Qantas will begin codesharing on selected Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights from October, allowing Qantas Frequent Flyer members to earn a full serve of Qantas Points and status credits on those journeys.
While Cathay Pacific is already a Oneworld alliance partner to Qantas, Qantas Frequent Flyer members currently pocket points and status credits at vastly reduced 'partner' rates, and in some cases no points at all, when taking Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights.
However, by booking one of the eligible Cathay flights under its Qantas codeshare QF flight number, those points and status credits earning rates rocket up to the same amount as on board a red-tailed Qantas aircraft.
Qantas codeshares on these Cathay flights...
Within Australia the partnership is limited to Cathay Pacific's flights from Perth and Cairns to Hong Kong – Cathay's other routes such Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide will not carry a QF flight number, and so travellers can earn Qantas Points and status credits only at the current low rates.
Beyond Hong Kong, Qantas codeshares will be available on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights to Bangalore, Calcutta, Chennai, Colombo, Danang, Delhi, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Mumbai and Yangon.
All of those can be booked in connection with a Qantas-operated or Qantas/Cathay codeshare flight to Hong Kong, with bookings available for sale from October 22 for travel from October 28.
Cathay codeshares on these Qantas flights...
Cathay Pacific will in turn codeshare on 13 of Qantas' domestic routes, allowing its own Marco Polo Club members to earn more Club Points on those flights.
Those routes include flights between Sydney and Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Cairns and Alice Springs; also between Melbourne and Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Hobart and Cairns; plus between Brisbane and Cairns and Townsville; and on flights between Darwin and Perth.
How the fares compare: Qantas (QF) vs Cathay Pacific (CX)
Let's say you're booking onto the longest flight of the bunch, from Perth to Hong Kong aboard Cathay Pacific.
Reserve that flight under the Cathay Pacific CX flight number, and you can currently earn points and status credits as the following rates as a Qantas Frequent Flyer member, per one-way flight:
- Business class (J, C, D, I fares): 4,700 Qantas Points + 120 status credits
- Premium economy (W, R, E fares): 4,125 Qantas Points + 60 status credits
- Flexible economy (Y fares): 3,750 Qantas Points + 60 status credits
- Economy (B, H, K, L, M, V fares): 1,875 Qantas Points + 30 status credits
- Discount economy (S, N, Q, O and other fares): No Qantas Points or status credits awarded
Those rates will continue from October for those who carry on booking directly with Cathay Pacific on the CX flight number, but if you start booking those tickets via Qantas with a QF code, here's what you'll be able to earn instead:
- Flexible business class (J, C fares): 8,750 Qantas Points + 135 status credits
- Business class (D fares): 8,125 Qantas Points + 125 status credits
- Discount business class (I fares): 7,500 Qantas Points + 120 status credits
- Flexible premium economy (W fares): 6,900 Qantas Points + 70 status credits
- Premium economy (R fares): 6,250 Qantas Points + 65 status credits
- Discount premium economy (T fares): 5,000 Qantas Points + 60 status credits
- Flexible economy (Y, B, H fares): 5,000 Qantas Points + 60 status credits
- Economy (G, K, L, M, S, V fares): 3,750 Qantas Points + 40 status credits
- Discount economy (E, N, O, Q fares): 2,500 Qantas Points + 30 status credits
Across all fare types, you'd earn more points when booking a Qantas QF flight number than when booking a Cathay Pacific CX flight, and in most cases, will earn status credits at higher rates, too – especially when stuck in economy, where Qantas awards these on all paid fare types, while Cathay Pacific offers them only on higher-priced tickets.
Similar gains apply across Qantas' broader codeshare network with Cathay Pacific, and although Qantas Gold and Platinum frequent flyers can already access lounges when flying Cathay Pacific, booking a QF codeshare flight opens the door for Qantas Club members to access Qantas-operated lounges (where available) when travelling on the same – a perk not available with a CX flight number on your ticket.
The ability to upgrade to premium economy and business class using Qantas Points aboard Cathay Pacific flights is not being introduced as part of this codeshare deal, including when travelling on a QF flight number.
Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
12 Feb 2015
Total posts 89
Have often wondered about the lack of cooperation between QF and CX, and whether there really is some emnity. While there would obviously be competition concerns about coordinated arrangements on sectors from Australia to HKG where QF and CX currently compete, the potential for these OneWorld partners to codeshare beyond HKG and on Australian domestic flights has seemed obvious.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 780
Cast your mind back to Jetstar Hong Kong. CX wasn't too keen on that.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Sep 2012
Total posts 382
These codeshare routes in Asia are not great, I'll stick to SQ on all my India flights thanks. Codeshare where I need it is HKG-TPE.
