Cathay Pacific brings first class back to the skies
The popular ‘open suites’ return to the skies for the first time in almost three years.

Now that Hong Kong has reopened to the rest of the world, Cathay Pacific is not only rebuilding its global network but restarting first class flights to prime destinations.
Following the return of its flagship Boeing 777-300ER jets with six first class suites to London as daily flights CX251/CX252 beginning last week, Cathay has also rostered first-equipped Boeing 777s to Paris and Tokyo for early 2023.
Paris will see Cathay’s first class on flights CX261/CX260 from 18 January 2023, followed by its Tokyo Haneda flights CX548/CX549 from 1 February.
“We are extremely excited to be bringing back our First class service after an extended absence as the world’s appetite for travel comes roaring back,” notes Vivian Lo, the airline’s General Manager, Customer Experience and Design.
To celebrate the return of its first class service, Lo says First passengers will be served a celebratory limited edition Krug 2004 Vintage Champagne on board, as well as a special editions of Bordeaux vintages Blanc de Lynch-Bages 2018 and Château Lynch-Bages 2000.
Other creature comforts will include Bamford bedding and amenities, including 600-thread-count sustainably sourced cotton bedlinen, with a pillow menu and lavender-scented Bamford Pillow Mist.
While flying first class with Cathay Pacific typically sees excellent dining, drinks and crew service, the suites themselves are perhaps the most dated in the skies, having debuted in 2007.
Despite revamps in 2013 and 2017 they’re far from cutting edge, although the spacious open suite design still has many fans.
An all-new first class suite shaped by feted London-based firm JPA Design for Cathay’s Boeing 777-9 jets remains under wraps, given that these next-gen 777s won’t arrive in the Hong Kong hangars until sometime after 2025.
The airline’s highly-regarded first class and business class lounges at London Heathrow Terminal 3 are still popular with business class travellers and frequent flyers who generally rate them as T3’s best Oneworld lounges.
If you’re headed from London to somewhere else on Cathay’s network, however, it’s worth noting that those quick side-trips into Hong Kong during an extended layover are currently not permitted – leaving you to cool your heels at The Pier Business lounge, which remains the only Cathay Pacific lounge open to passengers in transit.
Although Oneworld partner British Airways resumed flights to Hong Kong in early December, as previously reported, Virgin Atlantic will no longer fly to Hong Kong – leaving BA and Cathay Pacific to soak up a Oneworld monopoly on flights between the UK and Asian financial hubs.
Cathay Pacific expects to be operating around 70% of its pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity by the end of 2023, "with an aim to return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024.”
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Sep 2018
Total posts 158
Good amounts of points availability in first class in February and March too! Nice find!
20 Nov 2015
Total posts 401
I'm so glad to see CX first flying once again. As this article says it's probably the oldest first class still flying, but it's still one of my very favourites. Very fond memories of CX first on HKG-LHR-HKG back in the day.
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
12 Sep 2011
Total posts 349
Love Cathay First 1A always! No coffins like the latest Swiss First only other people in aisle is 2A The other 4 seats share their aisle. Comfy, good wifi which is cheap! Lots of Krug , hope they stil lhave the PYE PJs and slippers The Aesop kits are OK Cant wait for it to be back, and lets hope JFK is included Cathay has non-stuffy FA's Much nicer than Qantas First, and I'd put it up their with Lufthansa and Qatar, ANA First
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
10 Jul 2015
Total posts 15
Still the most comfortable seat I've ever enjoyed on a plane! (And Ive flown first on half a dozen of the top airlines)
Give me a super comfortable plush seat/bed over a dividing door any day!
05 Mar 2015
Total posts 386
Still one of the best first class experiences despite the suite's age. Spacious, very comfortable, excellent crew. Ticks all the boxes and it's a very unique CX product. I hope the new CX First keeps some of that spirit instead of being just another suite similar to other airlines.
30 May 2018
Total posts 31
For info, I live in Paris and an equipment switch to 77W had already happened in early October.
18 Mar 2016
Total posts 29
As far as I am concerned, even if they have gold plated their planes, I would not travel on Cathy.
They are NOTHING compared to what they were, in the “old days”
29 Jan 2012
Total posts 153
Looks a lovely product, am just not a fan of the angled seat concept and screen position. Much prefer the straight on approach like EK and LH.
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