Cathay to close, renovate The Wing Hong Kong lounges

The Wing First and Business are set for upgrade to The Pier spec.

By David Flynn, August 7 2024
Cathay to close, renovate The Wing Hong Kong lounges
Executive Traveller exclusive

Cathay Pacific’s The Wing lounges are in line for a multi-million dollar makeover as the airline gears up for growth, especially in the premium travel market.

Located at the top of Terminal 1 with a footprint spanning from gates 1 through 4, The Wing served as Cathay’s undisputed flagship lounges until the more distant The Pier lounges underwent a stunning transformation in 2015-2016 at the hands of feted UK designer Ilse Crawford.

Now The Wing might just steal back that crown...

The Wing lounges will undergo a total make-over beginning later this year...
The Wing lounges will undergo a total make-over beginning later this year...

How Cathay will refresh The Wing lounges

“Our lounges are signature products,” Cathay Pacific’s Chief Customer & Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau told Executive Traveller following the airline’s launch of a landmark HK$100 billion (US$12.8bn) investment over the next seven years in fleet, cabin products, lounges and digital and sustainability initiatives.

“The Wing will be for renovation very soon,” Lau added, saying the work would encompass both first and business class lounges in several phases.

The Wing First “will close towards end of this year,” with a targeted reopening date of “end of 2025 or early 2026.”

Cathay's The Wing First lounge.
Cathay's The Wing First lounge.

Lau noted this would be when Cathay expects to welcome the Boeing 777-9, which will in turn feature an all-new first class suite, creating a close connection between the product and experience in the air and on the ground.

Once the ribbon is cut on The Wing First, “We will progressively also refresh The Wing Business” from 2026, Lau said.

Cathay is expected to reshape The Wing along the same lines as The Pier, which also serves as the template for other lounges across Asia, in London and Vancouver.

Cathay's The Pier Business lounge.
Cathay's The Pier Business lounge.

Hopefully some hallmarks of The Wing First, such as the private Cabana Suites where passengers can enjoy an indulgent pre-flight soak in the oversized bath, won't sacrificed in the name of this new look.

The Wing makeover slots in as the third piece in Cathay’s pledge to launch three “newly-designed flagship lounges” Beijing, New York and Hong Kong “over the next three years.”

There’s also been plenty of speculation that Cathay would also reopen The Bridge lounge, which was shuttered and then abandoned during the pandemic.

03 Jun 2019

Total posts 32

Please bring back The Bridge and The Arrival.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

17 Jan 2023

Total posts 2

oh no!. the wing first class lounge cabana's are the best.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

22 Nov 2019

Total posts 84

my luck was looking forward to cabana soon. Only reason i booked!

12 Dec 2012

Total posts 1027

When was the last time that The Wing was renovated? I seem to recall these lounges being closed the first or 2nd time that I would have had access to them ~2008 or so.

The Wing First was last renovated in 2013, that was when it changed to the then-new look done by Foster + Partners.

Wasn't there recently a couple of years where this could've been done with less disruption? I'm sure something happened around ~2020-~2022.....

25 Feb 2015

Total posts 65

Bring back The Arrival! 

QFF

12 Apr 2013

Total posts 1557

I am in doubt that they can beat The Pier Business. Lets see. But this or that HKG is the best place in term of Oneworld (read Cathay Pacific) lounges.


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