Cathay Pacific Manage Booking: What You Can Do and When You Need the Issuer

1. 1

   Find the booking reference

   Look for the six-character code made of letters and numbers on the confirmation email or itinerary.

2. 2

   Open Manage Booking

   Use Cathay Pacific's website or app, or sign in with a Cathay membership to see linked trips.

3. 3

   Enter the family name

   Type the family name exactly as it appears on the booking.

4. 4

   Check every flight

   Confirm dates, times, operating airline and passengers before making any request.

For fares, cabins and Hong Kong connections before you book, see our Cathay Pacific flights guide.

Most 'booking not found' problems come down to the reference, the name or the type of booking. Work through these before calling anyone:

• Use the airline booking reference, not an agency or website reference. Both are six characters, so check which one your itinerary labels as the airline or Cathay Pacific reference.
• Don't use the e-ticket number. That is a 13-digit number; Cathay Pacific tickets start with 160.
• Enter the family name exactly as booked, without titles, and try it without a hyphen or middle name if one was added.
• Check that at least one flight has a Cathay Pacific (CX) flight number. Cathay says a booking needs one to appear, and flights under another airline's number may not show full details.
• If you booked very recently, or the agent is still arranging payment, the booking may not be ticketed yet.

If none of these work, ask whoever sold the ticket for the airline reference and the e-ticket number. They can see the booking even when the airline's website can't show it to you.

• Review flight times, seats and passenger details.
• Select or change seats. Standard seats are free on Essential and Flex Economy fares and charged on Light.
• Buy extra baggage.
• Request special assistance, such as wheelchair help.
• Bid for an upgrade where Cathay Pacific offers it on the flight.
• Add a Cathay membership number to earn miles and status.
• Check in online once check-in opens.
• For tickets bought directly from Cathay Pacific: change dates or flights, cancel and track a refund.

Check-in timing and common check-in problems are covered in the Cathay Pacific check-in guide.

Cathay Pacific confirms that travellers can review bookings made through a travel agent in Manage Booking, provided the booking includes at least one Cathay Pacific flight. Depending on the ticket, some extras such as seats may also be available; if an option is missing, ask the agent.

Changes are different. Agent-issued tickets can't be changed online. Cathay Pacific asks travellers to contact the agent or website that sold the ticket; its Customer Care team can change some agent-issued tickets for a fee (listed as USD 60 or HKD 470), but it cannot process refunds for them.

This matters when a booking was made through an online travel site. Calling the airline first often leads back to the seller, so start with whoever issued the ticket.

When a booking mixes Cathay Pacific with other airlines, Manage Booking may not show full details for flights without a Cathay Pacific flight number. Check those flights on the operating airline's website using the reference that airline provides.

Seats, special meals and assistance on partner-operated flights are usually controlled by the operating airline. Confirm each request directly rather than assuming one update covers the whole trip.

• Date and flight changes online are limited to the same routes. Fees and any fare difference may apply, depending on the fare.
• All passengers on one booking must change dates or flights together when changing online.
• Flex Economy fares include free flight changes. Light and Essential fares do not.
• A cancellation fee may apply depending on the fare type. Taxes can be refunded on unused tickets.
• Cathay members who bought directly from Cathay Pacific can cancel free of charge within 24 hours of booking through Manage Booking, subject to Cathay's terms.
• Refunds normally take up to seven calendar days to process, and refund status can be checked in Manage Booking for the past 90 days.

Before changing anything, read the fare conditions and work out the total cost, including any fare difference. A cheaper new fare does not usually produce a refund of the difference.

The Cathay Pacific flight changes and cancellations guide explains change and refund fees by fare type and what to do when a flight is disrupted.

The agency refund policy explains how refunds are handled for bookings made through our agency, which is separate from the airline's policy.

When Cathay Pacific changes or cancels a flight, check Manage Booking and the email on file for the new flight or rebooking options. For agent-issued tickets, the agent may need to accept or rebook the change.

Check the whole itinerary after any change. A new time for the first flight can shorten or break the connection in Hong Kong.

A reservation that appears in Manage Booking is not proof that a ticket has been issued. Look for a 13-digit e-ticket number on the receipt or itinerary. Cathay Pacific lists an unissued ticket as one of the main reasons online check-in fails.

If the ticket number is missing close to departure, contact whoever made the booking straight away.

• Booking reference and family name ready
• Ticket issuer identified: Cathay Pacific, a travel agent or another website
• E-ticket number confirmed for every passenger
• Operating airline checked for every flight
• Seats, bags and assistance confirmed for each flight
• Fare conditions read before requesting a change or cancellation
• Hong Kong connection rechecked after any schedule change