How and when to avoid $30,127 fares - for up to TWO travelers in First Class to Hong Kong and beyond
Imagine you've been navigating the maze of airline awards, searching for that one perfect opportunity — like a prospector panning for gold in a fast-moving stream. Then, just when you’re about to set the search aside, it appears: Cathay Pacific First Class seats for TWO travelers between Los Angeles or New York and Hong Kong. It’s a moment of triumph, like stumbling upon a secret passage in a treasure hunt.If you strike gold on just one leg of the journey, simply pair it with a Business Class seat for the other direction. After all, those who treat travel like an evolving puzzle — always tweaking and refining their itineraries — have the greatest success in elevating their experience.
This isn’t just a booking though — it’s a race to the finish line. After all, First Class tickets can top $30,127, and Business Class might set you back $9,441 per person for a round-trip. So, snagging an award seat at a fraction of the price is like taking home a gold medal without even breaking a sweat.
And if Hong Kong isn’t on your radar - or you don't live in Los Angeles or New York? No problem. A positioning flight can put you right where the action is.
Sample connecting flights from Hong Kong to all over Asia
Here’s a look at Cathay Pacific’s First Class two-seat availability:
[table_opt id="7064" style="gray-header" header_rows="2" width="default" alignment="thcenter" heading="thcenter" rows="tdcenter" responsive="no" /]Here’s a look at Cathay Pacific’s Business Class availability:
[table_opt id="7065" style="gray-header" header_rows="2" width="default" alignment="thcenter" heading="thcenter" rows="tdcenter" responsive="no" /]No Miles? No Problem
Cathay Pacific’s New York-Hong Kong route goes for 160,000 miles in First Class or 84,000 miles in Business Class from the West Coast and 110,000 miles from the East Coast, plus $80 in taxes each way. Cathay Pacific is a points-to-miles transfer partner with Amex, Capital One, and Citi. You can buy up to 500,000 points annually from Amex for 2.5 cents each and transfer them to Cathay Pacific.New York-Hong Kong First Class fares go for $30,127+ which means you save up to $21,967, or 73%, with miles. Business Class fares go for $9,441+ for a savings with miles of up to $6,611, or 70%.
Buy Cathay partner American Airlines miles when on sale: On Cathay’s New York-Hong Kong route, the First Class baseline fare goes for $30,127. You can buy up to 150,000 American Airlines miles if you need to top-off for about $3,668 when they’re on sale for about 2.4 cents each, and save up to $26,485, or 88%, on your next trip to Hong Kong. Note that taxes with the American Airlines loyalty program generally cost $67.
Or you can buy 110,000 miles for about $2,690, and save about $6,751, or 72% for Business Class.
We recommend that you only buy miles if you are confident there is availability that works for you unless you fly frequently and know you will use the miles eventually. Should availability shift, you can use those miles on a future trip.
And the best part? You didn’t pay a fortune for them. By transferring your Amex points to Cathay Pacific, you’ve unlocked a luxurious experience at a fraction of the price. Remember, sometimes all it takes is one day with available award seats. When opportunity knocks in the form of open award seats, be ready to jump.
Don't book backwards, and I'll see you up front.