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Lounge Admittance Policy and Guest Admittance Policy
Please see this link for details of lounge admittance for:
The following FAQs are addressed below:
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:
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
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:
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:
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
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?
- Transiting through HKG and getting to the lounges
- What if I want to meet up with fellow FlyerTalkers in CX lounges?
- Do mile-upgraded (award) tickets come with lounge benefits?
- Do operational-upgrades (op-ups) come with upgraded lounge benefits?
- Can I visit multiple 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?
- 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?
- Which departures lounge should I use?
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
Lounge Access and other Lounge FAQs
#1666
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: JMB Sapphire, OneWorld Sapphire
Posts: 114
The lounges will close overnight, and arranging to leave the sterile departures area may take considerable effort in terms of time (you'll need an escort and this can take upto 90 minutes to arrange).
I'd head straight out on arrival and have a good sleep at a hotel. Next day you could come back at say 9.30 for check-in. That will give you four hours to enjoy the lounges (about an hour in each).
I'd head straight out on arrival and have a good sleep at a hotel. Next day you could come back at say 9.30 for check-in. That will give you four hours to enjoy the lounges (about an hour in each).
Also, do i need to check-in again if connecting flight or I can just go straight to security and customs? I remember they already issue a boarding pass on the 1st leg.
#1667
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,406
Got it. However it is possible to stay on the lounge until closing? Or it will depend on the lounge security?
Also, do i need to check-in again if connecting flight or I can just go straight to security and customs? I remember they already issue a boarding pass on the 1st leg.
Also, do i need to check-in again if connecting flight or I can just go straight to security and customs? I remember they already issue a boarding pass on the 1st leg.
If you do get through, you need to allow plenty of time to be escorted through immigration to get back landside. This is not something that is encouraged as it takes resources and someone has to stop what they're doing to come get you.
In all seriousness, the CX biz class lounges are not worth the hassle of doing what you propose. And added to that you'll then want to find transport to your hotel at 1am in the morning. It will be much easier just to go straight to a hotel, have a good rest and be ready to enjoy the lounges in the monring.
#1669
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708
If you're a Diamond member though, you can get a buggy if your gate is far away. Usually they issue it to you and check-in. But they can also issue it to you at the lounge.
#1671
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YYZ, NYC
Programs: Marriott Gold, JGC, IHG Platinum, Hilton Gold, AC 25K
Posts: 1,025
Thanks for clarifying. In that case is this something that can be paid for? I see from https://www.hkairportconcierge.com/e...gy_service.php it's possible, but I assume that's going from departure immigration to far out gates. I would prefer to depart from Pier F and get transported to the Wing where the long haul CX flights usually depart.
#1672
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708
Thanks for clarifying. In that case is this something that can be paid for? I see from https://www.hkairportconcierge.com/e...gy_service.php it's possible, but I assume that's going from departure immigration to far out gates. I would prefer to depart from Pier F and get transported to the Wing where the long haul CX flights usually depart.
*fyi, CX North America longhauls have changed in the last year, especially after the end of the secondary screening process. Now they frequently depart from all over the concourse. Europe departures, which are also longhaul!, never made a habit of departing from the low gates like the N. American counterparts. Anyway chances have reduced for N. American flights departing from the low gates. They frequently go from 20-60 now too.
#1673
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 227
FWIW...I have brought in guests on countless occasions flying F and/or as DM and never once been denied, many times with those guests flying on different airlines or once when someone I guested in had separate business in the airport and didn't even have a BP. Admittedly as a DM I can bring in 2 and it doesn't matter what class I'm flying - so the situation isn't a perfect match with yours - but the point I'm making is my guests never seem to have been asked to show their boarding passes. I'm the only one who gets something scanned, either my BP or lounge pass. The process for guesting usually involves me walking up, them scanning my stuff, and me saying "hello, this person (or people) behind me will be joining me in the lounge today" and they just get waved in. So my bet is your pass will get scanned, and then you say "my father will be joining me today" or whatever. They look at the screen when the BP/lounge pass scans, so presumably it tells them if guests are allowed or not with your ticket. As an F pax, it should say +1.
Update: if you want to eliminate all hassle, you could ask the check-in agent to include a prominent +1 on your F lounge pass. I think they can edit those manually. But I still don't think you'll have an issue.
Update: if you want to eliminate all hassle, you could ask the check-in agent to include a prominent +1 on your F lounge pass. I think they can edit those manually. But I still don't think you'll have an issue.
