LHR/MEL/Europe FF

I'd be fairly cautious about 30 minutes before departure... gates will close at least 10 minutes before departure... and security + immigration (without HK ID or frequent traveller etc) can sometimes take 20+ mins.

Kevin Adams

I highly recommend you go into the city if you have a 5 or 6 hour layover.

Maybe I'm overly cautious, but I'd plan for 1.5 hours each way. You never know about customs/immigration or random unexpected delays. Plus, you might want to take a quick shower or something at the lounge.

You can stay in the airport and lounge hop the whole time... by why would you when HK is such an amazing city?

So allowing 1.5 hours each way, that's 3 hours total. Which gives you 2 or 3 hours to spend in HK. If you have never been there it's absolutely worth it.

What you can do in that time depends on the time of day. But at the very least you can go to IFC, head up to the IFC Mall rooftop terrace and get a nice view of Kowloon, then grab some dim sum at the IFC (Tim Ho Wan or Crystal Jade). Or if it's super early or late you could go to a place like Tsui Wah and grab some Hong Kong style French Toast and other snacks. Then maybe grab a cab to the Peak or Star Ferry, or walk around TST for a little bit.

eponymous_coward

It looks like I'd be in a similar boat in late June 2016; arriving on CX 873 in F, (so I'd likely be in Central by 7-7:30 am or so) with a fair amount of flexibility in when I choose to leave on my onward flight to BKK (since CX award availability to my final destination of BKK is pretty wide-open), anywhere from the 9:30 am flight to a 10pm-ish flight out.

I've been to Hong Kong multiple times and love the place, though the heat that time of year is likely to be enervating for running around and doing the tourist thing for very long. I've lounge hopped some at HKG too (though mostly *A, not recently at the CX lounges and Wing F was closed my last trip).

Looks like left luggage + a day pass on AEx would run me about 200 HKD or so.

Hm, something to ponder...

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

Checked luggage can go the whole way through (no need to collect). Hand luggage can be left at the CX arrivals lounge (free of charge, they'll give you a token).

Same-day return on HK Express about $100.

The new Pier F looks like a nice place to spend a couple hours before departure to BKK.

mkjr

you are flying F and fussed about that nominal cost?

eponymous_coward

Cool, that helps. I'll be carryon only.

Not really ($25 USD wouldn't break me on an overseas vacation, though I'm not really a throw money around like crazy kind of person). More like how much running around in late June heat I'll want to do.

I admit I'm cheap enough to think I might go to ABC Kitchen instead of some 3 Michelin star place where the bill could pay for my apartment...

mkjr

$25US is a nominal cost. please.

eponymous_coward

Right, which would be why I said it's not really spending $25 USD (though if I leave luggage at the Arrival, it's more like $15 USD), it's more how much running around in the late June heat I'll want to do.

My original comment on the 200 HKD is more "oh, that's what it would cost". Which isn't a lot.