Cathay Pacific is continuing to reopen its global lounge network as the Hong Kong-based carrier progressively ramps up flights following border relaxations, and this week there’s confirmation that another of the airline’s popular home base facilities has reopened its doors.
The Deck lounge near Gate 6 at Hong Kong International Airport has is now available to eligible travellers from this morning, with daily opening from 5.30am to 0.30am.
Cathay Pacific is excited to announce the reopening today of The Deck lounge at Hong Kong International Airport, giving customers more ways to relax and pamper themselves before their flight.
Cathay Pacific
The reopening comes on the same day that Hong Kong removes its vaccination mandate for visitors, leading to the simplest arrival process yet for those heading to the city-state.
About The Deck
The Deck is Cathay’s newest lounge at Hong Kong International Airport, which first opened in March 2018 having taken over the space previously occupied by the Dragonair G16 lounge.
It was modelled on the carrier’s latest “The Pier” lounges in Hong Kong, picking up the “living room” design concept by Studioilse, the London-based studio led by Ilse Crawford.
The lounge seats 180 guests and includes the airline’s iconic signature noodle bar.
The Deck is distinct from Cathay Pacific’s other lounges in Hong Kong, for the fact that it sits on a balcony on the eastern side of the terminal building, offering open-ceiling views of the airport runways, so you can sip Champagne while watching the action if that’s your thing.
The lounge also boasts eight shower suites, including Aesop toiletries, for those who need to freshen up before their next flight.
Lounge access
The following passengers are eligible to access Cathay Pacific’s The Deck lounge in Hong Kong.
Flying on a Cathay Pacific flight, or on a Oneworld member operated flight:
- in First Class or Business Class; or
- in Premium Economy or Economy Class and holding Cathay Diamond Invitation, Diamond Plus, Diamond, Gold or Silver status, or Cathay Pacific Cargo Clan Elite status, or
- in Premium Economy or Economy Class and holding Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status; or
- in any class of travel provided they are connecting between oneworld marketed and operated flights on the same day of travel, or before 6am the following day, having arrived in First Class or Business Class with a scheduled flight time longer than 5 hours.
Cathay Diamond members can bring two guests into the lounge with them, while Cathay Gold, Cargo Clan Elite, Oneworld Emerald and Oneworld Sapphire members can bring along one guest.
In all cases, the guest must be travelling on a Cathay Pacific or Oneworld carrier operated flight.
Hong Kong Cathay lounges
Last month at Hong Kong International Airport The Wing First Class lounge (near gates 1-4), and The Pier Business Class lounge (near gate 65) fully reopened to all eligible departing and transit passengers, following the removal of departure zone segregation that had been in place during the pandemic.
All departing and transit Cathay Pacific and oneworld passengers therefore now have three lounges to choose from, including the Deck.
While it’s the carrier’s smallest lounge, The Deck is ideally located for those eligible only for Business Class lounge access, with flights departing from Gates 1-30, since it’s located immediately after security and then a short walk to the gate itself come boarding time.
Previously, these passengers had to use The Pier Business Class lounge, then potentially make the long walk back to these departure gates.
The Wing Business Class and The Pier First Class are the only two remaining Cathay Pacific lounges in Hong Kong still to reopen.
Cathay Pacific has today announced that it is “working towards reopening The Pier, First and The Wing, Business [lounges] within the coming six months”, so we should see these facilities back up and running by August 2023.
Unfortunately Cathay Pacific permanently shuttered “The Bridge” lounge in Hong Kong during COVID-19, with Qantas also closing its own facility at the airport, so there will be fewer options for oneworld passengers to choose from even after the airline opens all its remaining home-base lounges.
Sadly there is still no news on when the Singapore Airlines SilverKris lounge in Hong Kong will be reopening, even though the carrier is now operating three daily departures from the city, including one with the Airbus A380.
Overseas Cathay lounges are reopening
In late 2022, Cathay Pacific also reopened its outstation lounges at London Heathrow, Shanghai Pu Dong, and Tokyo Haneda.
Later this month, the airline will also reopen its lounge at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 4, as we reported in January.
Cathay Pacific has also confirmed today that further lounge openings are in the pipeline:
- Tokyo Narita (February 2023)
- Bangkok (March 2023)
- Manila (April 2023)
- Beijing (Q2/3 2023)
- San Francisco (Q2/3 2023)
- Taipei (Q2/3 2023)
- Vancouver (Q2/3 2023)
Summary
Cathay Pacific is continuing to expand its lounge network in Hong Kong and overseas, and this latest announcement that The Deck at HKIA has reopened means eligible departing and transit passengers now have up to three lounges to choose from at the carrier’s home base.
The airline is renowned for its high quality lounge in Hong Kong, so it’s great to see the city returning to normal post-COVID and more of these options now returning to the fold for travel in 2023.
Only The Wing Business Class lounge and our personal favourite, The Pier First Class lounge, have yet to reopen their doors in Hong Kong, following a permanent closure of The Bridge.
Cathay is also raising the shutters on its dedicated Singapore lounge later this month, along with those at several other airports on the network in the months ahead.
(Cover Photo: Cathay Pacific)
Actually business class and OW elite can access the Wing First this time round: fly out of HKG a few weeks ago and my lounge invitation (Y+CX*ruby) gave me access to the Wing First. Some facilities cannot be accessed, but the first-class champagne is quite nice:)