Cathay Pacific relaunches Seattle-Hong Kong flights

West Coast travelers can take advantage of a new nonstop route to Asia.

Well, it’s not exactly new. Starting March 30, Cathay Pacific relaunched flights between its home hub, Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).

The airline previously operated this route from April 2019 to November 2020, when it removed SEA along with Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, DC, from its route map due to challenges related to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, as of Monday, March 30, this Pacific Northwest route is back.

“After the pandemic, we always wanted to come back to Seattle,” Ronald Lam, CEO of Cathay Group, told TPG. “We think now is the right time.”

To see what this service is all about, we were among the first travelers to experience the relaunched route. This is what awaits other travelers.

Cathay Pacific Hong Kong-Seattle flights

Starting March 30, Cathay Pacific operates the following flight schedule between HKG and SEA.

• CX 853 from SEA to HKG, departs at 11:45am and arrives at 4:45pm the next day (all local times)
• CX 852 from HKG to SEA, departs at 1:25 pm and arrives at 10:05 am the same day (all local times)

Currently, these flights are scheduled Monday through Thursday and Saturday each week, and the exact flight times will change slightly in a few months.

Seattle is a great fit for Cathay Pacific, according to Lam, who spoke to me ahead of a celebration at Seattle’s Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum.

“Seattle alone is a very important destination for us,” he said. “It is home to many world-class companies such as Boeing, Amazon and Microsoft, with whom we work very closely.”

“It’s also home,” he noted, “to a very vibrant Asian-American community. Many of them still have a very deep connection to Hong Kong and the rest of the Asia-Pacific, so we are here to serve them.”

Equally important is the fact that its airport is a hub for Alaska Airlines, a Oneworld Partner from Cathay Pacific.

“We work very closely with [Alaska]” said Lam, “and by connecting Hong Kong to Seattle, it opens up a lot of connectivity in this part of the world.”

Travelers will be able to transition from Cathay’s trans-Pacific flights to Alaska’s robust route network along the West Coast and beyond.

On the route to Seattle, Cathay Pacific operates an Airbus A350-900 with 38 business class seats, 28 premium economy seats and 214 economy class seats.

Unfortunately, the business class cabin does not feature the airline’s design. State-of-the-art Aria Suites – so far, those are Only fly to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in the US, which have technological upgrades like 24-inch 4K entertainment systems and wireless charging pads, not to mention closing doors to privacy.

Still, these seats are quite spacious. They are 20 inches wide, recline into 75-inch reclining beds, and have 18-inch touchscreen entertainment systems.

How much does it cost to book Cathay Pacific’s new Hong Kong-Seattle flights?

Airfares and award flights for the first few months for round-trip travel from Seattle to Hong Kong start at the following prices.

Now for the bad news: There are very few, if any, business-class awards. You will need to try to book as far in advance as possible when the calendar opens or wait for last minute availability. Also, plan to book using Cathay’s Asia Miles program as it offers more award availability for its own members.

Fortunately, Cathay is a 1:1 transfer partner of the following points and miles programs:

Seattle becomes the ninth North American gateway for Cathay Pacific, which also currently flies to:

• Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
• Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• O’Hare International Airport (ORD) in Chicago
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
• Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ)
• Vancouver International Airport (YVR) in British Columbia

DFW, in particular, has received a lot of attention from the airline, which just started flying there. last April. At the time, Cathay only operated these flights four days a week as it promoted connectivity with its other US-based Oneworld partner, American Airlines, which has a hub at the airport. Just six months after that launch, Cathay increased its frequency to daily flights between the two airports.

When asked about other possible new North American routes, Lam demurred, saying: “We already have 120 return flights each week between Hong Kong and North America, so we feel we have a very high frequency and presence in this part of the world. In the short term, we have no immediate plan to add more points or frequencies.”

However, he noted that when the airline begins receiving its new Boeing 777-9s in 2027, some of which will be equipped with the new (and long-awaited) first class“We can consider more long-haul points.”

“It will be a world-leading premium product, like what we have done with our recent Aria Suite enterprise-class product,” he added. “We want to be the best in the world.”

On board one of the first flights from Seattle to Hong Kong

As mentioned, Cathay Pacific’s Seattle-Hong Kong flights will be operated by Airbus A350-900.

The business class cabin on board consists of two sections: a front section with 30 seats arranged in rows of 1-2-1 so that each seat has direct access to the aisle and a rear section with only eight seats spread over two rows. For a quieter experience, try to get a seat in the rear cabin. Just know that passengers board through the doors between the two business class sections, so this miniature cabin receives more foot traffic before takeoff.

The seats are 20 1/2 inches wide with 45 inches of pitch; They recline on 75-inch reclining beds. That’s plenty roomy for me since I’m only 5 feet 8 inches tall, but if you’re much taller, you may have to shrink down a bit while you sleep.

The entertainment systems are 18-inch high-definition touchscreens with over 4,500 hours of entertainment. During my flight, I watched first-run movies like “Marty Supreme” and “Wicked: For Good,” as well as TV shows like “Landman” and “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.”

While you won’t find USB-C ports, there are universal power plugs and USB-A ports in the small compartment next to the seatback to keep your devices charged.

Although I was tempted by Cathay’s famous inflight cheeseburger, I pre-ordered roast duck and roast pork with choy sum noodle soup from six dishes available inspired by Western and Asian cuisine. I also had a smoked salmon salad starter and finished with a lemon meringue tart, all accompanied by excellent wines such as Louis Roederer Collection 246 Champagne and De Loach Heritage Reserve zinfandel.

When it was time to rest, I reclined my seat until I was completely lying down. The flight attendants helped make up for it with the provided Bamford mattress, a lightweight comforter, and a full-size pillow, creating a cozy yet breathable setup.

I also love the airline’s Bamford amenity kits that come equipped with dental kits, mouthwash, eye masks, earplugs and pillow mist, body wash, and herbal-scented lotion.

In a nutshell

Cathay Pacific’s new Seattle-Hong Kong service is a welcome addition to both the airline’s North American route roster and SEA’s growing crop of long-haul flights. Hopefully this time the route will stick around for longer and Cathay Pacific will launch more award availability in premium cabins, making it a great new option for those looking to redeem points or miles for a trans-Pacific excursion.

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