cathay pacific pet travel reviews

The 10 Best Airlines To Travel With Pets (10 To Avoid)

Taking your beloved pet with you around the world is a dream for many pet owners — but choose the wrong airline and it could become a nightmare

Being able to take your furry friend along as you travel the world is a dream for many pet owners — but if you chose the wrong airline, the whole experience could be nothing short of a nightmare.

Safety is the utmost priority. You want to make sure your pet gets from Destination A to Destination B safe and sound, and hopefully without any smelly accidents. And if you've been paying attention to the news lately, you've seen that there's no shortage of airlines who have failed to keep their passengers pet from harm.

Pets have gone on the wrong flights, flown to the wrong continents and in some, very tragic cases, passed away while in mid-air. According to a report by the Department of Transportation,   during flights in 2017, 15 animals were injured and sadly 24 didn't make it at all.

Even though traveling by plane is risky, many pet owners are still bringing their dogs and cats along for the adventure. A survey by American Pet Products Association found that the number of dog owners taking their pups on trips more than doubled between 2006 and 2016; jumping from only 20% to 40%.

Thankfully many airlines are noticing this disturbing trend and taking action to review and improve their pet policies. But it's more important now than ever to make sure you do your own research and pick the best airline for you and your furry friend.

To help you out, we've listed the 10 best airlines to fly when traveling with pets and 10 airlines you should definitely avoid.

20 American Airlines (Purr-Fect) — home of the "cuddle class"

Probably the most pet-friendly airline, American created a next-level experience for pets and their owners by creating the "Cuddle Class." Found on flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco to New York City, this animal-designed class gives pets a special compartment next to their owner's seat.

It costs the same as the standard $125 pet fee and gives the animals a comfortable place to enjoy their flight. Really beats being stuffed under a seat, right?

19 Hawaiian Airlines (Purr-Fect) — welcoming for service animals

Named the "Best Airline for Pets" in 2018 by  Veterinarian's Money Digest , Hawaiian Airlines allows dogs, cat and even household birds. You have the option to bring them along in the passenger cabin — as long as they can fit under the seat in front of you — or as check-in baggage, so long as they don't weigh over 70 lbs.

The airline also allows trained service animals and emotional support and psychiatric support animals on the aircraft as long as they meet the airlines' conditions of not displaying aggressive behavior, causing disruption or blocking the aisle from other passengers.

In regards to safety, they have a strict policy against transporting pets in cargo if the temperature is too extreme. Fees range from $35 to $225 depending on the pet and destination location.

18 JetBlue (Purr-Fect) — more points for your pooch

Not only does JetBlue have an affordable $100 fee per flight for your pets, but it also gives JetBlue members 300 additional points from their flight. Pair that with the fact that you can buy a specialty pet carrier specifically for traveling on JetBlue flights with your pets, and this airline is a win-win.

Their JetPaws program is designed with pet-carrying travelers in mind, and their tips include information about making reservations, keeping little Fido calm mid-air, plus locations for your pets to relieve themselves.

17 Allegiant Air (Purr-Fect) — the BOGO option

Traveling with multiple pets can be pretty expensive. Thankfully Allegiant Air offers their own BOGO deal by allowing two animals per pet carrier. The fee is the same as JetBlue's, but you get more bang for your buck with larger carrier sizes being allowed. Twice as large, in fact, according to  PureWow .

While there are no checked kennels or big dogs allowed on this airline, it's perfect for the tiny, yet inseparable pair of pooches or kittens.

16 Southwest (Purr-Fect) — same as Allegiant, but slightly cheaper.

Southwest Airlines also hopped on that BOGO deal and also lets passengers keep two animals in a pet carrier for the price of one. The only difference is that the sizing of the carriers allowed is slightly smaller, so they knocked off a few bucks and priced it as $95.

Unlike most airlines, Southwest will allow people to take cremated pet remains onboard under certain conditions, according to their site.  Thus is a sweet sentiment if you're hoping to spread your beloved pet's memory in a special place.

15 Frontier (Purr-Fect) — cheap flight to Mexico

Many airlines don't allow pets to fly internationally, and for good reason. It's much safer for a pet to fly short distances than long ones.

However, affordable airline Frontier allows pets to travel on not only their domestic flights but their flights to Mexico and the Dominican Republic. All you need is a health certificate and $75, and you and your pup could be headed on an international adventure.

14 WestJet (Purr-Fect) — big dog's best friend

While it seems like most airlines are only small-dog friendly, there are a few out there that cater to traveling with large or multiple animals.

WestJet doesn't allow big dogs in-cabin — unless their service or emotional support animals — but it is very cheap to check them in a kennel. Ranging from $75 to $89 per pet, that's probably the best deal you'll find. Even in-cabin carriers are cheaper, ranging from $50 to $59 per flight.

13 Lufthansa (Purr-Fect) — the international pup

If you're looking to take your beloved pet from Europe to the United States (or vice versa), then you'll want to book your flight on Lufthansa.

This pet-friendly airline welcomes any dog over four months old to travel internationally at a cost-effective rate. Each passenger is allowed up to two animals for the price of $100. Larger breeds are a little more expensive — anywhere between $200 to $400 depending on size — but it's worth it seeing as this airline has the most room for kennels on international flights.

12 Alaska Airlines (Purr-Fect) — understands your clinginess

We know how attached we can get to our pets, but does our airline know? Well, Alaska Airlines does.

If you check your dog into a kennel, a flight attendant will personally hand you a card once your dog has safely boarded the plane, ensuring that he's exactly where he needs to be and not on the wrong flight to Mexico.

It also costs the same amount to take a pet in the cabin as it does to check them, so it's a great option for pups over 20 pounds. Alaska is also a great airline for "unusual" pets as it allows ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, household birds, non-poisonous reptiles, pot-bellied pigs, rabbits and tropical fish, according to AJC .

11 Virgin Airlines (Purr-Fect) — No frills, but pretty good

Honestly, there's nothing super special about Virgin Airlines pet policy. It's decently priced, with in-cabin pets costing only $100. They only allow cats and dogs and require a recent health certificate proving the animal is more than 8-weeks-old and up-to-date on all its shots.

The certificate must include the animal's date of birth, according to their website. 

10 United Airlines (Avoid) — incidents result in more bans

While animals not making it through a flight are rare — like 24 out of 500,000 rare — last year most of those instances occurred on United Airlines, according to  The Fiscal Times.

In addition to those, United also had 23 incidents of animals being injured. This led to a new pet policy being implemented, which only allows 21 dog breeds and four cat breeds to fly. Pets are also banned from flying anywhere where the ground temperature is below 45 degrees or above 85 degrees (Fahrenheit). Four airports - Phoenix, Tucson, Palm Springs and Las Vegas — stop all pet travel during summer months, according to WAVE3News. 

