Alaska Mileage Plan: Cathay Pacific Business to Asia
50,000 Alaska miles one-way for Cathay Pacific business class (one of the best business products globally) from the US to Hong Kong or Southeast Asia. No fuel surcharges. One of the all-time great sweet spots. Best availability: search Asia Miles or Qantas FF for Cathay space, then ticket via Alaska. Transfer 1:1 from Bilt.
Why this redemption is worth chasing
At 12¢ per point, this redemption is in the top tier of value across the entire points world. 12¢ means each point is worth roughly 12 times what you'd get redeeming for cash back. The cash ticket runs around $6,000, but the points cost is just 50,000, about one credit-card sign-up bonus on a premium travel card.
How to earn 50,000 Alaska Mileage Plan points
Alaska Mileage Plan accepts transfers from these credit cards. One sign-up bonus from any of them gets you most or all of the way to this redemption.
How to book this redemption
- 1Confirm award space first. Cathay Pacific award seats can disappear in minutes. Search for the specific dates you want directly on the Alaska Mileage Plan website (or use our sweet-spot library to compare programs side-by-side first).
- 2Earn or transfer the points. If you don't already have 50,000 Alaska Mileage Plan points, transfer from a flexible bank-points card (e.g. Bilt Mastercard (legacy, Wells Fargo), Bilt Blue). Transfers usually complete within minutes.
- 3Book immediately after the transfer lands. Award seats can vanish between your transfer and your booking. Have the search results open when you transfer.
- 4Pay any fuel surcharges or taxes. Most awards carry $50-$300 in cash fees on top of the miles. Check the estimate before you transfer, it should still be a fraction of the cash ticket.
Common questions
- How many points do you need to fly Cathay Pacific business class to Asia?
- 50,000 Alaska Mileage Plan points one-way for business class on Cathay Pacific. Cash equivalent runs around $6,000, putting this redemption at roughly 12 cents per point.
- Is 50,000 Alaska Mileage Plan points a good redemption?
- Yes, at 12¢ per point this beats the typical 1¢ baseline by 1100%. It's one of the highest-value uses of these points.
- What credit cards transfer to Alaska Mileage Plan?
- Alaska Mileage Plan accepts transfers from major flexible-points programs. Check the program's transfer partners on each bank's portal. Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou, Capital One Miles, and Bilt Rewards each partner with different airline programs.
- When should I transfer points to Alaska Mileage Plan?
- Transfer only after you've confirmed award space on the specific date you want. Transfers are non-reversible. Alaska Mileage Plan can devalue their award chart at any time, so if you have the points and the seat is available, book the same day you transfer.
Award pricing is set by Alaska Mileage Plan and can change with little notice. The 50,000-point figure reflects the most recent published award chart we've verified. Confirm live pricing inside your Alaska Mileage Plan account before transferring, transfers are non-reversible.