Didn’t find a wiki for this flight, but plenty of threads asking about it.

JFKHKG 0515 arrival, connecting to 1010 departure to DPS.

Pier and Wing both open at 0530. My preference is to sleep (favouring Wing, if I’m not mistaken), shower (either) then massage (Pier) then imbibe (either).

Question regards the Pier massage. Do I need to shlep all the way there to put my name down for, say, an 0845 treatment, or could I go to the Wing and ask them to call and put me down? Furthermore, can one even request a treatment for a later time at the Pier, or are you at CX’s mercy (I.e. must take it at 0530 or take your chances later - at which time they’ll be booked based on my last 6 visits)?

If anyone has a better strategy for early am arrival +5 hr layover, I’m all ears.

Jamie

I believe you do have to make your way to the pier to put your name down as they give you a buzzer if there’s a wait for a massage. However in terms of sleep there are day room hidden inside the first class part of the pier (assuming you have access which you should since you’re mentioning the massages). They are nicer than the nap environment in the Wing.

Perhaps to clarify a little....this thread will be helpful for anyone arriving early, definitely not specific for CX845 only! Identical advice will apply to any of (drumroll): CX811, 889, 829, 893, 883, 881, 873, 899, 746, 676, 748, 358, 288, 260, 270, 262, 320, 344, 376, 156, 322, 292, and I'm probably missing one or two.

Long story short, all the early morning arrivals! Without offence to the great New York City, CX845 is just one of an absolute ton of longhaul flights (mainly 77H / 77G, but some 35G and 33K/E equipment flights too) that arrive early for the morning bank of regional departures. I think we have many threads scattered about with identical advice but each quoting a different flight number...although the information holds true for each. Every ex-European city has a flight arriving early morning, as do all North American ones except ORD, plus a handful of other destinations from Oz, JNB, ME, etc.

CX845 is usually one of the first alongside CX829, CX811 and CX899, but generally there are flights even earlier. The first two used to be CX746 from Dubai or CX138 from Sydney, but with the launch of Tel Aviv now the first to arrive seems to be CX676 from TLV. TLV seems to regularly land before 4:30am, sometimes before 4:15am. The remainder pour in over the next 3 hours.


Regarding some of these queries:
"Preference to sleep", I don't think the Wing can accommodate you? There are short-ish couches in the Cabanas (Cabanas, if you want one, are a Wing-specific item...don't exist in the Pier), which I don't recommend for sleeping. I think the best bet if you want to sleep is get a day-room in The Pier.

Shower can do either, although the consensus here (and my personal opinion) is Pier is better. For massage, you must do Pier since it doesn't happen at the Wing, although you do need to get your name in early because there are insanely long waits. Hours in many cases. So if a massage is high on your agenda I would go to Pier first to be honest.

For the Pier massage, yes, you need to go all the way there. You can't call it in. You are at "CX's mercy" to use your term.

For eating, the a la carte menu at the Pier is definitely bigger than the Wing's. However, the Pier F has a lousy self-selection...Wing wins here if you want to not just be served a la carte. Wing has both a buffet, as well as a side room with better (IMO) choices. Now if you're willing to sully yourself going to Pier J, I highly recommend it especially if you have kids who would prefer self-selection items. There is an abundance of food and self-select items in Pier J.

Yes I think the individual day suite provide more privacy too. Also message wait time at pier sometimes 2 hr or more, since they were 1 or 2 people working . I think the wait time for the Cabana at wing may be shorter.

Thanks all. Sounds like I’ll just make a bed-line to the F Pier. I can always double back to the Wing if proximate to departure gate. Sleep/massage (hopefully) at Pier. Can explore Centurion lounge if the mood strikes.

Best to all - Jamie

I've been arriving CX138 at least 30 times over last three years, between 4am and 5:30 depends on seasons. When I've got a connecting flight at 10am. I would skip Wing at all, the only thing good in the morning at wing would be cabanas. However, you don't really want to spend too much time in a shower room or soak yourself in you're looking to get some sleep.

Wing J side could get me a shower and some snack if arriving too early (in the departure area way before 5:30).

Take a walk to Pier F, get some food and then go to sleep & shower. You will need an eye mask though and couple blanket to really go to sleep at one of the day room.

1) The "rooms" in the Pier is a travesty. The old "Day Break Rooms" are very nice - a real room with TV, chairs, and bell buttons for drinks. The current "suites" are literally a casket size room. Can't do anything else but lay down flat on a casket-sized sofa/bed.

2) The A/C blows right on you when you lie down. Cathay's way of "fixing" the situation is to use a piece of paper to cover the A/C, but that makes the suite hot in the summer time.

3) Literally nothing else (unless you count the power sockets). For all the advancements they make on the lounges. Cathay really messed up on the current Wing Cabana and Pier Suites (versus what they used to have offered).