9 Delta Airlines (Avoid) — no checked animals

In addition to coming in second place for most animals not making it (five), Delta is known to have stricter rules when it comes to flying with pets.

The fees cost anywhere from $75 to $200 depending on where you're traveling to, and dogs and cats must have proof of required vaccinations. They do allow reptiles, amphibians, and fish as air cargo, but they cannot be carried on as checked baggage. In fact, Delta doesn't accept any pets as checked baggage, according to Pets Welcome.

8 WOW Air (Avoid) — service dogs only

WOW Airlines gained popularity in the last few years for being an affordable, low-cost way to get to Iceland. They're great price-wise, but don't expect to bring Spot along for the ride.

WOW does not allow pets on their flights, per their website , but service and emotional support dogs are permitted.

7 Etihad Airways (Avoid) — not great for your dog, but good for your falcon

Bad news if you have separation anxiety from your pet: Etihad Airways, a flag carrier airline of the United Arab Emirates, does not allow dogs, cats or any other animals to travel in the cabin. However, if you want your falcon in the cabin with you, that's totally allowed.

Cargo travel is an option, but they suggest you let your captain know your pet is back there so they can keep the temperature at the proper level.

Which feels, uh, sketchy to say the least.

They also come with breed restrictions for both dogs and cats, as well as a required health certificate, and weather restrictions.

6 Eva Airways (Avoid) — potential for rabies

While this Taiwanese airline allows some pets per flight to travel as checked baggage, it may not be the best time to make a trip.

According to their website , rabies reappeared in Taiwan in 2013, and pet travel from Taiwan to other countries may be affected. They lightly suggest that you verify the quarantine regulation of the country you're coming from or going to before your flight.

They also are done letting live birds travel — which means ones that are no longer with us are okay? — and have restrictions for "snub nose dogs and cats" due to their trouble breathing.

5 Cathay Pacific — not cool with skunks

Cathay Pacific is a flag carrier airline out of Hong Kong that seems to have had some skunk-based trouble in the past.

While they require all pets to be transported as checked baggage — except for those snub nose breeds again — they make it a point to say: "other animals that are not accepted are the Korean squirrel and the Skunk."

Makes you think the Skunk did something stinky to scorn them in the past, doesn't it?

4 Emirates (Avoid) — just a hassle

There are technically no restrictions on the number of pets you can bring on an Emirates flight, but it depends on what country you're flying into. And you've got to find out that information on your own by calling Emirates directly before your departure date, which is a real hassle.

Pets are riding cargo-only on this airline — again, with the strange exception of falcons —and the fees range from $500 to $800 according to Bring Fido .

3 Air Canada (Avoid) — only so many pets allowed.

While pets are allowed to fly in this airline's cabin, they only allow so many. Specifically, two to four.

So before you book your flight, you're advised to call customer service and give them all your pet info as well as make sure you arrive 30 minutes earlier than you normally would. Pet fees are cheaper than average, running $50 to $118 depending on if the flight is domestic or international.

2 Spirit Airlines (Avoid) — limited amount of pets

Like Air Canada, Spirit Airlines only allows four pet carriers per domestic flight (pets are not allowed to fly internationally). While they suggest reserving your spot on the place with your pet as soon as your plans are confirmed, many reviewers on Bring Fido complained that they were still unable to bring their pets and lost out money switching their flights.

In regards to service dogs, there were also complaints about not having room for dogs and forcing them to lay in the aisle. Yikes.

1 (Avoid) AeroMexico — your dog might not be on the same plane as you

So according to AeroMexico's pet policy, your pet in cargo "may be transported in the hold of a different aircraft heading to the same destination" in order for them to have "the most comfortable journey."

In addition to having no guarantees on just where your animal is, you also have to drop them off at the cargo location three house before departure time. So make sure you get to the airport nice and early.

References:  PureWow, Bring Fido, Veterinarian's Money Digest

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Cathay Pacific Review – Seats, Amenities, Customer Service, Baggage Fees, and More

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Basic Information

Cathay frequent flyer program, ticketing options, cathay pacific carry-on allowance, cathay pacific checked baggage allowance, other cathay pacific fees and add-ons, how to avoid paying excess fees and travel expenses, premium economy, business class, first class.

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Cathay Pacific has a vast global network serving over 200 destinations across Asia, Australia, the Americas, Europe, and Africa.

If you’re planning on flying this 5-star airline, then we’ve outlined all the info you need, including baggage and other extra fees, in-flight amenities, customer satisfaction, and more.

Airline: Cathay Pacific

Alliance: Oneworld

Category: International airline

Frequent Flyer Program: Cathay (formerly Asia Miles and Marco Polo Club)

Tagline: “ Life Well Travelled”

Mission Statement: “Our vision is to be the world’s best airline. Being the best means that we always strive to excel in everything we do. Our dynamic team provides the highest quality service so that our customers are happy they chose Cathay Pacific.” ( Source. )

Main Hub:  Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)

Destinations: Over 200 destinations across Asia, Australia, the Americas, Europe, and Africa

The Cathay frequent flyer program is a new program that combines Asia Miles and the Marco Polo Club. Members can earn Asia Miles that can be redeemed for flights with Cathay Pacific and Oneworld partners such as American Airlines and Status Points , which count toward elite status.

Cathay Pacific has ten fare options across its four cabin types. Below is information on the booking conditions and benefits, excluding in-flight amenities, which are covered later in this article. Fees can be found in our “Other Fees” section.

Economy Supersaver

This entry-level economy fare is the cheapest available but does come with its restrictions.

You’ll incur a fee to pre-book a seat, and for long and short-haul international routes, the fare cannot be canceled or changed (excluding routes from mainland China to Hong Kong where a fee would be incurred.) With this fare, it’s also not possible to upgrade using miles.

Economy Core

Economy Core allows you to select a seat for free, permits booking changes for a fee (lower than the Supersaver fee for mainland China to Hong Kong flight), and has a higher Asia Miles earning rate. As with the Supersaver fare, you aren’t permitted to upgrade using miles.

Economy Standard

This fare has the same benefits and restrictions as Economy Core but does permit you to upgrade using miles.

Economy  Flex

This flexible fare allows you to select a seat for free, permits booking changes free of charge or for a smaller fee, has a higher earning rate for Asia Miles, and allows passengers to upgrade with miles.

Premium Economy Standard and Flex

Both fares allow you to select your seat for free and permits booking changes and cancellations for a fee. Passengers can collect Asia Miles points with a higher earning rate for Flex fares and are permitted to upgrade using miles on the Flex fare.

Passengers also benefit from dedicated check-in desks, increased baggage allowance, and priority boarding.

Business Save, Standard, and Flex

All of these fare types allow free seat selection and permit changes and cancellations for a fee (lower fee than for Standard and Flex). Business passengers can collect Asia Miles points on all fares, with a slightly higher earning rate for Flex fares, and can upgrade with miles.

