I took a 16 hour nonstop flight with Cathay Pacific in economy class from New York to Hong Kong. Here’s my official review.
The most common question I get asked is, “How do you travel so much?” and my answer is always the same, “It’s really not that expensive, you just need to know when to book, what to book, from where to book etc.” My recent flight to Hong Kong was one of the most challenging to book. Cathay Pacific and United are the only two airlines that offer direct flights to and from Hong Kong, so the options were limited. I had no intention of booking a layover given that the flight was already 15-16 hours long. I ended up booking Cathay Pacific due to the price difference, it was cheaper and the departure times were more convenient.
WHAT NOT TO FLY
Let’s start off by saying that China Eastern was off the table for me even though the price was between the $500-$650 range. After reading and hearing questionable reviews, I decided to air (a little airplane pun here!) on the side of caution.
Cathay Pacific Review on Price
PRICE: $911
When booking my flight to and from Hong Kong, I came across a lot of really expensive flights. I’m used to paying anywhere from $230 or at most $600 for my flights. When I came across $1,500, I was a bit shaken up. Flying to Asia is expensive and takes double the time than flying to Europe. I get it, but there had to be some affordable, decent options.
The direct flights that were earlier in the day were over $1,000, but my mom and I got lucky and found a 1AM flight for $911 with Cathay Pacific. Now, I know what you are thinking, “Why would you want to fly at 1AM?” But that’s actually the best time to fly to Asia. As soon as you board the plane, you sleep for 6-10 hours. When you wake up, you watch TV for a good 4-6 hours (1 to 2 movies) before landing at 6AM. It makes the flight feel shorter because you are sleeping the entire time and ensures you get a good nights rest.
Tip: United Airlines vs. Cathay Pacific
United only flys to Hong Kong once a day and that’s a 3PM. Cathay Pacific flys to Hong Kong 3-4 times a day and offers a variety of time slots, including the magical 1AM flight.
SEATS: ECONOMY (7/10)
Cathay Pacific used to be considered the best airline in Asia, now it has fallen down in the ranks. Singapore Airlines is currently ranked #1. The price is still one of the more expensive for a direct flight to Asia, but it isn’t anything fancy in my opinion. I flew economy to and from Hong Kong. So let’s get into the real Cathay Pacific review…the facilities. My first thought when sitting down was that the tray tables were not very clean, which for me was an immediate turnoff. I decided to Purell my hands and keep that thought way in the back of my head for the duration of the trip. Although the seats were narrow, I was pretty pleased with how far back the seat reclined. I felt like I could recline it back farther than any other airline I’d been on. That was a huge plus and made up for the narrow seats. Additionally, there were no equipment boxes stored below the seats, so you could stretch your legs out in front of you and use the foot rest bars under the eat in front of you.
How To Sleep on Long Haul Flights in Economy?
My newest product obsession for flights is the Trtl Travel Pillow. I got it for Pat and I for Christmas and it is the most comfortable neck pillow I have ever used. The price is premium, but well worth it. Unlike u-shaped travel pillows, it’s compact and only weighs half a pound so doesn’t take up space. You can even clip it on to your backpack. It’s made of a soft fleece, which makes it super soft and cozy. But most importantly, it’s scientifically proven to give you better ergonometric head and neck support than your regular u-shaped neck pillow and it adapts to fit any neck shape, jaw, and shoulder. What more can you ask for. All I can say, is I slept for 10 hours straight on my flight to Hong Kong and mom had no idea how I did it—enough said.
ENTERTAINMENT (10/10)
Luckily, what they lacked in cleanliness they made up for in entertainment. My Cathay Pacific review for entertainment is stellar. Each seat had it’s own personal TV screen and the movies were very up-to-date, which I always love. I was able to blow through 8 hours of the trip off of Hotel Transylvania 3 (how can you not like that movie?!), Mission: Impossible – Fallout (to this day, I believe that every Mission: Impossible movie ever made is better than the last), and The Meg (because I always like a good shark movie). That’s a pretty good selection given that I was flying November 2018 and Mission: Impossible had just come out July 27th! On the way back I watched The Incredibles 2, Central Intelligence, Ocean’s 8, and Tag. Again, all very new movies thad just come out in 2018.
FOOD (8/10)
The frequency of meals had high turnover, which was great because it meant I never got hungry. The quality of the food was very good as well. We got three meals throughout our flight both to Hong Kong and back, which consisted of breakfast and dinner, separated by an assortment of snacks. The meals offered typically consisted of an Asian option and a more Western option. This was great because it catered to various passengers preferences. I ordered the Asian option both times and was happy with my choice, both times. The highlight though had to be the dessert. At one point they served a mini Haagen-Dazs chocolate ice cream cup. If you know me, I love my desserts, so I was ecstatic to see such a premium product offered on a plane!
OVERALL PROS
OVERALL CATHAY PACIFIC REVIEW: 7.5/10
In conclusion, I would fly Cathay Pacific again when going to Asia if my only other options were China Eastern, Air China, a layover, or a flight that was $500 more expensive. I got there with a full and happy tummy, checked off a bunch of bucket list movies from 2018, and was able to sleep for a good 10 hours. I really can’t complain.
>> Next: 3 Days in Shanghai Itinerary: 13 Best Things To Do
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