After nearly a year behind closed doors, Cathay Pacific has reopened its new flagship, The Wing First Class Lounge at Hong Kong International Airport. Gone are the popular Cabanas and Champagne room of yesteryear – but now you’ll find elevated dining and more relaxation options in their place.
Reopening on 22 April 2026, the redesigned lounge marks the next step in Cathay’s broader lounge overhaul strategy. Overall, the lounge seats around 237 passengers in a 1,675 sqm space. Next to go under the knife: The Wing, Business Class.
But while Cathay Pacific usually makes its First Class lounge open to Oneworld Emerald members from partner airlines, there’s a temporary exception for The Wing. During the opening months, access is limited to Cathay Diamond members and higher, as well as the airline’s own First Class passengers.
If you have Platinum status from a partner airline such as Qantas, you’ll need to wait a bit longer to get in. But once that day comes, here’s what you can look forward to inside.
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- Bonus Points
- Up to 200,000 bonus Altitude points
- Annual Fee
- $200 card fee for the first year, $295 p.a. ongoing
- Earn
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Location, layout and seating at The Wing
The First Class section of The Wing isn’t far from Cathay Pacific’s main check-in area. Once you’ve dropped your bag, venture through the nearest entry to security and passport control on the left-hand side of the check-in hall, near Gates 1-4. After clearing the formalities, make a sharp left to find the lounge.
Seating zones within The Wing
The Wing, First Class Lounge enjoys arguably the best location within Hong Kong Airport. Apart from being close to check-in, it also affords some great vistas across the airfield. The terminal’s high ceilings and expansive windows allow for plenty of natural light during the day.
Compared to its original iteration, the new Wing leans into a more refined, residential aesthetic. With Cathay’s continued collaboration with the London-based design firm, StudioIlse, the appearance is also somewhat reminiscent of its Business Class lounges, but with higher-end finishes.
The Wing follows the same broadly linear layout as before. Past the reception is an elegant lounge room of sorts, called The Lobby. A gilded Champagne trolley sits nearby, in a nod to the previous Champagne room. You’ll find Laurent-Perrier Champagne and ‘Love Conquers All’ non-alcoholic sparkling on ice.
Keep on walking to find The Atrium, a casual dining spot flanked by the grand circular bar. The menu here is strictly light bites, and there’s also the nearby Pantry for refined finger food. Need some pampering? There’s also The Retreat off to one side, where shower rooms and complimentary treatments await.
For proper a la carte dining, proceed forward into the Dining Room. In a similar vein to The Pier, it’s a darker space with a wave of bench seating throughout. However, it’s also much smaller than in The Pier, with noticeable queues during peak periods.
Additional lounge space is located directly outside The Dining Room (to the right), where you can also enjoy the menu in more relaxed surroundings.
Though I didn’t visit this space, there are two self-contained Bureaus directly adjacent to the reception area. These are private rooms where you can work in peace.
Finally, there’s also a secretive door past The Lobby that leads to ‘The 18’, a speakeasy-styled space for Cathay’s First Class and invite-only Diamond Plus passengers.
Food and beverage in The Wing First Class Lounge
Casual bites at The Atrium and The Pantry
With a longer layover, my wife and I have time to try both dining venues. Firstly, The Atrium. In the evenings, the space takes on a casual ‘bistro’ vibe. The menu is light, but it offers temptations such as chicken satay, lobster rolls and beef sliders. One of my favourite mocktails – the kiwi-based Cathay Delight – is as enjoyable as ever.
We start off with the satay and the lobster roll. Both are tasty, though not quite authentic. My wife remarks that the satay is missing the signature ‘char’ taste from grilling (perhaps an airport restriction?) Lobster toast would be a more apt name for my appetiser. While the toasted brioche is oh-so-buttery and delicious with the lobster, there’s not much of the meat.
I don’t pick anything from The Pantry, but the selections look quite decent. Headlining the hot dishes are pots of tender-looking beef tenderloin, along with pancetta-wrapped chicken supreme with green beans.
I also spot terrines, salads, cold cuts, fresh fruit, Earl Grey pannacotta and macarons, amongst other delicacies. All in all, it’s a very respectable spread if you don’t have much time or appetite.