Business passengers benefit from dedicated check-in desks, increased baggage allowance, priority boarding, and access to business class lounges.

First Standard and Flex 

Both fare types allow free seat selection, permit changes, and cancellations (First Standard incurs a fee while Flex is free of charge). Both fares have the same earning rate for Asia Miles.

First Class passengers benefit from dedicated check-in areas, fast-track security at some airports, priority boarding, and access to first class lounges.

Hot Tip: If you’re interested in redeeming your miles for reward flights, you can read our article on redeem Cathay Pacific Asia Miles for max value.

Cathay Pacific Baggage, Other Fees, and Add-Ons

All passengers are permitted to bring 1 personal item (such as a handbag or briefcase) and 1 standard carry-on bag.

The personal item must not exceed 6 x 12 x 16 inches and the standard carry-on must not be bigger than 22 x 14 x 9 inches.

Weight allowances depend on the cabin type and apply to a combined weight for the personal item and carry-on:

• Economy and premium economy: 15 pounds (7 kg)
• Business: 22 pounds (10 kg)
• First: 33 pounds (15 kg)

Marco Polo Silver and Gold members are allowed increased cabin baggage weight:

• Economy and premium economy: up to 22 pounds (10 kg)

Marco Polo Diamond members are allowed increased cabin baggage weight:

• Economy, premium economy, business, and first class: up to 33 pounds (15 kg)

Lap Infant Carry-On Policy

Lap infants are permitted one piece of carry-on that must not exceed 45 inches. A stroller or car seat is also permitted up to the maximum weight allowance of the cabin weight for the adult ticket.

Cathay Pacific doesn’t disclose its policy on strollers in the checked compartment.

All checked bags must not exceed the maximum linear dimensions of 80 inches and the weight allowance is determined by the route.

On Most Flights (excluding the Americas and Auckland/Christchurch)

Weight can be distributed across the maximum number of pieces, but a single piece should not exceed more than 32 kg or 70 pounds. 

Flights to, from, or through the U.S., Canada, and Central and South America

Hot Tip: For more information on baggage excess fees, waivers, and exemptions check out our Cathay Pacific baggage fees article.

Change or Cancellation Fees (Cash Tickets)

Rebooking date and time change fee : $150 for promotional fares, Economy Saver, Premium Economy Standard, and Business Save. $50 for Standard Economy.

Rerouting : $150 plus the fare difference.

Cancellation for unused and partially used tickets: $150.

Cancellation for expired tickets: $200.

Name correction: Fees dependent on change required.

Tickets issued by Reservations Department:  $39.

Extra legroom seat: $23 to $199.

Seat reservation fee (for Economy Supersaver tickets): $8 to $43.

Unaccompanied minor : $150 plus tax (per one-way route).

Transporting a pet:  Animals aren’t permitted in the cabin or as checked baggage. They’re transported in the cargo hold and fees vary depending on the size and weight of the crate.

Hot Tip: We’ve also included information about Cathay Pacific in this article: Airline Cancellation & Change Fees For Award Flight Bookings .

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Inflight Inclusions, Amenities, and Seat Specs

Amenities include:

• Seat storage for valuables
• Shelf for your cell phone or tablet
• Ergonomically-designed, cushioned seating with adjustable headrest and generous legroom
• 11.6-inch personal touchscreen TV with films, music, and games
• Complimentary meals, award-winning wines, and other beverages
• Newspapers, magazines, and game packs for children

• Welcome drink on long-haul flights
• Regular complimentary snacks and drinks
• Spacious seating with generous recline and legroom (calf rest and leather footrest on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft)
• Larger tray table than economy and cocktail table for extra room for beverages
• Amenity kit on long-haul flights
• Personal touchscreen TV with films, music, and games
• Noise-canceling headphones

• Dedicated cabin crew and a personalized service
• An award-winning seat that converts into a lie-flat bed on long-haul flights
• Ergonomically-designed, cushioned seating with adjustable headrest and generous legroom on short-haul flights
• Privacy partitions, large table, and power outlets
• Fine food with locally sourced ingredients, complimentary award-winning wines, and other beverages
• Amenity kit with Jurlique skincare items
• Soft duvet cover, and pillow

• First Class Suite leather chair, with built-in massages settings, that converts to a lie-flat bed
• 500 thread count cotton duvet and pillows
• Aesop amenity kit with items such as hand balm, facial hydrating cream, and lip cream
• Spacious work area with a power outlet and USB port
• 4.3-inch touchscreen and controller to control a range of services such as do not disturb and wake-up time notices for the crew
• 18.5-inch TV screen with on-demand entertainment
• À la carte dining
• Champagne and award-winning wines

Cathay Pacific has 5 types of airplane in its fleet with varying seating configurations.

Cathay Pacific Customer Satisfaction

The general consensus for Cathay is pretty good, which is what you would expect for a 5-star airline. Many customer reviews state that it’s worth paying a bit extra to fly with them over another airline.

They’re noted frequently for their excellent, attentive service, and Cathay states that their cabin crew try to anticipate the needs of the customer in their first class cabin.

The few negative comments on their social media sites mostly reference poor call center customer experience, with long call wait times and occasionally no answer at all.

Cathay has some great reviews on TripAdvisor , with 72% of travelers rating them excellent or very good, 15% average, and 13% poor or terrible.

Negative reviews on sites such as TripAdvisor tend to cover flight delays with a lack of communication or compensation from ground staff during these events.

Most Common Complaints

No official statistics can be found on Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department website .

Consumer Rankings and Ratings

We’ve rounded-up the results for a few popular review sites so you can see how Cathay is rated.

Skytrax Ranking : 5 Star Airline (out of 5)

Skytrax Customer Rating : 7/10

Tripadvisor Airline Review Rating : 4/5 (average from 13,293 reviews)

Kayak Customer Rating: 8/10 (average from 5,613 reviews)

Safety and Performance

Cathay Pacific has a 7/7 safety record as awarded by AirlineRatings.com . This takes into consideration whether the airline has an IATA Operational Safety Audit Certification, combined with information from the World’s Aviation Governing Body, plus government and crash records.

Awards and Notable Mentions

IMA Italian Mission Award 2018: Best Economy Class

Ming Pao Weekly Elite Awards 2017: Airline Category

APEX Regional Passenger Choice Awards:  Best Entertainment (Asia and Australia region)

Cellars in the Sky 2017 Award by Business Traveller Magazine: Best First Class Sparkling

Charity Partnerships

As with many other airlines, Cathay collects spare change from its passengers, and the collection is donated to UNICEF who they’ve had a long-standing relationship with since 1991.

Cathay also participates in relief projects, holding fundraising events for donations and transporting relief supplies and rescue teams to required areas around the world.

