Hong Kong North satellite Security
 

The facts...

Landing Hong Kong Airport
Arriving from Cathay Dragon flight.
Connecting to Cathay Pacific flight to YVR.

They bus you from midfield to the main terminal.

As I head to the bus, I see midfield security. There is typically no line. Sometimes main terminal security can have long lines.

Question - can you clear security midfield and then go to the main terminal?

I think it is not the "Mid-field" but the "North Satellite" that you are talking about. You can do security there but the bus back to the terminal is less frequent (I think once every 12 minute or so)

Thank you. I am sure you are right - I am confused about North vs Mid-field.

12-minute wait for the bus is fine. Security was 15-20 minutes last time, plus the wait for the bus to get full.

Half joking, half not, we also call the satellite concourse "Dragon Island" for good measure. Gates 500-515.

Midfield concourse is home to HX (and many others, but not KA among them), gates 200+.

Fwiw, the large construction you see on the ramp between the main terminal outside what used to be gate 21 and Dragon Island is a gigantic passenger bridge. Supposedly will be taller than the Gatwick one. So you won't have to take the bus anymore, at least one way. (I'm not sure on how the bridge will handle arrivals vs departures. I'm assuming / hoping it will accommodate two way traffic.) Scheduled for completion in 2020. Gate 21 got sacrificed but I'll say it's going to be worth it.

Gate 500 to 510 no?

Yes, on can clear HK security there, bus back to main terminal and be airside to departure gates.

I would suggest with the less crowded bus and no line it indeed the best way to skin that cat.

Gate 21 will stay and will be converted to a narrow-body gate. The bridge will be able to handle traffic both ways.

Thank you all for great advice/knowledge.

Good to hear we can use it both ways - I see the cost estimate reported as being HK$2 billion. For a short bridge.

Short but exceptionally tall and weirdly structured bridge. An A380 has to be able to drive underneath it.

Cost aside, it will definitely make the transit over to Dragon Island a lot more enjoyable and convenient. I think the "you have no choice but to take the bus" is one of the few bad marks on the airport, particularly for CX/KA passengers.

although the bridge is shamelessly to the benefit of KA pax and CX/KA transit pax....but readers on this forum shouldn't mind too much...:D

You would go through security at the transfer section of the main terminal. In my all my times going through HKG, there have never been long lines; I have never seen more than ten transfer pax on different days and week. A lot of O/D traffic at least on routes I frequent.

If you have never seem more than ten transfer pax.... maybe you just got lucky.

Quick update... did security at the North Satellite last night. HOME RUN!

Security people seemed bored and happy to have a single customer. Through super quick. I got lucky and the bus was waiting and left a minute later. (Not sure if the pre-security transfer bus left before I did - they wait for it to get full.)

Less than 10 minutes from the split of security vs transfer bus, to airside at the main terminal.

I highly recommend this option for anyone doing a similar Dragon to INT. (And you can see if there is a line at the north satellite before deciding to commit to security there or the bus to main terminal security.)

I am sorry however where about is this security?

Normally when we take the escalator down and there is the bus transferring the main terminal waiting, right opposite to the toilet. So the security would be before the toilet or before escalators?

This is for international inbound flight. In my case Hanoi.

When you round the last corner, the bus to the main terminal security and customs is to the LEFT. To the RIGHT is security. It has been empty every time I have gotten on the bus. This time I turned right to go to security.

Very fast.

..all flights arriving and departing HKG are "international";)

everyone has to pass immigration and customs, including passengers to/from mainland China.

Not a single "domestic" flight at the airport.