Flying Business Class with Cathay Pacific from Vancouver to Hong Kong offers several perks you won't get in Economy...and they don't all happen in the flight.
The flight from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) takes just over 13 hours direct, meaning you'll probably want to enjoy some shuteye.
SkyTrax routinely ranks Cathay among the world's best airlines, ranking the Hong Kong-based carrier fifth in the world in 2024. It also awarded top honours as the world's cleanest airline and best economy class. Cathay offers ergonomically designed seats and features award-winning in-flight entertainment in its economy seats.
While I haven't flown in Cathay's economy class, the business experience afforded numerous perks that went above and beyond the obvious ones, such as fully reclining seats that transition into beds, priority boarding, and better meals.
Cathay Pacific Lounge at YVR
The Cathay experience begins before the boarding process in Vancouver at its dedicated lounge at YVR, featuring some of the best small Hong Kong-style dishes I've eaten outside of my recent stay in the destination.
Cathay Pacific's Lounge is at YVR's International Terminal, near gate 71. It is open in line with the airline's schedule, meaning it might not always be open during the same time each day. Cathay currently flies once or twice daily from Vancouver.
Travellers who need a shower or want to use a fancy washroom (even nicer than YVR's, which I've found comparatively excellent to washrooms in various airports worldwide) can use those options when the lounge is open.
One significant draw to the lounge is the food. I enjoyed several courses at the lounge, such as a few Asian culinary staples, including a big bowl of savoury dan dan noodles I made extra spicy. Guests order their food and collect it at a bar where they can add condiments, including chilli, hoisin sauce, peanut sauce, and other flavours.
The lounge features a variety of other dishes, such as dim sum, including har gao (shrimp dumplings), siu mai (shrimp and pork dumplings), char siu bao (BBQ pork buns), steamed beef balls, and ma lai gau (Cantonese sponge cake). You can also try wonton noodles, a Hong Kong-style fish ball noodle soup, and more.
Guests can also enjoy an all-day breakfast, a vegetable omelette, poutine, and a fish burger. Pop, juice, water, spirits, wine, beer, and other drinks are available at several self-serve stations. Cathay also offers cold cuts, tapas and more at The Pantry.
The lounge also has a massive selection of reclining, ultra-comfortable chairs to sit and watch planes landing and taking off. These spots also have places to charge your devices and have a cocktail or other beverage while you relax. Travellers who prefer to eat at a table can also sit near the kitchen to access the bar and order more meals.
In-flight Cathay experience
Business Class perks start before your exclusive access to the lounge. When I arrived at YVR, I got to use a line with only a couple of other travellers waiting instead of a somewhat lengthy line for economy customers. Getting checked in was a breeze and I likely shaved 20 minutes off the entire process.
Once I went through security, I enjoyed my lounge experience before I headed to the gate. I had to pull myself away from the ample delicious food and comfortable seating. Business guests board before everyone else and the staff know your name. Aside from a few ultra-posh hotels, I can't recall the last time I had someone refer to me as "Ms. Shepert" from the moment I arrived and throughout my stay. Several dedicated Business flight attendants served me throughout the flight each called me by my name.
Business travellers get to use and keep a kit stocked with a mini toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, lip balm, lotion, an eye mask, and other goodies in a beautiful travel pouch. Each pod also has a fully reclining seat that easily turns into a bed with a push of a button, complete with a cozy blanket, slippers, and pillow.
Once settled, guests are served a welcome cocktail and offered a warm towel to put on their faces or hands. These touches immediately made me feel welcome and helped me get comfortable for the long journey. My flight departed well after midnight and I slept like a baby. I have never felt this refreshed after a flight.
Guests also let the flight attendants know what they would like for dinner, dessert, and breakfast at the start of the flight so they don't need to be disturbed before meals are served.
I opted for a traditional Chinese dinner followed by cheese and fruit for dessert. It was nice to have fresh fruit and cheese to enjoy after a big meal but travellers looking for something sweet may also choose something rich (and chocolatey) or ice cream.
Cathay also brings a box of deluxe chocolates to Business travellers, allowing you to choose a wrapped chocolate after the meal.
Breakfast options include:
- Wellness: Seasonal fresh fruit, warm pastries, strawberry yogurt, and granola and berry compote
- Lighter: Seasonal fresh fruit, warm pastries, scrambled eggs, spinach and cheese breakfast wrap with mushrooms and bell peppers
- Chinese: Seasonal fresh fruit, beef tenderloin and shitake mushroom congee, and stir-fried noodles.
- Western: Seasonal fresh fruit, warm pastries, chive scrambled egg with Mornay sauce, bacon, mushroom ragout, cherry tomato, and Lyonnaise potato
- Express Breakfast: Warm pastries and beverage of choice.
I opted for the Western-style breakfast and thoroughly enjoyed everything. I was worried about how scrambled eggs on a plane would turn out and was pleasantly surprised by how flavourful they were. The pastries were fresh and sweet and paired nicely with a coffee and fresh juice.
The return flight home from HKG to YVR was a similar experience, except I enjoyed my dinner a little bit more; I hadn't stuffed myself quite as intensely in the lounge as I did the first time. The first course included beef, the second was fish, and I had a bit of ice cream for dessert. I also opted for the Western breakfast on the return (it seemed to have the most variety) and it was similar except the eggs were done differently and had spinach instead of Mornay sauce.
Cathay Pacific Lounges at HKG
As the flag carrier of Hong Kong, customers have multiple lounges to choose from for flights departing from or stopping at the HKG airport, including the Pier, the Wing, and the Deck; there are also an additional two lounges for first-class travellers that I didn't have access to.
I wasn't able to check out all three lounges due to time restraints, but the Pier felt much larger than the one in Vancouver, although it had some notable similarities.
The Pier is open daily from 5:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. and is at Terminal 1 near Gate 65 on Level 6. It is the largest of the three Cathay lounges in Hong Kong and has a teahouse and a popular noodle bar.
The workstations in the Pier are equipped with computers and printers for travellers looking to get some work done on the road. This lounge also has 14 showers for guests who want to freshen up on layovers.
This video offers peek at what to expect flying from Vancouver to Hong Kong in Business with Cathay Pacific.
Disclaimer: Thanks to Cathay Airways for facilitating the flights. All opinions and inclusions are those of the author and were not guided or influenced in any way, and none of the businesses or entities mentioned were granted any previews of the story prior to publication.
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