In Hong Kong, Cathay has a volunteer team with over 1,500 staff participating in activities for local communities.

Final Thoughts

Many customers of Cathay Pacific tend to agree with the airline’s 5-star status, with its excellent service in the air, relatively young fleet of aircraft, generous seat width, and extensive legroom, it’s no wonder people love it.

Some disgruntled customers complain that Cathay isn’t as good as it used to be. Cost-saving is blamed for this with less cabin crew and quality of meals deteriorating.

However, these complaints are in the minority, and Cathay is mostly perceived as a high-quality airline with a real emphasis on service.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the carry on baggage allowance for cathay pacific.

All passengers are permitted to bring 1 personal item (such as a handbag or briefcase) and 1 standard carry-on bag .

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About Amar Hussain

Amar is an avid traveler and tester of products. He has spent the last 13 years traveling all 7 continents and has put the products to the test on each of them. He has contributed to publications including Forbes, the Huffington Post, and more.

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Embarking on a journey with your beloved pet by your side can be a delightful experience. Here at Cathay Pacific Airways, we strive to make this possible while prioritizing the safety and comfort of your furry friends. To ensure a seamless travel experience, you should keep in mind certain important aspects when reserving a spot for your pet.

Firstly, the combined weight of your pet and its carrier, its dimensions, as well as the material and make of the carrier, need to be provided at the time of booking. As is standard across airlines, we also require health and vaccination certificates, along with entry permits and any other necessary documents based on your destination country. To facilitate this process, or for any further inquiries, feel free to contact our team at (800) 233-2742.

Despite our commitment to accommodating your pets, we regret to inform you that animals are not allowed in the passenger cabin on any of our flights. However, we do provide the option for pets to travel as checked baggage, given they meet our necessary criteria. Pets and carriers should have a maximum combined weight of 70 lbs (32 kg). Exceptions can be made for weights above this limit with prior approval. The transportation fee for your pet is dependent on the zones of travel, ranging between $12 for shorter flights and $60 for longer flights.

Guidance, Tips, & info on Airlines and Airports

• Go to our guide to global airlines to find information on any other commercial airline.
• Peruse the Cathay Pacific CX baggage fees and restrictions page to learn what luggage policies and fees are imposed.
• Check out where you can fly direct to on Cathay Pacific if you live near one of their gateway cities.
• Get insights and learn the lingo on airline cabin configurations and seating , while understanding the economics and rationale why those airplane seats seem so small.
• Get up-to-date live info for Cathay Pacific's flight status anywhere in the world.
• For more detailed information, including flight check-in, baggage policies, corporate information, and more, visit our guide to Cathay Pacific (CX)

For your pet's comfortable journey, their carrier needs to be clean, lockable, escape-proof, and leak-proof, with ample holes for breathing. It's crucial that your pet can stand, turn, and lie down naturally in the carrier. While dog carriers should be constructed from fibreglass, rigid plastic, or metal with strong weld metal mesh, cat carriers can be made from wood, fibreglass, rigid plastic, or metal.

We value the well-being of all pets, hence, there are some breed restrictions due to health concerns. Several snub-nosed dog breeds, fighting dog breeds, as well as some cat breeds are not accepted in the hold on our flights. Additionally, Korean squirrels and Skunks are also not allowed.

Keep in mind that air carriers can change these policies at any time, so you should always check directly with Cathay Pacific, before you book, for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

For more comprehensive information about Cathay Pacific, including details on flight check-in, baggage policies, corporate information, and more, check out our Cathay Pacific Guide .

Do you need to track your Cathay Pacific flight? Get real-time flight status here .

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Cathay Pacific

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Airline Summary

• Excellent 6,252
• Very Good 5,604
• Average 2,552
• Terrible 1,376
• Premium Economy
• Business Class
• First Class
• All languages ( 16,788 )
• English ( 12,099 )
• Chinese (Trad.) ( 1,574 )
• Chinese (Sim.) ( 1,570 )

" If you want better travel, go premium, if you can afford it go business. "

" Nothing "

" Thinking about Premium economy it may just be well worth it "

" Be aware for the luggage fee its not right to charge the guest an extra charge and be aware about the food that they serve they run out food "

" Just don’t find someone else "

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Cathay Pacific Reviews and Flights

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Cathay Pacific

Airline Alliance

Airline Summary

Reviews we perform checks on reviews. tripadvisor’s approach to reviews before posting, each tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. if the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines , the review is not published. when the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site. our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines . learn more about our review moderation..

• Excellent 6,252
• Very Good 5,604
• Average 2,552
• Terrible 1,376
• Premium Economy
• Business Class
• First Class
• All languages ( 16,788 )
• English ( 12,099 )
• Chinese (Trad.) ( 1,574 )
• Chinese (Sim.) ( 1,570 )

" If you want better travel, go premium, if you can afford it go business. "

" Nothing "

" Thinking about Premium economy it may just be well worth it "

" Be aware for the luggage fee its not right to charge the guest an extra charge and be aware about the food that they serve they run out food "

" Just don’t find someone else "

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The worst customer service

The worst customer service. We have been trying for months now to transfer our BA points and never get the promised response only having to start the conversation from scratch again. The support is shockingly bad.

Date of experience : April 09, 2024

Heathrow to Hong Kong Flight was…

Heathrow to Hong Kong Flight was excellent

Date of experience : April 07, 2024

I have flown 3 times with Cathay…

I have flown 3 times with Cathay Pacific & 2 of the 3 were delayed. You need to purchase seats at an extra cost to ensure you sit with your family. This is more frustrating than the delays. My most recent flight to Heathrow from Hong Kong my case was damaged also. Not my first choice for long haul airlines.

Date of experience : March 07, 2024

Don’t bother

First time booking with Cathay. Booked Via love holidays. So far all my flights have been changed. It went from a very reasonable 1 hr 45 layover to an 8 hour layover between the hours of 23:00 - 07:00. They didn’t provide any sort of accommodation, money back or even sympathy. They expected me to sleep on an airport floor overnight. Never have I had such a bad experience and I haven’t even left for my holiday yet

Date of experience : March 13, 2024

Scammer like online booking experience

Scammer like online booking experience I've chose to book via cathay pacific instead of other good booking websites like booking.com and trip.com because it shows a message that if you login and make your booking then you are eligible for 24 hr free cancellation. However, it's NOT the case, you will have to be one of the passengers as it's checking the asia miles membership number that's attached to the passenger, and it's only stated in the T&C. I'm leaving review here for such bad experience, which you won't expect when you pay that amount. Don't trust what you see on their website, unless you want to read every detail.

