have now joined Krisflyer in offering a 15% transfer bonus
No. At this point, there isn’t much prospect for intercontinental travel in 2021.
Cathay Pacific is worldwide recognized as one of the best airlines. This point transfer seems really good for their customers.
This is a great deal! I got a targeted 10% transfer bonus.
Seems like a low bonus, would not go out of my way.