20 Jun 2014
Total posts 59
Nice! As a CX MPO member, I'm actually interested in the reverse. Until now there's been little MPO benefit to booking Qantas domestic flights, sometimes even flex fares get zero credit. Will be interesting to see whether all Qantas domestic flights get a CX codeshare or only those that connect directly with CX services.
Cathay Pacific - The Marco Polo Club
11 Jun 2018
Total posts 25
I agree with you. Only Flexible economy fare on Qantas metal can earn MPC points. It is really a pity.
23 May 2018
Total posts 6
I expect you can only book the domestics with a CX number as part of a booking flying from HKG.
20 May 2015
Total posts 579
Part of me thinks this may have something to do with how Emirates is looking to take over Etihad.
So the three big players on the Kangaroo Routes thus become...
1. QF/CX
2. EK/EY
3. SQ/VA
Would EK/EY keep EY's deal with Virgin Australia for domestic traffic? If not, that would be a pretty big handicap.
04 May 2015
Total posts 261
Because that's not over-thinking things at all...........
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1031
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1031
Did QF have codeshares with CX before the EK link up? They restored the AF and some of the BA codeshares when the EK deal was renewed.
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2424
Qantas used to codeshare on Cathay Pacific's Hong Kong-Rome flights - those ended around the time of the Emirates partnership.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
22 Jul 2015
Total posts 219
Better than nothing. If they can do a full share on the Syd, HK to LHR route then I'm onto it in a flash. HK is a great place to transit. Living in hope
12 Feb 2015
Total posts 89
Don't hold your breath - that would be in direct competition with Qantas' own services to LHR!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
22 Jul 2015
Total posts 219
True. I guess over capacity is an issue but it would be nice to see QF to Europe via HK.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Jul 2013
Total posts 203
It'd be great to see QF codeshares on CX services from HKG to IAD, BOS, SEA and ORD! How wonderful would it be to fly from Australia to HKG on QF metal and then onward on CX metal to one of these cities without having to transit through LAX or DFW for a connection onto an AA domestic flight?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Mar 2015
Total posts 94
Yes! Same with CX to Toronto,
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
11 Dec 2017
Total posts 50
This move appears to have been spurred on by JetAirways expected demise, QF seems to place a heavy weighting on using the codeshare for destinations in the subcontinent.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
16 Apr 2013
Total posts 29
Adelaide gets forgotten by Qantas once again.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
03 Oct 2016
Total posts 10
Excellent news.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Jan 2014
Total posts 320
I thought the same thing but looking at flight times we can’t get to CNS from TSV to catch the CNS service without an overnight in CNS anyway, so unfortunately nothing gained, and the QF flights via BNE are excellent value at the moment.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jun 2015
Total posts 38
You can fly as late as the 11:30 am out of TSV to CNS to get the HKG flight. My wife and kids did this just 3 days ago.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Jan 2014
Total posts 320
They must have different times on different days, the flights I was looking at in Dec had a 08.05 departure out of CNS, no flight out of TSV will allow for that connection and at $441 on QF via BNE is excellent value.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jun 2015
Total posts 38
Yes it appears their schedule will times and capacity from 29/10/18. - CX146 departs 08:20 Su; Mo; Thu only.
03 May 2013
Total posts 684
1st EK now CX, Mr Joyce has certainly had to swallow some humble pride. A premium routing all the way through now to those destinations.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Nov 2013
Total posts 27
Great news for us in Perth. Cathay are the only airline that flies non-stop between our two cities.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Jan 2016
Total posts 4
OK, good deal from PER-HKG, but if i want (need!) to fly to CX destinations in China, not served by QF, it seems like it is not happening. Seems like a lost opportunity?
07 Oct 2012
Total posts 1250
Qantas cannot codeshare on CX flights into mainland China. They can certainly fly you from HKG to China on a CX or Dragonair code and there is nothing to indicate that they won't offer that.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Nov 2016
Total posts 130
Long time overdue. A smart move.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 May 2014
Total posts 463
Codeshare on CX flights to Japan would good for PER QF customers. While QF codeshares on JAL, via SIN, there are only red-eye connections available. CX and SQ both offer day time connections PER to HND/NRT.
07 Oct 2012
Total posts 1250
Yep, the more options the better.
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