Date of experience : March 04, 2024

Pathetic. Impossible to find someone to talk to and even if you do they don’t listen. The tier benefits of the past are gone and unused ‘mid tier benefits’ are worthless

Date of experience : March 25, 2024

I travel a lot internationally and…

I travel a lot internationally and mostly on Business or First Class. I chose Cathay Pacific the last 2 times from SFO to Hong Kong. The first time was half of the list below so I gave them a second chance. The second time it was worse than the first. 2 different planes mind you. I hope this helps the Airline to get things together as I have chosen a competitor and will be cancelling my Credit card as well. The good: They were on Time. The Bad: Poor Quality Service Staff barely attentive Dead Bugs Water Damage floors Damaged Infotainment Damaged Cabin Panels Damaged Remote/Duct Taped up. Business Class price with less than budget airlines quality & service.

Date of experience : January 03, 2024

I have flew with them for the very…

I have flew with them for the very first time, from HK to SYD. Excellent customer service. However, I have contacted them regarding an item left behind during my flight, I'm still waiting for them to get back to me. I don't think the item was taken by any other passengers.

Date of experience : February 29, 2024

I've traveled my entire life to 40…

I've traveled my entire life to 40 countries and had hundreds of flights, but my last flight on Cathay Pacific from Thailand to California through Hong Kong was the worst I've ever had. Understaffed, horrible food, requested a coffee and was told 4 times they'd bring it, and when it did arrive it was 1/4 full, in a tiny cup and cold. The flight attendants don't seem happy, bathrooms left filled with trash, and hours of no service. I'll never fly with them again. Of course, it could have just been a bad crew, but after reading the many recent 1 star reviews, I see my feelings are shared.

Date of experience : February 21, 2024

1) Onboard meal served with 8 hour…

1) Onboard meal served with 8 hour interval in between,e.g. simple meal at departure and one before landing, crew is rushing to accomplish things.AMS-HKG, never again. 2) Quality onboard meals total crap, cheap tastless stuff, toilets dirty or damaged, disgusting. Flew recently with Quatar and their serving is tasty and of good quality, what happened Cathay?? 3) Unnessecary delay at Hong Kong airport (connecting flight to Manila), the pilot told us that the plane arrived late, but the damn thing was just standing there, we saw them pull it up to the gate.

Date of experience : January 06, 2024

Really rude staff at the check in…

Really rude staff at the check in counter at Chennai India. The manager Suresh Babu specifically stated he does not care if I had medicines or food or water he needs to meet the weight for cabin baggage by a kg margin. He asked me to throw them or whatever it takes to show him the weight. I noticed that I was singled out and the others passengers did not weigh their back back + luggage. I am never flying Cathay again and will recommend my followers and friends to stay away from them.

Date of experience : February 11, 2024

Zero crisis management

There are always occasions when things could go horribly wrong, but Cathay managed to worsen it further. 1. Delay for stupid reason - a series of own mismanagement 2. Delay overnight with no accomodation nor food 3. Call centre not offering solution but keep asking passenger to cancel check-in on their app - there is no such function on their own app and can't they handle their own app? 4. zero-staff with no crisis management over night - overwhelmed by hundred of angry passengers when counter re-open at 9am 5. non-existence of communication - multiple misinformation of flight time - almost 24hrs delay at the end 6. Not reponding for weeks in compensation claim - responded only after warning them of referring the claim to CAA 7. Had the guts requesting passenger to sign confidentiality undertaking for getting statutory compensation - again when CAA is mentioned such request was dropped unconditionally. Yes it is cheaper when most others are getting more expensive - but be prepared when you are stuck Cathay can only make it worse.

Date of experience : June 23, 2023

Useless website booking system

Been trying to book a multi city flight fir weeks now and every time I get to the final stages of paying, I get the same error message. Wasted so much time changing the dates etc. Their website is absolute rubbish. Contacted customer services and they are as useless and incompetent. Will have to find their senior directors on LinkedIn and Facebook to escalate this now. EDIT - THIS HAS NOW BEEN RESOLVED BY ERICA AND FIONA WHO WERE AMAZING AND EXTREMELY HELPFUL.

Date of experience : January 13, 2024

I won't fly Cathay again

I won't fly Cathay again. I paid for premium economy for a recent trip to Australia. Very disappointed. It wasn't worth the extra money. Not enough cabin crew to serve the passengers. Call bells werent answered. It turned out they were giving priority to online requests. But i didnt realise that until the final.leg of my return trip. Out of the 4 flights only one met the advertised standard of service. The glass of prosecco on boarding was only offered on 2 of the 4 flights. Food was poor - they couldn't find my gluten free meal on one flight. Eventually they gave me a breakfast meal for dinner and then gave me the same meal for breakfast 5 hrs later. The final.leg was 14.5 hours and the cabin crew offered no additional water or fluids. Luckily I had taken a 300 ml bottle of water with me. I wish I'd checked Trust pilot before booking. I wouldn't have chosen them

Date of experience : February 06, 2024

Cathay's careless crews and deteriorating quality

I always believed in Cathay's quality but my last flight from HK to London was disappointing. It was a smaller plane usually used for short flights with reduced legroom, which was very uncomfortable for a 14 hour flight. However, the worst was that under strong turbulence, your pilots and crew refused to address any safety concerns and dismissed stressful passengers of any support. Shouldn't customer experience come first? Staff was also impolite - when I asked for a glass of wine to relax a bit at the beginning of the flight, I was faced with an unfriendly attitude and was asked to show my ID, first ever in my flight experience and I am 30 years old. I read that they have a shortage of staff but the quality has definitely deteriorated, something that cannot be excused.

Date of experience : February 17, 2024

CX548 first flight out of Hong Kong to…

CX548 first flight out of Hong Kong to Tokyo on a Sunday. 30 minutes before departure time when all passengers are at the gate they announced a gate change and that the flight will be 1.5 hours delayed. 30 minutes before the new departure time when all passengers are at the gate they said they need another 20 minutes before boarding. They could have let passengers know of changes in advance but no one bothered. All in all more than 2 hours delay. Layers and layers of operational failure in what used to be a great airline. I now take SQ to Singapore and seem like I need to switch to ANA for all trips to Japan as well.

Date of experience : February 04, 2024

First time flying with Cathay, would do it again

We flew from Heathrow - Hong Kong (return) Both flights were on time. The staff were always friendly, polite & helpful. Amenities: A pillow, blanket & earphones were provided. Someone requested an eye-mask on the night flight out, and this was provided. Meals: we received 2 per flight. The meals were perfectly fine, it's economy after all! It was a nice touch to have metal cutlery. The drinks trolley came around a few times between meals, but perhaps could have come round with a few more snacks too. The flight attendants always responded promptly when we requested a few coffees / noodles between meals (as the return flight was around 14 hours). We were able to select special meals on the return flight for free too. Entertainment: pretty good & quite varied, though the UX/UI could be improved as navigation wasn't seamless Legroom / seat: I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of leg room & how comfortable the seat was. We waited until 48h before check in and selected our seats for free, thankfully able to sit together both times.

