Business class awards on Cathay Pacific between New York JFK and Hong Kong are wide open starting in August and running through end of schedule. Space beyond Hong Kong is generally very nicely available.

Here’s award availability looking at New York – Hong Kong in both directions for two passengers in business class in September.

Booking Cathay Pacific awards:

• For those of you who scoff at American miles (and there’s still a 60,000 mile signup bonus link out there with $0 annual fee the first year) American AAdvantage charges 70,000 miles each way for business class between the US and Southeast Asia. There are no fuel surcharges.

• Alaska Airlines charges just 50,000 miles each way however access to Cathay Pacific seats is sometimes more limited than what can be booked through other programs.

• Hong Kong is a low fuel surcharge market. US – Hong Kong in business class should run about $66 in fuel surcharges, Hong Kong departures to the US won’t have fuel surcharges. That makes redemptions through other programs cost-effective. The official price of British Airways redemptions between New York and Hong Kong is 105,000 each way in business class. However actual pricing may be lower. (Note that itineraries beyond Hong Kong will have higher fuel surcharges.)

• Chase and American Express points transfer to British Airways. American Express and Citibank transfers to Cathay’s AsiaMiles. Citi also transfers to other oneworld programs like Qantas and Malaysia.

Now’s the time to lock in those business class awards to Asia for later in the year.

(HT: Rich F.)