Oh my goodness this is an amazing fare. You can fly from Southeast Asia (Vietnam) to New York in Cathay Pacific business class from $675 roundtrip. Even if you book an award ticket to Asia and use this as a one way ticket to get back (and throw away the return) you come out way way ahead.

You can fly from Vietnam – the cheapest fares originate in Da Nang, but other cities work as well – to Cathay Pacific’s US gateways starting at $675. Here, for instance, is Da Nang to New York JFK and back to Da Nang:

Availability is wide open.

Key details of Cathay Pacific fare basis DAARRVN8:

• Travel valid through end of schedule
  
• $250 refund fee
  
• $100 change fee ($250 if no show), though you’d also pay any difference in fare
  
• You can add a free stopover in Hong Kong on the return

Most of my readers are in the U.S. So think of this as:

• Book a one way award to Asia, purchase a flight back for $675. Even if you only use one way of the round trip this is an amazing deal.

• Book a roundtrip award from the US to Asia. Buy a roundtrip business class ticket Asia to the US. Now you have two trips, starting and ending in the U.s.
  1. Fly US to Asia on award ticket
     
  2. Fly Asia back to the US on paid ticket
     
  3. Fly US to Asia on paid ticket
     
  4. Fly Asia to US on award ticket

As for where to credit the miles, this makes a great start to any American AAdvantage quest for status — while Alaska Airlines will be the most generous by far with Cathay Pacific business class flights (but not short Cathay Dragon regional flights between Hong Kong and Vietnam).

Alaska gives you 125% elite qualifying miles along with 225% redeemable miles plus elite bonuses. American gives you 150% elite qualifying miles along with 125% redeemable miles plus elite bonuses and 25% elite qualifying dollars.

Since we don’t know for certain how Cathay will feel about such a deep discount airfare sale, whether they might get seller’s remorse, I’d wait a few days after buying additional travel or making additional non-refundable plans around the fare.

In theory an airline refusing to honor a sale like this would have to reimburse any out of pocket costs you incurred but there’s not much history with enforcement of that particular DOT statement so I’d still not test it.

(HT: One Mile at a Time)