Date of experience : January 19, 2024

From love brand to CR4p brand

CX used to be the stand out best airline in the world for the flying experience whether lounges, crew and the actual flying. I used tocall it a love brand. Today it is utter rubbish on the booking and online service. Leadership is demoralised; flight crew leave in droves. Membership is v average with pointless rules. It is now a just poo brand! 23 years of absolute loyalty both for family and business use and we are done. We are off to NZ/Sing/BA - Looking forward to flying with many x CX folk! Damn shame.

Date of experience : November 21, 2023

Will NEVER book a flight with you again!

Cathay Pacific Your customer service is THE WORST. We tried ringing your customer service 'hotline' and were on hold for 1 HOUR and never got picked up. We started a Whats App conversation 12 hours ago, got passed around by 3 different agents who just swapped us around departments and did nothing with no apologies and long periods of waiting to reply to questions which never got answered. You have cancelled our flights with 48-hour notice Hong Kong to Sydney and are now making us fly a further 24 hours later. Will you pay for 2 nights' accommodation in HONG KONG??? We are now going to miss NYE on a trip we booked months ago. You have ruined our honeymoon and your customer services have just made it worse and it feels like a kick in the teeth. If this is how you treat emerald customers I dread to think how you treat non-executive club members.

Date of experience : December 29, 2023

Awful entertainment system, poor food and service

Well they got me there and back safely from Heathrow to Hong Kong. On the way, the food was awful, the entertainment screen didn't work properly and the hand set was missing. On the way back, the food was poor, the entertainment system was reset 4 times and still failed... And, I had paid for premium economy - what a mistake! One toilet on the other side of the plane, and you had to circle the plane to get to it

Date of experience : January 12, 2024

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Cathay Pacific Reviews and Flights

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Cathay Pacific

Airline Alliance

Airline Summary

• Excellent 6,252
• Very Good 5,604
• Average 2,552
• Terrible 1,376
• Premium Economy
• Business Class
• First Class
• All languages ( 16,788 )
• English ( 12,099 )
• Chinese (Trad.) ( 1,574 )
• Chinese (Sim.) ( 1,570 )

" If you want better travel, go premium, if you can afford it go business. "

" Nothing "

" Thinking about Premium economy it may just be well worth it "

" Be aware for the luggage fee its not right to charge the guest an extra charge and be aware about the food that they serve they run out food "

" Just don’t find someone else "

Search flights

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Cathay Pacific Reviews and Flights

• Airlines    

Cathay Pacific

Airline Alliance

Airline Summary

• Excellent 6,252
• Very Good 5,604
• Average 2,552
• Terrible 1,376
• Premium Economy
• Business Class
• First Class
• All languages ( 16,788 )
• English ( 12,099 )
• Chinese (Trad.) ( 1,574 )
• Chinese (Sim.) ( 1,570 )

" If you want better travel, go premium, if you can afford it go business. "

" Nothing "

" Thinking about Premium economy it may just be well worth it "

" Be aware for the luggage fee its not right to charge the guest an extra charge and be aware about the food that they serve they run out food "

" Just don’t find someone else "

Search flights

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Cathay Pacific Reviews and Flights

• Airlines    

Cathay Pacific

Airline Alliance

Airline Summary

Reviews we perform checks on reviews. tripadvisor’s approach to reviews before posting, each tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. if the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines , the review is not published. when the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site. our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines . learn more about our review moderation..

• Excellent 6,252
• Very Good 5,604
• Average 2,552
• Terrible 1,376
• Premium Economy
• Business Class
• First Class
• All languages ( 16,788 )
• English ( 12,099 )
• Chinese (Trad.) ( 1,574 )
• Chinese (Sim.) ( 1,570 )

" If you want better travel, go premium, if you can afford it go business. "

" Nothing "

" Thinking about Premium economy it may just be well worth it "

" Be aware for the luggage fee its not right to charge the guest an extra charge and be aware about the food that they serve they run out food "

" Just don’t find someone else "

Search flights

The ultimate guide to Cathay Pacific first class

Update : Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

Although it's evolved slightly through the years, Cathay Pacific's simple yet elegant livery has been featured in some of the most classic aviation photos of all time, including the anxiety-inducing images of 747 jumbo jets winding their way through high-rise apartment buildings on final approach into Hong Kong's old Kai Tak Airport .

While you won't find those harrowing flight paths, or even 747s, today , Cathay Pacific is still known around the world for the luxurious first-class experience it offers. Today we'll take an in-depth look at a flight on many award travelers' bucket lists, including how to go about redeeming miles for it.

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Cathay's international fleet today is composed of a mix of A330s, A350s and 777s, but you'll find a first-class cabin only on select 777-300ER aircraft. Many 777s feature a regional business-class configuration, while others are limited to three classes: lie-flat international business class , a solid premium economy class and regular economy, with no first class. If you're ever taxiing in Hong Kong and getting bored looking out the window, there's an easy way to tell if you're staring at a 777 with or without a first-class cabin. See the six windows at the front of the plane below? That would be exactly three windows for each of the two rows in first class.

Cathay Pacific is trimming back routes which offer first class to the U.S. After June 1, 2020, Chicago will see flights to Hong Kong operated by the A350-1000, which doesn't offer a first-class cabin. And starting Oct. 25, 2020, Cathay will reduce its capacity between New York-JFK and Hong Kong by more than half, significantly reducing first-class award opportunities between the two cities.

Compare that to this Cathay 777 which doesn't have the six windows separated at the front, meaning the best this plane can offer is business class.

Cathay flies its 777-300ERs with first-class cabins on routes all over the world, and they'll even make appearances within Asia. However, the carrier is notorious for last-minute aircraft swaps on these intra-Asia routes, so if you're initially booked on a plane with a first-class cabin, don't be surprised if you're switched out or if you see one suddenly pop up on a new Asian route. I should also note that first class on these shorter routes isn't the full experience (i.e. no caviar or pajamas), but the massive seat alone is worth experiencing if you can.

As of now, you can experience Cathay Pacific first class on flights between Hong Kong (HKG) and the following destinations:

North America:

• Boston (BOS)
• New York-JFK ( schedule reduced after Oct. 25, 2020 )
• Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) - ending June 1, 2020
• Vancouver (YVR) - ending March 28th, 2020
• Los Angeles (LAX)
• San Francisco (SFO)
• London-Heathrow (LHR)
• Frankfurt (FRA)
• Paris (CDG)
• Milan (MXP)
• Zurich (ZRH)
• Taipei (TPE)
• Beijing (PEK)
• Tokyo-Haneda (HND)
• Manila (MNL)
• Seoul (ICN)
• Bangkok (BKK)

Hong Kong's geographical location makes all of these long-haul routes to North America and Europe ideal to get the full premium experience, as many of these flights are in the 15-hour range. That's plenty of time to eat, drink, sleep and do it all again! Unfortunately, the ongoing protests in Hong Kong have put a huge dent in Cathay Pacific's revenue over the last few months. The airline has responded by reducing frequencies on several of these routes, making those elusive first-class awards just a little bit harder to find.

