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Old Oct 29, 2013, 2:12 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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Lounge Admittance Policy and Guest Admittance Policy
Please see this link for details of lounge admittance for:
  • Marco Polo Members
  • Oneworld status holders
  • Business and First Class Passengers
  • People not flying Cathay Pacific or Dragonair
  • Guests


The following FAQs are addressed below:
  • What lounges does Cathay Pacific operate at HKIA (aka “what are my choices”)?
    • Which departures lounge should I use?
      • I am not a Marco Polo Club member. I am not travelling on a Cathay Pacific or Dragonair flight. Can I use one of the lounges?
        • I am arriving off CX First Class and connecting to a CX or KA flight in Business Class. Can I access the First Class lounge during my transit?
          • Can I visit multiple lounges?
            • Do operational-upgrades (op-ups) come with upgraded lounge benefits?
              • Do mile-upgraded (award) tickets come with lounge benefits?
                • What if I want to meet up with fellow FlyerTalkers in CX lounges?
                  • Transiting through HKG and getting to the lounges
                    • Is it possible to visit airside lounges during a transit and then exit the airport?





What lounges does Cathay Pacific operate at HKIA (aka “what are my choices”)?
Cathay Pacific (together with subsidiary Dragonair) operate the following lounges at Hong Kong:

Departure lounges:
  • The Wing - First Class
  • The Wing - Business Class
  • The Pier - First Class
  • The Pier - Business Class
  • The Cabin - Business Class - Closed as of 1 May 2018
  • The Bridge - Business Class
  • The Deck - Business Class

All departure lounges are airside and are only accessible by passengers who have an onward boarding pass and who have cleared security and passport control.


Which departures lounge should I use?
Depending on your access entitlement, you can use any lounge in the terminal. You should check how long it takes to get to your departure gate from the lounge you choose

Food
  • The Wing - F Class, there is a buffet restaurant, and an a-la-carte menu, and a Champagne bar.
  • The Wing - J Class, there is a new Coffee Loft concept offering freshly brewed coffee and freshly baked pastries. Compared to The Pier, there is also a wider selection of savoury foods.
  • The Pier - F Class has an a la carte restaurant, and no buffet. It is the newest of the lounges, and the most up to date in Cathay's service offering.
  • The Cabin has The Deli and the Health Bar which offer made-to-order hot sandwiches and antipasti, and fresh juices. There is also a small western and Asian food buffet. There is no separate F class dining or seating at The Cabin. The Cabin is permanently closed.
  • The Bridge features The Bakery, which offers freshly baked bread and pizzas, as well as sandwiches, pastries, Asian and Western soups, and fresh salads. There is no separate F class dining or seating at The Bridge.
    F Class Lounge Menus: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/catha...nge-menus.html

For details of what facilities are offered in each lounge, please refer to the links on the Cathay Pacific/Dragonair websites:

Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Airport Lounges


AusBT reviews of new CX lounges:
The Wing Business Class Review
The Wing First Class Review
The Bridge
The Pier First Class
The New Pier Business Class lounge



Discussion on CX Lounges World Wide:
New - The Bridge
The Wing - The Best Oneworld Business Lounge in the network?
Review of new F wing
Cathay Pacific – Chicago (ORD) Lounge
New CX lounge in SFO???
The New Pier First and Business Class lounges
The New Pier Business Class Lounge
London Heathrow lounge experience
The Deck



I am not a Marco Polo Club member. I am not travelling on a Cathay Pacific or Dragonair flight. Can I use one of the lounges?

Please see the above section which include details on Admittance policies.

