Information on Cathay Pacific Flights

Part of the oneworld alliance, Cathay Pacific (CX) flies to over 200 destinations worldwide via its hub at Hong Kong International Airport. Cathay Pacific is known for its service, ranked 5-star by the global Skytrax rating agency and winning Skytrax World’s Best Economy Class Airline award and World’s Third Best Airline by AirlineRatings in recent years. Operating since 1946, Cathay Pacific has become a premium global airline in the past few decades.

Why fly Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific flies direct to Hong Kong from 5 US cities on the West Coast, East Coast and the Midwest: Boston, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago. For US travelers to the Asia-Pacific, this means one-stop access to places like Japan or New Zealand.

In addition to hotspots like Tokyo or Bangkok, CX also connects US travelers to remote destinations like Dhaka and Kathmandu. Depending on your departure, it is often one of the most cost-effective ways to fly East.

Cathay Pacific also offers a free stopover program which allows travelers to spend up to 7 days in Hong Kong before continuing to their final destination. I recommend taking advantage of this option to break up a particularly long journey from the US to Asia or to explore adjacent destinations like Macao on your way elsewhere.

Cabin classes, seats and legroom

On flights to and from the US, Cathay Pacific operates 4 cabins: First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy. The airline’s long-haul fleet consists of Airbus A350 and Boeing 777 aircraft. Depending on the aircraft, cabins may differ or may not be available altogether. Let’s look at each.

First class

At 36” wide, the spacious First class offers one of the world’s widest fully lie-flat first class seats. With the 81” pitch, it provides ample privacy (I still find that Qatar Airways’ QSuite business, with its fully-enclosed suite, is the most private). My favorite amenities include the 600-thread-count bedding and fresh orchids at the seat.

CX offers First class exclusively on its Boeing 777-300 (77A) models and there are only 6 seats in this cabin (2 rows of 3 seats each). Although fleet assignments can change, be aware that CX only flies this aircraft on non-stop flights to Hong Kong from JFK and LAX.

Pro tip: while booking First class can be prohibitive for most travelers (the flights typically cost the same as a brand-new Tesla), using award miles through partner airlines is the way to go. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, for example, charges the least amount of miles for the CX First class award.

Business

The long-haul CX flights from the US all offer Business, served by Airbus A350 and Boeing 777s. This class has the same great standards, like the reverse herringbone configuration or an extensive dining menu, across the fleet. Still, I prefer the Boeing seats because they tend to be slightly wider (21” width versus Airbus’s 20”) and have a bit more room (81” pitch versus Airbus’s 75”).

Some of the Boeing configurations include the new Aria Suite, which introduces privacy doors. Flight configurations are always subject to change, but in general, CX flies Boeing 777 on its routes to Hong Kong from JFK, Boston and LAX. You’ll find the Airbus A350 on San Francisco, Chicago and some JFK routes.

CX offers 2 Business fares: Essential and Flex. The difference includes fare policy (Flex allows free changes while Essential doesn’t) and a slightly preferential mileage accumulation in Flex. I recommend booking Essential because the fare difference is much higher than the associated fare change costs.

Premium Economy

Compared to Economy, this cabin is elevated with features like a head- and footrest, wider seat recline, and better dining options. Unlike in Business, I find Airbus A350 models to have better Premium Economy seats. They are slightly wider (20” wide versus Boeing’s 19.5”) and roomier (40” pitch vs Boeing’s 38”).

Expect Premium Economy seats to cost about half of Business and 2 to 3 times more than Economy.

Economy

After the other CX cabins, flying Economy may sound underwhelming, but it is not. In my experience, CX Economy exceeds its US airline counterparts. The cabin is roomier, with a seat pitch of 32 inches (compared to Delta economy pitch of 30” - 31”). Seat width is standard at 18” - 18.5”.

Pro tip: when flying in Economy on routes served by both Boeing and Airbus, try to book Airbus flights. These seats tend to have a better recline.