Related: The hardest first-class products to book using points and miles

Cabin layout and seat selection

Cathay Pacific's first-class cabin features only six seats laid out in a spacious and private 1-1-1 configuration. The only airline I can think of with a sparser 777 first class cabin would be Air France's La Premiere which only has four seats (Singapore Airlines also has four first class seats on some of its 777s). On Cathay, each seat is a full 36 inches wide and offers 81 inches of pitch.

It's hard to overstate just how wide these seats are. When I flew Cathay Pacific first class for the first time, my initial thought upon boarding was something along the lines of, "Wow, you could fit three of me in this seat!"

While there's no such thing as a bad seat in this cabin, there is one small quirk to be aware of. It's a little hard to tell just by looking at the seat map, but the middle seats (1D and 2D) are open to the right side of the plane and have a wall to the left.

This means that seats on the the left side (1A and 2A) have an aisle to themselves. While Cathay doesn't offer fully enclosed suites with closing doors like some of its competitors , this configuration offers plenty of privacy. Here's the view from my time in seat 1A, and I swear I didn't see another passenger for the entire 15-hour flight.

Each seat has a TV that pops out of the seat back and can be adjusted as you'd like. And see the seatbelt on the ottoman? If you're traveling with a companion, Cathay will let you dine together at one seat and have a date (or business meeting) at 35,000 feet.

The area behind the TV contains a storage closet for carry-ons, which easily fit my Osprey Porter 46 backpack .

When it's time to sleep, the flight attendants will turn your three-foot-wide seat into one of the plushest beds in the sky, complete with a mattress pad, comforter and several pillows. This was easily the best sleep I've ever gotten on a flight.

And of course, it wouldn't be complete without caviar and champagne. Caviar snobs enthusiasts will be happy to know that Cathay provides proper mother-of-pearl spoons as well as a welcome card signed by the flight crew to accompany your dinner (you can just see it peeking out behind the champagne!).

How to book

Before we discuss the best loyalty programs to use to book these awards, let's talk about how to find them in the first place. While Cathay Pacific is a member of the Oneworld alliance and has a number of other individual partnerships, some award search engines will not display Cathay Pacific award space. It used to be that Oneworld partner American Airlines didn't show any Cathay Pacific award space, but as of September 2019 it's now possible to search for and book Cathay Pacific awards directly with American. Note that this award availability only is appearing on the old American Airlines award searching tool. So, you'll want to start your award search here .

Related: Amazing Cathay Pacific awards just got easier to search and book

Your next best option is to use the clunky British Airways website to search for space and then call your booking partner of choice with the exact flight number(s) and date(s). If you're trying to travel beyond Hong Kong, you should search segment by segment to get British Airways to show you the space. For example, if you're trying to fly from Chicago to Hong Kong and then connect to Bangkok (BKK), search for the Chicago to Hong Kong leg and do a separate search for Hong Kong to Bangkok. You can also use the Qantas website, which is sometimes better at showing complete itineraries on Cathay. For more details on this search process, be sure to review Richard Kerr's post on the best websites for searching Oneworld alliance availability .

Generally speaking, Cathay will release one first-class award seat when the schedule first opens and occasionally release one or two more closer to departure. It is very rare to see two or more first-class award seats available on the same flight, which can be tough if you're trying to travel with a companion. One strategy to overcome this obstacle is to book one first-class award and one business award and then hope that a second seat opens up in first closer to departure. Of course, there's no guarantee of this happening, so I suggest you have "the talk" about who gets the first-class seat as early as possible to avoid any hurt feelings.

Related: Everything you need to know about flying Cathay Pacific first class as a couple

If you're booking a round-trip first-class flight, the paid prices rarely fall below $10,000 and can easily be double or even triple that amount. One-ways also fall into extreme pricing . Between Hong Kong's geographic positioning and role as a global financial hub (read: revenue customers with deep pockets), Cathay Pacific first-class fares can be off-the-charts expensive.

This means that it's easy to get incredible value for your miles, but you should still think carefully about which program to use for these awards. From my perspective, there are three main options you should consider: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, American Airlines AAdvantage, and Cathay Pacific's Asia Miles program.

Alaska Airlines

Once you've found Cathay Pacific first-class award space on the British Airways or Qantas websites, Alaska Airlines is one of the best programs to use. Cathay award flights between the U..S and Asia cost 70,000 miles in first class, and you can include a free stopover in Hong Kong, even on a one-way ticket. Add in low taxes (in the ~$25 range) and a competent call center and it's hard to ask for anything more. TPG values Alaska miles at 1.8 cents each , so the 70,000 miles you'd use are worth $1,260. This means that you'd be "paying" significantly less than face value to get this ticket.

While Alaska frequently runs promotions to buy miles (which can drop your purchase price to as low as 2 cents apiece), the carrier unfortunately doesn't partner with any of the major transferable programs . However, you can transfer Marriott points to Alaska at a 3:1 ratio, and you'll receive a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points you transfer. This means that it would cost 180,000 Marriott points for a one-way first-class award, and you'd end up with 5,000 Alaska miles left over (an unfortunate necessity because of the transfer bonus).

Related: Maximizing redemptions with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

If you're looking for a way to jump-start your earnings toward this goal, the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card is a great choice along these lines. It is offering a bonus of 40,000 bonus miles, a $100 statement credit, and Alaska's Famous Companion Fare from $121 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $22) when you make $2,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account. This could get you at least halfway to first-class paradise with just one credit card, and you could consider using Marriott points to top up your account with the remaining miles you need.

Just remember that there are a couple of important restrictions when booking with Alaska miles. First, Alaska doesn't allow you to combine partner airlines on award tickets, which can be tricky if you don't live in one of the gateways above. As a result, you'd either need to include an Alaska-operated flight to a Cathay Pacific departure city on your award ticket or book a separate ticket on another airline to get there. In addition, Alaska doesn't publish an award chart for every region, so even if Cathay operates flights on a route (e.g. Europe to Australia via Hong Kong), you can't redeem miles if it isn't part of Alaska's charts .

However, these are relatively minor in the grand scheme of snagging luxury seats in the sky.

American Airlines

While the AAdvantage award chart isn't as attractive as it once was after the significant devaluation from March 2016, Cathay Pacific is one of those things for which it's worth paying. AA will charge you 110,000 miles for a one-way first-class flight to Asia, and while that's obviously a higher quantity than Alaska requires, it's not too different when considering TPG's valuation of AA miles at 1.4 cents. The "cost" of booking a Cathay Pacific first class ticket is thus $1,540 worth of American miles, only ~$300 more than the "cost" through Alaska. Again, not a bad deal at all for a redemption that's likely to net you well over 10 cents a point.