The following can access Cathay Pacific lounges to the extent as detailed in the above admittance policy:
  • First and Business Class passengers flying oneworld marketed and operated flights, class of lounge depending on class of travel
  • Oneworld Sapphire members (including Marco Polo Gold members) departing on a oneworld marketed and operated flight, J lounges
  • Oneworld Emerald members (including Marco Polo Diamond members) departing on a oneworld marketed and operated flight, F or J lounges
  • Marco Polo Silver members departing on a Cathay Pacific or Cathay Dragon marketed and operated flight, J lounges (any lounge provided by CX to J passengers except for JFK, where SL members are directed to the Admiral's Club when it is open)
  • Marco Polo Silver, Gold, and Diamond members departing on a Cathay Pacific or Cathay Dragon marketed flight operated by another carrier, class of lounge depending on status, for Cathay Pacific-owned lounges only, if physically accessible and open.

If you do not fall into any of these categories you are out of luck (or you can be guested in).


I am arriving off CX First Class and connecting to a CX or KA flight in Business Class. Can I access the First Class lounge during my transit?
Yes. You will be issued with two lounge invitations when you check in for your flight, one for use at your outport and one for use in Hong Kong. Your Hong Kong lounge invitation will clearly display an invitation to "The Wing/Pier/Cabin/G16 Lounge - FIRST CLASS".
There is some discussion at this thread regarding long transits between a First Class and Business Class flights and lounge entitlement: F lounge use when departing J after long next day transit

Can I visit multiple lounges?
Yes. Although the lounge invitation is collected upon entry, a lounge invitation is not required to enter a lounge. Your boarding pass showing cabin and status, and your frequent flyer card if you are relying on oneworld access privileges, is sufficient. The first time you use a boarding pass to enter, the gate staff will need to scan it to check entry eligibility. A re-entry stamp will then be stamped on your boarding pass, this is so that subsequent entries using that boarding pass will not need it scanned.


Do operational-upgrades (op-ups) come with upgraded lounge benefits?
No. This is because an operational upgrade relates solely to needing to re-seat a passenger on board. There is no operational reason to provide other benefits associated with the upgraded travel class such as lounge entry, priority baggage, or bonus miles.

For example, unless he has status etc. allowing first class lounge entry, a business class traveller upgraded to first class for operational reasons will receive a first class boarding pass paired with a business class lounge invitation. Attempts to use the first class boarding pass to enter a first class lounge will be denied when the lounge agent scans his boarding pass. Similarly, an economy or premium economy class passenger op-up'ed to business class does not receive lounge benefits.


Do mile-upgraded (award) tickets come with lounge benefits?
Yes, award tickets have the same lounge benefits as a regular ticket.


What if I want to meet up with fellow FlyerTalkers in CX lounges?
You could try having a look at this thread: Lounge Meetup Master Thread


Transiting through HKG and getting to the lounges

To provide an idea of where the lounges are located throughout the airport:
  • The Wing is near gates 1-4, G16 is near Gates 15-19. Both of these are on the far east side of the concourse - the Wing is southeast, and G16 is northeast.
  • The Cabin is near gate 21, centrally located also on the eastern side of the concourse.
  • The Bridge is centrally located on the west side of the concourse, within a five minute walk from all gates 30-71. This is probably the most strategically located of all the lounges given the volume of gates it is close to.
  • The Pier is on the northwest side of the concourse, nestled among the 60s gates.
  • *As of now, there is no lounge on the southwest side of the concourse (gates 40), but the Bridge is no more than a 5 minute walk from all of the 40s gates.

When transiting, you can use any transit point as they all lead to the same departures area of the airport. You can utilize any transit checkpoint to successfully reach your departure gate without much difference in walking time Therefore, if you see a transit point with no queue, just use it - you don't need to go to a transit point near your next departing gate. From experience, E1/E2 transit points are the points with the most congestion, but maximum time waiting through these points is about 15 minutes.


Is it possible to visit airside lounges during a transit and then exit the airport?

