Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - nonstop to JFK vs YVR stop

I'm going JFK-Hong Kong in November and am trying to decide which flight is best for the return. I'll be in F and I like the arrival time into JFK of 6am for the midnight flight from Hong Kong, but I don't like the stop in Vancouver. Is the service/experience any different since there's a stop in YVR? Is it worth changing to the nonstop flights earlier in the day. I'd appreciate some insight, as I've never flown CX and never been to Asia, for that matter, so I'm a newbie on this route.

In F the service is pretty consistent. Remember that a key advantage of F is that you can choose what you want to eat, in what combination, and when. The "menu" is simply a list of the food they have on board. If the timing works for you then I'd say go with the stopping flight - to me more time in CX F is a good thing not a bad thing. The only problem (assuming things haven't changed) is that you need to deplane for an hour or so at YVR when going from HKG (you can stay on board when doing JFK-YVR-HKG) which is a bit of a pain.

I would also say the more time on CX in First the better - if it's your first time you're in for a treat! Is truly the best in the air I think in every regard - crew food suite IFE etc
The drawback to the YVR option is having to deplane BUT you do then get to pre-clear US Customs and Immigration saving the hassle when you do get to JFK - so just straight off the plane and pick up luggage at JFK if you've checked any.
Either way enjoy !

I would also say the more time on CX in First the better - if it's your first time you're in for a treat! Is truly the best in the air I think in every regard - crew food suite IFE etc
The drawback to the YVR option is having to deplane BUT you do then get to pre-clear US Customs and Immigration saving the hassle when you do get to JFK - so just straight off the plane and pick up luggage at JFK if you've checked any.
Either way enjoy !


Since when did transiting via YVR involve pre-clearing US immigration? I haven't gone via YVR in a few years (since the direct flights started).

Or do what I'm doing tomorrow, all in one shot:

HKG-SFO CX F
SFO-YVR AC J
YVR-JFK CX F

Don't ask. Lol.

you do then get to pre-clear US Customs and Immigration saving the hassle when you do get to JFK

i think pp's mistaken. you only get to pre-clear US customs if u board at YVR.

i think pp's mistaken. you only get to pre-clear US customs if u board at YVR.

When we took the HKG - YVR - JFK service last year there was no pre-clearing in YVR, nor iirc were the boarding passengers pre-cleared. Has this changed? How are JFK immigration and customs authorities able to distinghish who had been pre-cleared and who had not?

P.S. I advise the nonstop, as we found the forced deplaning at YVR to be quite disruptive.

I have taken both routes and while I agree that F in CX is a treat, the "short" hop between Vancouver and JFK seems to take forever for me. I would think 15+ hours of F service more than enough.

I'm going JFK-Hong Kong in November and am trying to decide which flight is best for the return. I'll be in F and I like the arrival time into JFK of 6am for the midnight flight from Hong Kong, but I don't like the stop in Vancouver. Is the service/experience any different since there's a stop in YVR? Is it worth changing to the nonstop flights earlier in the day. I'd appreciate some insight, as I've never flown CX and never been to Asia, for that matter, so I'm a newbie on this route.

It really depends on whether or not you like to land-take off again, and waste a couple of more hours on your itineary. I would think 10+ hours of F/J time is already enough to enjoy the best service in the air, and I don't see what a few more hours can do to you that a nice home/hotel can't do more of.

Stick with direct flight.

i think pp's mistaken. you only get to pre-clear US customs if u board at YVR.

I don't think the U.S. authorities would ever allow uncleared and cleared pax to mingle.

I don't think the U.S. authorities would ever allow uncleared and cleared pax to mingle.

correct. everyone on the cx jfk-yvr flight clear immigration/customs @ jfk regardless whether they board in hkg or yvr.

correct. everyone on the cx jfk-yvr flight clear immigration/customs @ jfk regardless whether they board in hkg or yvr.
Correct. Most, if not all, other flights from YVR (and most major Canadian cities) to the U.S. have pre-departure U.S. customs and immigration clearance. The CX 888 YVR-JFK is an exception.

Sitting in the lounge in YVR right now waiting for 888 to JFK. It departs from the international gates, not the ones designated for the U.S. Indeed, all pax will be going through immigration in JFK.

Sitting in the lounge in YVR right now waiting for 888 to JFK. It departs from the international gates, not the ones designated for the U.S. Indeed, all pax will be going through immigration in JFK.

I have flown this route both non-stop and stopping at YVR. The stop in YVR is a complete pain as you have to wait in this transit area that is quarantined from the rest of the airport, so you can't even wander around.

If I have the choice, I always go non-stop.

If it is not award ticket, I think the fare should have big difference. The direct flight should be much expensive. Pls. correct me if I am wrong.

Take the nonstop. The 9:30 CX830 is better than the 5 pm flight.
While CX F is nice, it has gone downhill somewhat. The food choices are more limited than before, and you generally will need to ask for things more than in the past. FA don't walk the cabin as much, 15 hours is more than enough to smaple CX F.

CX888 have always and still clear INS at JFK. Same with PR's YVR-LAS where pax clear INS at LAS.

well I observed that the flight attendants boarding from YVR are always prettier than those of JFK..

Done both direct and through YVR many times in F. Given a choice, will always take the direct since the transit in YVR is a pain and means you will have to wake up in the middle of your sleep. Only benefit of the stop-over is the YVR crew which is much prettier! ;)

Do they still have the caviar service between JFK-YVR in F?

Do they still have the caviar service between JFK-YVR in F?
Nope. Now you get caviar at ~6am ET, after departure from YVR to HKG.

It being First, for the flights that have caviar on board you can have it whenever you want. So if you don't want it at 6am Eastern then have it at 2pm Eastern, or whenever.

Take the direct flight. The layover seems like its forever as its already very late EST and you'll be drowsy.

Or you can have more wine and caviar.

I completely agree with the consensus. The stop in YVR is a hassle and a waste of time. If you have a choice, I can't think of any good reason to not take the non-stops.

I can't think of any good reason to not take the non-stops.
If someone's purpose of enjoying F is to eat in bunches, then taking the 1-stop will get them more food. I wouldn't do it, but nonetheless there are people in the world of gluttony who would. :rolleyes: