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The increased bonus on this card has ended.
An increased signup bonus of up to 60,000 miles has been announced on the Cathay Pacific Visa Signature® card through June 30, 2018. The Cathay Pacific card is the only Asia Miles credit card available in the US and carries a $95 annual fee. This card is issued by Synchrony Bank, so you don't have to worry about 5/24, 2/3/4, 8/65, or any other weird application rules.
Improved Signup Bonus
The signup bonus is tiered and will set you back $10,000 in spending to earn a total of 60,000 Asia Miles:
- 35,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 in the first 90 days of account opening
- Earn a further 25,000 bonus miles after spending an additional $7,500 in the first 12 months of card membership
Maximizing your signup bonus will yield at least 70,000 miles (including the miles from meeting the spend requirement).
Key Features
- 2X Asia Miles per dollar spent with Cathay Pacific
- 1.5X Asia Miles per dollar spent on dining
- 1.5X Asia Miles per dollar spent on overseas transactions
- $95 annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Complimentary Green level membership to Cathay Pacific’s Marco Polo Club
Stand Out Card Features
The Cathay Pacific card has two standout features. First, the increased earning (1.5X) on overseas spend combined with no foreign transaction fees. This can be lucrative if a significant amount of your overseas spending does not qualify for bonus category spending with other cards.
Next, the Marco Polo Green membership entitles you to priority boarding, designated check-in counters, and 2 checked bags on flights to the Americas. You can purchase lounge access for 9,000 Asia Miles per person—although this is a poor use of miles, and there are much better options for lounge access. Maintaining your Green level membership costs $100 per year or 20 club points.
Redemption Options
Asia Miles awards are distance based and offer several sweet spots. Glancing at the Asia Miles Award Charts, you can redeem 70,000 miles for a one-way Business class fare from Hong Kong HKG to London LHR. Crossing the Atlantic, you can fly New York JFK to Paris CDG with American Airlines for 80,000 Asia Miles roundtrip in Business class.
Our Take
The Cathay Pacific Visa Signature® card can be beaten on earning in almost every case by other cards. However, it still offers a solid range of benefits and earnings for a card with a $95 annual fee. The Cathay Pacific card should appeal to Asia Miles flyers, who have a large overseas spend on non-bonus categories.
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