**Updated, this no longer seems possible, per this thread: Stuck in HKG without being able to Exit , previously there was some view that it may be possible, but this appears to be moot: Using HKG departure-side lounges before clearing immigration
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Lounge Access and other Lounge FAQs

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Old May 30, 2018, 3:32 am
  #1366  
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: JMB Sapphire, OneWorld Sapphire
Posts: 114
Originally Posted by christep
The changes to Asia Miles rules in no way affect lounge access rules. To get access to the departure lounges in HK it is the HKG-HND leg which needs to be in J (and if coming returning it is the HKG-MNL leg that needs to be in J).
Yeah i mean AM changes for cabin redemption. This means if i get J for HKG-HND, i will only get access to HK (going) and HND (return) lounge?

Originally Posted by percysmith
no exact time yet. I should get more than 5 hours layover flight to get access to any lounge?
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Old May 30, 2018, 4:01 am
  #1367  
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Originally Posted by abielp
Yeah i mean AM changes for cabin redemption. This means if i get J for HKG-HND, i will only get access to HK (going) and HND (return) lounge?


no exact time yet. I should get more than 5 hours layover flight to get access to any lounge?
There are two types of lounge access. Type 1 is based on airline status. If you are a very frequent flyer and have high status with the airline, you can use their lounges whenever you fly, even in economy.

Type 2 lounge access is based on class of service. Your departing flight needs to be in business or first class.

However, Oneworld recognises that sometimes you might be flying long haul in business or first class, but your short-haul connecting flight might only offer economy. In these cases they said 'ok, if your long haul gets you lounge access, you can also get lounge access on the short haul'.

Oneworld defines long haul as a flight over five hours. And shorthaul as a flight under five hours. This has nothing to do with your layover times.

In your case, if either one of the flights is over five hours in business or first, and the other flight is under five hours, you'll get lounge access at all points along the way. It doesn't look like either the MNL-HKG or HKG-HND flights are in this range.

In that case, you'll need to be departing in business class to get lounge access at the airport you want it. If you are departing in economy, no lounge access.
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Old May 30, 2018, 4:05 am
  #1368  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
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Originally Posted by christep
The changes to Asia Miles rules in no way affect lounge access rules. To get access to the departure lounges in HK it is the HKG-HND leg which needs to be in J (and if coming returning it is the HKG-MNL leg that needs to be in J).
If your first flight is in J then you should be able to access the lounge for all sectors if all booked to fly CX/KA. I don't think it matters if the first or second sector is longer than 5 hours or not as long as you are flying CX/KA for all sectors.

If the first flight is in Y and the second is in J, then you won't have lounge access for the first sector.
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Old May 30, 2018, 4:49 am
  #1369  
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
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Thanks for that detailed reply @LHR/MEL/Europe FF
​​​​​​
Originally Posted by rays
If your first flight is in J then you should be able to access the lounge for all sectors if all booked to fly CX/KA. I don't think it matters if the first or second sector is longer than 5 hours or not as long as you are flying CX/KA for all sectors.

If the first flight is in Y and the second is in J, then you won't have lounge access for the first sector.
Yes, planning to fly CX for all sectors. Any link that refers to this?
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Old May 30, 2018, 5:39 am
  #1370  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
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Originally Posted by abielp
​​​​​​

Yes, planning to fly CX for all sectors. Any link that refers to this?
I think I've read some thread on other forums that as long as the first sector is in J you will have lounge access for the second sector as well. I do have a personal experience, I once did PEK-HKG in J and HKG-SYD in PEY, got lounge access for both sectors. Lounge invitation is automatically included after OLCI.