Dinner at The Dining Room
For a proper restaurant-like experience, you can’t go past the Dining Room. The menu features a delightful range of Western and Asian options. The serving portions are also quite small – so it’s entirely possible to try multiple dishes without over-indulging. In fact, we tuck into a four-course meal of sorts, except it all comes out at the same time!
See the full menu in the carousel below.
We start off with some appetisers. The octopus carpaccio is a monthly special that blends finely sliced octopus with a grapefruit, orange, and rocket salad. It packs a punch.
My wife really enjoys the double-boiled chicken soup with Yunnan ham and matsutake mushrooms, which is rich in flavour and deeply comforting to sip.
Next up are some hot entrées: the Ibérico char siu with honeyed soy beans is a must-have if you enjoy pork. It comes as a modest serve of three slices, so this is one you might want to order more of.
From the Mott 32 Chinese menu, we also sample a plate of fried squid and baby corn with salt and pepper. Dare I say, the salt and pepper squid gives Qantas a run for its money! But I’m not much of a fan of the baby corn – a plate of just salt-and-pepper squid would be perfect.
Moving on to the main course, the grilled Australian Wagyu hanger steak is another standout dish – plus it comes with fries! The chimichurri dip pairs excellently not only with the steak and fries but also with the squid from the previous course.
My wife is also full of compliments for the roasted French chicken supreme, which nails the brief in both taste and tenderness.
For dessert, the mango, sago and pomelo dish is a familiar sight in Hong Kong, but this one is enhanced with nata de coco. Finally, I also recommend the hazelnut praline choux with warm chocolate sauce. Simply put, it’s indulgent. You won’t be leaving The Wing hungry.
Bar and drinks list
Right now, Cathay Pacific’s wine list boasts three Champagnes. There’s a headlining vintage Drappier Brut Millésime 2013, a Bollinger Special Cuvée and a Taittinger Prestige Rosé. The international wine list also rightfully features some Australian home-grown drops, such as the Grant Burge Meshach Shiraz 2014.
Whether you’re at the bar or in the Dining Room, a veritable cocktail and spirits list awaits. You can also ask the bartenders to whip up pretty much anything you have in mind, as long as they have the ingredients on hand. There’s also plenty to enjoy beyond alcohol, including the airline’s signature mocktails, Jing teas, Hong Kong-style milk teas, coffee, and more. Coffee is barista-brewed, of course.
Inside ‘The 18’, the Champagne list is rumoured to feature Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2017 and Bollinger Grande Année 2015.
Amenities in The Wing First Class Lounge
Showers and The Retreat
Just about every international lounge has shower suites, but Cathay Pacific’s 12 shower rooms might be one of the fanciest. Much like the Dining Room, the ambience is subdued and relaxed. The Bamford amenities are fairly standard across Cathay’s lounges, but these rooms take it up a notch with customisable lighting and shower options.
You can choose between Cleanse, Refresh, and Relax modes, which adjust the light levels and temperature. The shower head also has multiple functions, including Full Rain, Cold Mist and Aquapressure Flow. I don’t really understand the Cold Mist mode, as it feels like I’m standing off to the side of a waterfall, but the Full Rain mode is very refreshing.
Also at The Retreat, you can sign up for a complimentary 15-minute treatment. Cathay Pacific’s First Class and Diamond passengers can pre-book a treatment in the app from 48 hours in advance. With seven treatment spaces (some open, some semi-private), getting a spot is now much easier than at The Pier.
I duck in while we wait for our food (around 7pm) and snag two spots for 8:10pm. The menu includes a foot massage, neck and shoulder massage or a head massage. There’s also a rotating special, which is currently the Subtle Energies Eye Revive.
With an optional 3D eyemask also providing relaxing music, it’s a great way to unwind and forget you’re travelling, even for just 15 minutes.
Wi-Fi, charging and more
Internet speeds are more than adequate, with my tests recording over 66 Mbps down and 87 Mbps up. That’s plenty to stream and upload photos or documents.