Related: Maximizing redemptions with American Airlines AAdvantage

It's also a lot easier to rack up American miles, especially through the carrier's cobranded credit cards. Here are some of the best current offers:

• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®: 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.

The information for the CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The AAdvantage program also partners with Marriott Bonvoy, giving you the same ratio and bonus outlined above for Alaska.

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

Asia Miles uses a distance-based award chart, which makes things very expensive for U.S.-based travelers:

Cathay's West Coast routes from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Vancouver fall under the "Long — Type 2" pricing, meaning a one-way first-class award costs 110,000 miles. Flights to Chicago and the East Coast classify as "Ultra-Long" and cost 125,000 miles one-way.

Related: Everything you need to know about Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

That being said, Asia Miles are relatively easy to earn, as the program is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards , Capital One and Citi ThankYou Rewards (along with Marriott Bonvoy ). Amex even runs transfer bonuses from time to time , which can really sweeten the deal. The most recent bonus was targeted, with people reporting anywhere from 10% to 30% bonuses. A 30% transfer bonus would drop the cost of a West Coast flight down to ~85,000 Membership Rewards points, which is not a bad deal at all.

Bottom line

Cathay Pacific's first-class product may not the best in any one area: Air France offers a better seat, Japan Airlines typically serves better food , Emirates has the bling factor (plus a shower on the A380!) and Lufthansa generally wins on ground services . However, Cathay first offers one of the most consistent, all-around excellent flight experiences out there. The seat is enormous, the carrier's lounges are terrific and the service onboard is fantastic. In fact, I found my flight attendants to be so warm and personable that I wished my 15 hours in the air never ended (and other TPGers feel the same ). Even though award space is generally scarce, if you're patient and flexible it's possible to book a nearly $20,000 ticket at laughably low rates.

Updated on 5/4/22.

The Different Ways To Earn Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

• Cathay Pacific's loyalty program Cathay has combined Asia Miles and Status Points since 2022.
• Earn Asia Miles through partner airlines, credit cards, hotels, car rentals, and online shopping.
• There are extensive airline partners - more than most other one world airlines.

The loyalty program of Cathay Pacific is known simply as Cathay. The Hong Kong-based airline previously operated two separate loyalty programs for miles and status – Asia Miles and Marco Polo Club. Since 2022, these have been combined under a single program, and members earn Asia Miles and Status Points.

Cathay allows miles to be earned from flights with Cathay Pacific and a wide range of alliance and non-alliance partner airlines. There are also earning options with credit cards, travel spending, and retail.

Earning Asia Miles when flying Cathay Pacific

For all flights, Asia Miles are earned based on the distance flown. Unlike many other loyalty programs (including fellow one world programs from British Airways, American Airlines, and Iberia), Cathay has not switched to a revenue-based earning system. For now, miles are earned based on the booking class and the flight distance.

Cathay does not formally publish a fixed earnings table for these flights. Instead, the flight must be checked using the calculator tool on the website. Even then, earnings vary within some fare categories and will not be known exactly until booking.

All flights in premium cabins should earn at least 100% of the miles flown. Economy will tier down from 100% for some fully flexible tickets (Flex) to under 50% for Economy Lite fares.

For example, a flight with Cathay Pacific from Hong Kong to London will earn as follows:

Earning Asia Miles when flying with partner airlines

Cathay is partnered with many airlines to allow earning of Asia Miles. As the airline is a member of the one world alliance , miles can be earned on all flights with one world partner airlines.

There is a wide range of additional partnerships, which is one of the strengths of the Cathay program. In particular, it opens up additional earning opportunities in the Asia-Pacific and South American regions (where one world itself is limited). Details should be checked, as there are route limitations on earning with some partners.

• Air New Zealand
• Bangkok Airways
• S7 Airlines (currently suspended as a one world member)
• Shenzhen Airlines

All partner airline earnings are also based on the booking class and flight distance. Cathay publishes lists of earning percentages for each partner airline. Earnings can also be checked in full for any route using the calculator tool.

T he tables below show the earnings for one world partner British Airways and for Air China.

Earning Asia Miles through credit cards

Several co-branded credit cards are available in the Hong Kong market and in other Asian countries. These include:

• Standard Chartered Asia Miles Mastercard in Hong Kong
• Several American Express Cathay Pacific Elite cards in Hong Kong

There is also one card available in the US market. The Cathay Pacific Visa card is issued by Symphony Bank.

These cards will award Asia Miles for spending, often with bonus earnings in some categories. The rates vary between cards. The popular Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard (which also awards Status Points), for example, earns the following:

• One Asia Mile for every two HKD spent with Cathay and HK Express
• One Asia Mile for every four HKD spent on local dining and for all overseas spend
• One Asia Mile for every six HKD spent in Hong Kong in other categories

Cathay is also a transfer partner for American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One, and Citi ThankYou Points, opening up earnings to many more cardholders. All these programs allow transfer into Asia Miles at a 1:1 ratio.

Love learning about points and miles? Read more of our loyalty news and guides here .

Earning Asia Miles through travel and shopping

There are several ways to boost Asia Miles earnings, with hotels, car hire, and various retail options. These include:

Hotel stays. Cathay has partnerships with many global hotel chains to earn Asia Miles. These include some partners where miles are earned directly (usually instead of earning in the hotel's own loyalty program) – including Marriott (at one mile per USD spent), some IHG brands (at 500 miles per stay), and Hyatt (500 miles per stay).

There are other programs where hotel points can be converted into Asia Miles – including Hilton (with 10,000 points converting to 1,000 miles) and Accor (with 4,000 points converting to 2,000 miles). There is usually better value in keeping points with the hotel chain.

Car hire. Rentals with Avis earn one mile per USD spent (0.5 miles for contracted rates). Hertz rentals earn 250 miles per booking for Asian rentals and 500 miles per booking in other regions. Budget rentals earn 500 miles per booking.

Online shopping. Like many airline loyalty programs, Cathay has a linked shopping portal. Asia Miles can be earned with many online partners by following the links in the portal. There are regular promotions and bonus-earning offers.

Other retail partners. Aside from the shopping portal, other retail options are limited to the Hong Kong and China regions. There are several partners where Asia Miles can be earned directly for shopping and dining.

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Are you a Cathay program member and a collector of Asia Miles? Feel free to discuss earning methods and opportunities in the comments section below.

Cathay Pacific

IATA/ICAO Code: CX/CPA

Airline Type: Full Service Carrier

Hub(s): Hong Kong International Airport

Year Founded: 1946

Alliance: oneworld

CEO: Ronald Lam

Country: China (Special Administrative Region)

Region: Asia