In Economy, CX has 3 fares: Light, Essential and Flex. Light fare is the most restrictive with fees charged for seat assignments and flight changes and only 1 checked bag allowed. Essential allows free regular seat assignments and slightly lower flight change fees. Flex has the best rules with free extra legroom seats and no-fee flight changes.

Pre-flight experience

Here’s what you need to know about the CX pre-flight experience.

Baggage policy

In each cabin, passengers are allowed 1 carry-on bag and 1 personal item. The only difference is in the total weight allowance: up to 33 pounds for First, 22 pounds for Business, and 15 pounds for Premium Economy and Economy.

CX's long-haul checked bag policy follows industry standards. Economy and Premium Economy passengers can check in 2 bags, 50 pounds each. Economy Light is the only exception: it allows 1 50-pound checked bag. Business passengers can check in 2 bags of up to 70 pounds each. First-class passengers can check in 1 additional bag (3 total).

Take note: for oneworld Sapphire and Emerald members, CX offers better baggage options in each cabin (for example, 2 checked bags in Light fare instead of 1).

Check-in

Cathay Pacific typically has several dedicated check-in counters for First, Business and Premium Economy passengers. Oneworld Ruby and above members can also use priority Business check-in. If you’re able to access priority check-in, the process is quite fast.

Pro tip: In Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific has several in-town check-in and bag drop kiosks for Airport Express train passengers. If you’re taking advantage of the stopover program or flying back from Hong Kong to the US, these kiosks are a great way to check in early. Find the kiosks at the Hong Kong and Kowloon metro stations.

On board Cathay Pacific

Here’s what you can expect on board Cathay Pacific flights.

Wi-Fi & in-flight entertainment

In my experience, the onboard entertainment on CX flights is some of the best in the world, with plenty of movies to choose from. Wi-fi availability depends on the aircraft: most Airbus A350s have it but many Boeings don’t. Wi-fi is free in First and Business and is otherwise available for a fee. I usually skip the Wi-fi to catch up on movies.

Meals & amenities

For First and Business amenities, Cathay Pacific partners with various wellness brands and I always look forward to their kits. In Business, I’ve enjoyed a body lotion, a face mist and a lip balm, along with 400-thread-count bedding, slippers and eye mask. In First, amenities include a few more skin products and a set of pajamas.

I’ve found dining to be excellent in higher cabins, but even in Economy, it’s much better than what Cathay’s US counterparts offer: you can’t beat 3 choices of meals during first service and a hot cup of noodles as a snack.

Cabin experience can vary depending on the aircraft. Some of the flights I’ve been on had modern interiors and the latest technology (like touch-free lavatories) while others have been more dated. Cathay Pacific is in the process of upgrading its fleet, with modern in-flight experiences becoming more standard.

Lounges

In the US, flying First or Business or having Sapphire and above oneworld status gets you access to several lounges, including the excellent Greenwich lounge at JFK (my personal favorite for its ample, well-furnished space and quality meals) or the only CX-operated lounge in the US at SFO.

Where Cathay Pacific shines is its 4 Hong Kong lounges: 2 Pier (First and Business) and 2 Wing (First and Business). It may be worth booking higher fares just to experience these lounges. Highlights include a complimentary massage and a-la-carte dining at Pier First, the cabana soaking tubs and the champagne bar at Wing First and the noodle bar at Pier Business.

Loyalty programs and credit cards

Cathay Pacific is part of the oneworld alliance, allowing AAdvantage members to book Cathay Pacific award flights on the American Airlines website. Although these award flights are often in high demand, it’s possible to fly to Asia in comfort with CX using AAdvantage miles.

Cathay Pacific’s own loyalty program is called Asia Miles. You can accumulate points by flying with CX or oneworld alliance partners, staying at hotels like Hilton or through a credit card partnership with US-based Synchrony Bank.

In addition to oneworld, Cathay Pacific participates in programs like Air Canada’s Aeroplan or Lufthansa’s Miles & More. For travelers looking to earn or redeem points with CX, this means greater flexibility. Cathay Pacific also partners with Marriott Bonvoy. Points are transferred at a standard rate of 3:1.