NOTE: Before getting started here, it’s worth mentioning that you can only use Marco Polo Club points to upgrade from Economy to Business for flights that don’t have the intermediate Premium Economy Class. In other words, you can’t upgrade two levels (Economy»Premium»Business) this way. Enroll for the Marco Polo Club at https://www. cathaypacific. com/cx/en_HK/frequent-flyers/about-the-club/join-marco-polo-club. html. You must earn 20 points each year or pay an additional $100 USD to maintain your Green level membership. [2] X Research source But a single 1,200 mi (1,900 km) flight from Hong Kong to Beijing in Economy Class can earn you up to 20 points, so the threshold is pretty easy to reach. [3] X Research source

Your points reset every year (on the anniversary of your initial signup), so you have to earn 600 points each year to stay in Gold, for example. This also means you have to make sure to use your points before they expire!

Book up to four Economy (not Economy Light) tickets on one Cathay Pacific flight, one ticket on four flights, or another combination thereof. (Choose flights with no Premium Economy level if you want to be able to upgrade from Economy to Business). At least three days before your departure date, log into your Marco Polo Club account and check your “mid-tier benefits” page for your upgrade offer. Select “Request a Bookable Upgrade,” fill in your flight details, and wait for a confirmation email. Contact Cathay Pacific if you don’t get this email in short order.

Provide your Asia Miles membership info each time you book a flight in order to earn miles. See the entire list of participating airlines at https://www. asiamiles. com/en/earn-miles/airlines. html. NOTE: It’s important to mention at the start here that, like with Marco Polo Club points, you can only use Asia Miles to upgrade from Economy to Business on Cathay Pacific flights that don’t have a Premium Economy Class. Otherwise, you can only upgrade from Economy to Premium Economy or from Premium Economy to Business.

12500 Asia Miles for a flight of up to 750 mi (1,210 km). 17000 Asia Miles for a flight of up to 2,750 mi (4,430 km). 28000 Asia Miles for a flight of up to 5,000 mi (8,000 km). 41000 Asia Miles for a “Type 1” flight of up to 7,500 mi (12,100 km), or 43000 Asia Miles for a similar “Type 2” flight. 48000 Asia Miles for a flight of over 7,500 mi (12,100 km).

Just another reminder: you can only jump from Economy to Business if the flight lacks the intermediate Premium Economy Class. You can only ever use Asia Miles to upgrade one level. [10] X Research source

You might also be invited to bid for an upgrade by Cathay Pacific. If you’re interested in getting these invites, make sure you provide an accurate email address that you check often when buying a ticket. [11] X Research source NOTE: As with Asia Miles and Marco Polo Club points, you can only use Upgrade Bid to jump up one level. So you can’t go from Economy to Business Class unless your flight lacks the intermediate Premium Economy Class.

If you decide that you want to raise, lower, or cancel your bid, you can keep making adjustments until 50 hours before your flight’s listed departure time. [13] X Research source When using Upgrade Bid, you’re bidding against other Cathay Pacific ticket holders for available upgrades on your particular flight. Cathay Pacific is frustratingly vague about their bid evaluation criteria, but it’s safe to assume that the higher your bid, the better your odds of success. [14] X Research source

In rare instances you may not be informed of a successful bid until the day before your flight. You won’t be charged anything if your bid is unsuccessful. You also won’t be notified by Cathay Pacific.

In addition to the difference in ticket price, expect some associated upgrade fees. Discuss these with your Cathay Pacific contact or travel agent. Global contact information for Cathay Pacific is available at https://www. cathaypacific. com/cx/en_HK/contact-us. html. NOTE: This method is your only option if you want to upgrade from Economy to Business on a flight that also has the intermediate Premium Economy class. You can’t do that kind of two-level upgrade (Economy»Premium Economy»Business) using Marco Polo Club points, Asia Miles, or Upgrade Bid.

Improve your odds by arriving at the airport well ahead of your flight—this is often an “early bird gets the worm” situation!

If you’re 30 minutes into a flight from Chicago to Hong Kong and discover that your seat is super uncomfortable, you may decide it’s worth the $7000 difference to sit in luxury for the remaining 15 hours of the flight (and the 15-plus hours on the return flight). The longer you wait, of course, the smaller your chances of snagging a seat in Business Class.

Join Cathay Pacific’s Marco Polo Club. Even if you don’t have enough points to earn an upgrade, being a club member may give you a better chance of snagging a “courtesy” discount than if you’re a non-member. Volunteer to take a different flight. If you have the flexibility to take either an earlier or later flight, you might ease an overbooking situation and be rewarded with a discounted upgrade. Fly solo. Your odds of snagging a discounted upgrade for a single ticket are already slim, and will become practically non-existent if you try to get discounts for multiple tickets.