As you’d expect, charging ports are readily available throughout. Most outlets have the Hong Kong/UK style AC plug, along with USB-A and USB-C ports. In the lounging areas, simply pull out the drawer cover from the side tables to reveal the charging ports on the front panel. There’s also wireless charging on top.
Accessing The Wing First Class Lounge
Reflecting its status as a new First Class lounge, this section of The Wing has tighter entry requirements than most of Cathay’s other lounges. Here’s a summary of who gets in.
Current restricted access policy (as of April 2026)
- By cabin:
- First Class on Cathay Pacific (+1 guest).
- Travellers arriving in Cathay Pacific First Class and connecting to another Cathay Pacific flight in any cabin to any destination, regardless of flight length (+1 guest).
- By frequent flyer status:
- Cathay Diamond Plus members departing on any airline (+ guests).
- Cathay Diamond cardholders departing on Cathay Pacific, Qantas, another oneworld airline or a CX codeshare flight operated by any airline (+2 guests).
- Via lounge membership or other pass:
- Cathay Diamond members (and above) can claim a First Class lounge pass as a ‘mid-status benefit’ for use by a travel companion or a member of their Redemption Group.
- Travellers with the Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard Priority Private credit card (issued in Hong Kong) can redeem one of their eligible First Class lounge invitations.
Future regular access policy (date TBA)
- By cabin:
- First Class on Cathay Pacific or another oneworld airline (+1 guest).
- Passengers connecting between a oneworld international flight of 5+ hours in First Class and a oneworld flight of fewer than five hours in a lower cabin (+1 guest). For example, arriving from London on British Airways First and connecting to Mainland China in any other cabin on Cathay Pacific (or any other oneworld airline).
- Travellers arriving in Cathay Pacific First Class and connecting to another Cathay Pacific flight in any cabin to any destination, regardless of flight length (+1 guest).
- By frequent flyer status:
- Cathay Diamond Plus members departing on any airline (+ guests).
- Cathay Diamond cardholders departing on Cathay Pacific, Qantas, another oneworld airline or a CX codeshare flight operated by any airline (+2 guests).
- Qantas Platinum, Platinum One, Chairman’s Lounge and other oneworld Emerald members departing on Cathay Pacific, Qantas or an oneworld marketed and operated flight (+1 guest).
- Via lounge membership or other pass:
- Cathay Diamond members (and above) can claim a First Class lounge pass as a ‘mid-status benefit’ for use by a travel companion or a member of their Redemption Group.
- Travellers with the Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard Priority Private credit card (issued in Hong Kong) can redeem one of their eligible First Class lounge invitations.
Our verdict: The Wing First Class Lounge
Does Cathay Pacific’s revamped The Wing First Class Lounge reclaim its place as a flagship space?
Dining is a clear highlight, with a varied and thoughtfully curated menu that excels over The Pier. Execution is generally strong, though I feel the service flow is still settling in. On our visit, there are a few delays. One nearby diner has to leave before the rest of their meal arrives, and our desserts lag behind the mains by quite some time.
That said, staff are attentive and proactive in following up. Perhaps these are early teething issues rather than systemic problems. In any case, the lounge was open for less than a week when I visited, so it’s still early days.
It will be interesting to see how the lounge will cope once access is opened up to the whole cohort of oneworld Emerald members. Given how small the Dining Room is in comparison to The Pier, there could be even more of a capacity crunch during peak periods.
The redesigned space strikes a good balance between productivity and relaxation. The new spa-style suites are a welcome addition, and both the treatments and shower facilities feel premium. However, the removal of the iconic cabanas does leave a gap. There’s no true equivalent to the private, restful zones found at The Pier, which still feels like the better choice for longer layovers.
In practice, The Wing works best as part of a broader lounge strategy. Come here for the dining and convenience, then perhaps head to The Pier when it’s time to properly unwind, as we do.
Also reviewed: Cathay Pacific Airbus A350 Business Class (Hong Kong – Melbourne)
Disclaimer
Transparency is important to us. All photography by the author, who travelled at his own expense. Partner oneworld Emerald access to the lounge was facilitated by Cathay Pacific.
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