From these two posts, it seems like it was fine for an F passenger to guest someone departing on a non-OW flight in 2014 at HKG, but no longer. I'm wondering if F passenger can still guest non-OW passenger to CX lounge in SFO. Thanks!
#1674
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708
Another change happened a few years ago which is relevant. CX's own Diamonds were previously allowed to access any CX business class lounge even when flying on any other non-OW airline. This was only for Diamonds, not partner OWEs. This is the only technical instance where non-OW pax were technically allowed to be in CX lounges. It's roughly around the time CX took this benefit away from DMs, that they started aggressively checking guest BPs too.
I also have an anecdote from last month about CX F. We were denied bringing a +1 non OW passenger into the lounge. Even though upthread points out CX's rules are rather sloppily written, their interpretation is that only OW pax can be your guest regardless of how you're getting guesting privileges (Diamond, Gold, OWE, or F entitlements).
If you are taking CX F in the evening and have TSA Pre-Check, unless it's really your first F flight and you want the full experience, I would advise you arrive SFO 60 minutes before departure, and board at the very end. SFO is not one of CX's greatest ground experience IMO. The boarding process can be particularly chaotic and unpleasant due to the design of those SFO gates.
#1675
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TPE / HSZ
Programs: CX GO (=SPH), IHG Diamond Amb, Hertz 5*, Accor, Hilton, National
Posts: 6,437
Another change happened a few years ago which is relevant. CX's own Diamonds were previously allowed to access any CX business class lounge even when flying on any other non-OW airline. This was only for Diamonds, not partner OWEs. This is the only technical instance where non-OW pax were technically allowed to be in CX lounges. It's roughly around the time CX took this benefit away from DMs, that they started aggressively checking guest BPs too.
DMs, as you pointed out, were allowed to guest 2 departing pax on any airline. If on a oneworld flight, they had access to the CX- or KA-designated lounge, F section if available. If not on oneworld flight, they still had access to CX's or KA's own lounges, J section.
One thing that has not been clarified is whether GO and DM can guest pax on CX- or KA-coded code-share flights operated by a non-oneworld carrier, now that the members can access any CX's or KA's own lounges when departing on CX- or KA-coded code-share flights operated by a non-oneworld carrier, if they can physically access the lounge. I believe the answer would be yes, but it's not specifically written.
#1676
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 105
Looking at award flights and trying to figure out options. Looking at redeeming for an F ticket with a route of HKG->HND->LAX with the HKG->HND with CX and the HND->LAX with JL. There's only one HKG->HND flight that has a first class cabin, all the rest of the flights only have business. If I book a HKG->HND flight that just has the business class cabin because the schedule works better for me, will I only be able to use the J Cathay lounges in Hong Kong? Or will the fact that I redeemed for an F ticket give me F lounge access at HKG?
Redeeming AA miles, and I have no status.
Redeeming AA miles, and I have no status.
#1677
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,406
Looking at award flights and trying to figure out options. Looking at redeeming for an F ticket with a route of HKG->HND->LAX with the HKG->HND with CX and the HND->LAX with JL. There's only one HKG->HND flight that has a first class cabin, all the rest of the flights only have business. If I book a HKG->HND flight that just has the business class cabin because the schedule works better for me, will I only be able to use the J Cathay lounges in Hong Kong? Or will the fact that I redeemed for an F ticket give me F lounge access at HKG?
Redeeming AA miles, and I have no status.
Redeeming AA miles, and I have no status.
But... under OneWorld 'connecting flight' rules, you are connecting between a short haul (under 5 hours) and long haul (over five hours) flight, and in those cases the class of service on the long haul flight determines your lounge at all points along the way (including point of origin).
You should be able to present your JAL F boarding pass together with your CX J pass at the F lounge in HKG.
#1678
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: Free agent
Posts: 1,296
I've got a flight landing at 5:10am next week and will be leaving on a Dragon flight likely out of the Satellite terminal at 7:55am. I want to get some morning noodles to hold me over. I am not a big noodle connoisseur so I never know what to get. What are the can't miss items at the Wing noodle bar?
#1680
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: TPE, CGK
Programs: GFF Plat, CX DM, SQ TPPS, AS 75K
Posts: 199
The Wing is open until the last flight takes off I believe... the few times late night delays happened I've stayed there although they do close off some sections such as the coffee corner