But then, on your return flight, your first sector will be in Y so you won't have lounge access for the first sector.
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Old May 30, 2018, 6:21 am
  #1371  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: Lowly CX & IHG
Posts: 382
Originally Posted by abielp
Thanks for that detailed reply @LHR/MEL/Europe FF
​​​​​​

Yes, planning to fly CX for all sectors. Any link that refers to this?
As recalling what I read it's more of a courtesy by experience and no prints to be linked. The link is 5hr OW rule which does not apply to MNL-HKG-HND.
OT, gcmap tells it's 2515 mi which if you redeem J MNL-HKG-HND (single or roundtrip) in one ticket, it costs less post-AM-changes (and should still be allowed) and unless you cannot confirm J you could just ticket both sectors in J at the same cost.
--
Correction: by Jun 22 changes, (theoretically) mixed cabin redemption maybe cheaper unlike currently where the highest class of travel dominates. The "cost less" was based on the fact that 50k zone is <=2500 miles and will be <=2750 miles. Per updated terms:
Originally Posted by Flight Awards – Standard, Choice & Tailored Awards
5. Standard, Choice and Tailored Awards allow mixed cabin redemption. The mileage requirement calculation is based on the haul of each inbound and outbound direction and the prorated ratio derived from Great Circle Distance for each sector. The mileage sum is rounded down to the nearest hundred
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Last edited by watery; May 30, 2018 at 9:20 am
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Old May 30, 2018, 8:03 am
  #1372  
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
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Originally Posted by watery
As recalling what I read it's more of a courtesy by experience and no prints to be linked. The link is 5hr OW rule which does not apply to MNL-HKG-HND.
OT, gcmap tells it's 2515 mi which if you redeem J MNL-HKG-HND (single or roundtrip) in one ticket, it costs less post-AM-changes (and should still be allowed) and unless you cannot confirm J you could just ticket both sectors in J at the same cost.
I see. Totally misunderstood how multi cabin redemption will work.
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Old May 30, 2018, 9:25 am
  #1373  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: Lowly CX & IHG
Posts: 382
Originally Posted by abielp
I see. Totally misunderstood how multi cabin redemption will work.
Actually the multi cabin redemption will work differently from how I interpret the updated terms, so while it's certainly cheaper to ticket in future in all J, it could be further cheaper to ticket just some in J. See above updated.
If you do ticket mixed class eventually, guaranteed is to get J for sectors that departs from HKG to use the lounges in HKG, but experience from fellow FT-ers reply that you may still get access for Y connecting flights outside of the 5hr rule, but not as published.
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Old Jun 6, 2018, 3:48 pm
  #1374  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Originally Posted by gpia
If you say "landing", are you talking about the Arrivals Lounge? Then double no. If departure/connecting: you will have access, and can bring a guest for 9.000 Asia Miles.
I'm MCP Silver and travelling with my 5 years old Son and Business Partner.
Can I bring two guests to the departure/connecting lounge in HKG and pay 2 x 9,000 Asia Miles?

Thanks

Last edited by tulalit; Jun 6, 2018 at 3:56 pm
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Old Jun 6, 2018, 5:25 pm
  #1375  
 
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Originally Posted by tulalit
I'm MCP Silver and travelling with my 5 years old Son and Business Partner.
Can I bring two guests to the departure/connecting lounge in HKG and pay 2 x 9,000 Asia Miles?

Thanks
I think so although:
1. It seems a little steep
2. You should try the lounge meetup.thread to see if someone can guest you in
3. Sometimes they let my 4year old daughter in no questions asked (back when I was still Silver)
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Old Jun 6, 2018, 8:48 pm
  #1376  
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: HKG
Posts: 1,053
Originally Posted by HaikalS


I think so although:
1. It seems a little steep
2. You should try the lounge meetup.thread to see if someone can guest you in
3. Sometimes they let my 4year old daughter in no questions asked (back when I was still Silver)
Never done it myself with 2x9K miles. However, the Lounge vouchers you can have mailed to yourself are not personalized, meaning anyone can use them and you don’t even need to be present. So you could do that for your partner and try to bring the kid in, and if they refuse, pay the 9K

