Cathay Pacific Launches U.S. Credit Card — Applications Now Open

The Cathay Pacific U.S. co-branded credit card has undergone revisions recently. Synchrony Bank previously issued the Cathay Pacific Visa Signature^® Credit Card, which stopped accepting new applications in late 2024.

Then the card underwent a refresh earlier this year, and now Cathay Pacific has brought it back, making it available for U.S. applicants. The new Cathay World Elite Mastercard^® allows cardholders to earn miles on everyday purchases and offers additional benefits. In addition, we now know that the card includes a welcome bonus for new applicants.

Let’s look at the details of the refreshed Cathay World Elite card.

The All-New Cathay World Elite Mastercard — Details

For those looking to boost their balance of Cathay miles, the airline’s revamped credit card for U.S. applicants, in partnership with Synchrony, is now available.

The new Cathay World Elite card comes with a $99 annual fee and earns points at the following rates:

• 3x on all eligible Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Express travel and in-flight purchases
• 2x on dining and eligible dining delivery services
• 1x on all purchases where Mastercard is accepted worldwide
• 10 Status Points for every $5,000 of eligible purchases made each month, up to a maximum of 100 Status Points per calendar year

Best of all, the card features a welcome bonus offer, allowing new cardholders to earn 38,000 bonus Asia miles by spending $3,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

Additionally, the Cathay World Elite card provides benefits for travelers flying with Cathay Pacific, including priority boarding, a 10% discount on Asia Miles gift miles and mileage transfer fees, no foreign transaction fees, and the option to redeem miles for access to Cathay Pacific’s renowned business class lounges.

Moreover, cardholders can enjoy a 15% discount on flights to Asia and beyond until December 31, 2025, by using the promo code CXSYF15OFF.

Final Thoughts

This card is clearly a niche option primarily for Cathay Pacific loyalists residing in the U.S. Even with the welcome bonus offer, many award travelers are likely to find it more beneficial to apply for a travel rewards credit card rather than an airline co-branded card.

And since Asia Miles is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou Rewards at a 1:1 rate, and Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 rate, it’s probably a smarter move to earn points from cards with those issuers and then transfer them to Asia Miles to redeem for Cathay Pacific flights.