edit: good suggestion on the meetup thread
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Old Jul 2, 2018, 12:52 pm
  #1377  
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Arriving in F on AA from LAX, connecting in J to CMB on CX the same day. I will be on separate tickets. Will I have F lounge access in HKG by virtue of my inbound F flight on AA? If I were arriving in on CX I know the answer would be in the affirmative, but cannot be sure in this instance. Also could not be sure whether being on separate tickets is an issue as well...
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Old Jul 2, 2018, 3:26 pm
  #1378  
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Originally Posted by Far Siren
Arriving in F on AA from LAX, connecting in J to CMB on CX the same day. I will be on separate tickets. Will I have F lounge access in HKG by virtue of my inbound F flight on AA? If I were arriving in on CX I know the answer would be in the affirmative, but cannot be sure in this instance. Also could not be sure whether being on separate tickets is an issue as well...
If the scheduled flight time HKG-CMB is more than five hours then you're not entitled to F lounge access by virture of Oneworld rules. If it's under five hours, you get access. Separate tickets doesn't matter. All you need is to show the inbound boarding pass.
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Old Jul 3, 2018, 4:23 am
  #1379  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
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Posts: 7,708
Originally Posted by Far Siren
Arriving in F on AA from LAX, connecting in J to CMB on CX the same day. I will be on separate tickets. Will I have F lounge access in HKG by virtue of my inbound F flight on AA? If I were arriving in on CX I know the answer would be in the affirmative, but cannot be sure in this instance. Also could not be sure whether being on separate tickets is an issue as well...
Technically the answer is no. HKG-CMB is a 5.5 hour flight block, outside the OneWorld 5 hour rule.

However, you're right if on CX the answer is still almost certainly yes if on the same ticket. Most likely yes if different CX tickets.

AA to CX on different tickets, I'd say your odds definitely drop a good amount but you still have a decent chance. Just ask and see what they say. Either way, the CX F lounges aren't much to write home aboua if you're a frequent user...I'd rather spend time in QF J for catering, or CX Pier J for different seating ambiance and sheer scale.

If you're not a frequent visitor to HK then I understand the desire to hang out in the "best" lounges, although they really have been gutted catering-wise recently. Search for our thread about Sodexo (the new caterer) if you want to feel okay with the possibility of not being allowed in. It is called "Confirmed:...." And has the word Sodexo in it. The thread will be likely on the very first page, if not guaranteed it's in the second. It's a long thread that keeps going and going, mostly us whinging about these recent and significant catering/service downgrades.
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Old Jul 3, 2018, 6:44 am
  #1380  
formerly known as DeltaNYC
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
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Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF
If the scheduled flight time HKG-CMB is more than five hours then you're not entitled to F lounge access by virture of Oneworld rules. If it's under five hours, you get access. Separate tickets doesn't matter. All you need is to show the inbound boarding pass.
Originally Posted by QRC3288
Technically the answer is no. HKG-CMB is a 5.5 hour flight block, outside the OneWorld 5 hour rule.

However, you're right if on CX the answer is still almost certainly yes if on the same ticket. Most likely yes if different CX tickets.

AA to CX on different tickets, I'd say your odds definitely drop a good amount but you still have a decent chance. Just ask and see what they say. Either way, the CX F lounges aren't much to write home aboua if you're a frequent user...I'd rather spend time in QF J for catering, or CX Pier J for different seating ambiance and sheer scale.

If you're not a frequent visitor to HK then I understand the desire to hang out in the "best" lounges, although they really have been gutted catering-wise recently. Search for our thread about Sodexo (the new caterer) if you want to feel okay with the possibility of not being allowed in. It is called "Confirmed:...." And has the word Sodexo in it. The thread will be likely on the very first page, if not guaranteed it's in the second. It's a long thread that keeps going and going, mostly us whinging about these recent and significant catering/service downgrades.

Thanks for the responses. It's been about a year and a half since I was last in HKG. I did a fair amount of transiting a while back when I was OW Emerald, and always had a great experience lounge hopping in HKG. I think back then the Peninsula was still the catering company? Is that right? Anyway, I will give it a try and see what the lovely ladies at reception say. If it's a no go, I will be just fine in any of the other lounges I'm sure
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