First look: Cathay’s new flagship The Wing First Class lounge

Cathay Pacific will reopen The Wing First flagship lounge at Hong Kong at 5:30am on Wednesday April 22, setting a new high-water mark among the ranks of the world’s best airport lounges.

Visitors can look forward to a design drawn from the same DNA as The Pier First – holding to the same principles of ‘understated luxury’ – but further refined and elevated, leaning into signature materials like green onyx, granite, cherry wood and brass.

If The Pier First is like a superbly-finished apartment, The Wing First is closer to a ‘residence’.

But for at least the first few months, access to The Wing First will be restricted to Cathay’s first class passengers along with Cathay Diamond and Diamond Exec frequent flyers (and their guests), and SCB Cathay Mastercard First class lounge pass holders.

First class passengers travelling on other Oneworld airlines, and Oneworld Emerald members, will be “invited to visit The Pier First or other Cathay and Oneworld lounges at Hong Kong International Airport.”

Cathay says this no-doubt controversial decision has been taken “on a temporary basis” to alleviate over-crowding and ensure “consistent service delivery” as keen travellers check out The Wing First.

Dining at The Wing First

Dining at The Wing First now encompasses several distinctly different areas – and there’s absolutely no risk that visitors will go hungry.

The Dining Room – formerly The Haven – takes its inspiration from The Pier First, while adding a touch of glam with a bar at one end.

Guests will enjoy a rotating menu of Asian and international à la carte classics.

At breakfast there’ll be Chinese, Western and Wellness breakfast sets, while highlights of the all-day dining menu will include Iberico char siu with honeyed soy beans, Australian wagyu hanger steak, and new offerings from Hong Kong’s acclaimed Chinese restaurant Mott 32.

Just outside The Dining Room is a versatile space which doubles as a relaxing retreat and an overflow dining area where the same menu is available.

Closer to the middle of the lounge is The Atrium, with its own menu of breakfast, all-day dishes from the adjacent The Pantry, and afternoon tea.

The Pantry boasts an extensive self-serve selection of freshly-prepared light- and bite-sized delicacies.

Think a continental selection including cold cuts and cheese, artisan breads and pastries, fresh fruit, breakfast pots and ready-to-eat hot items, wellness and vegetarian dishes, and an assortment of cakes, pastries and desserts.

In the evening, The Atrium takes on more of a relaxed bar-bistro vibe...

... serving dishes like lobster brioche (shown below – Cathay calls this a lobster roll, which we feel is somewhat over-stating things) and wagyu cheeseburgers.

Those and other dishes are accompanied by an assortment of light bites and of course cocktails from the impressive-looking bar at the far end.

Goodbye Cabanas, hello to The Retreat

The indulgent private Cabana suites – with their rainforest showers, full-size baths and day bed – have made way for The Retreat.

Modelled on its sibling at The Pier, there are seven treatment rooms – three open, and four semi-private – in this dedicated wellness space.

Travellers can choose between three standard 15-minute treatments: a foot massage, neck and shoulder massage, head massage.

There will also be a rotating seasonal treatment, exclusive to The Wing First – at launch, this will be  an ‘eye revive’ session “to hydrate, revive and brighten the eye area.”

Passengers travelling in Cathay first class, and Cathay Diamond and Diamond Exec frequent flyers, can book their treatment directly from within the Cathay app up to 48 hours in advance.

The removal of the five Cabanas has allowed Cathay to expand to 12 spacious and well-appointed shower suites.

The Champagne Bar becomes The Lobby

Just past The Wing First reception area is an area dubbed The Lobby, although Champagne will still be available.

For a total change of pace, head to the reception area for one of two noise-proofed Bureau rooms.

This is where you can get down to serious work, engage in conference calls, or even take a private if cosy meeting.

There are two preset lighting modes – Engaged and Focused – and like the rest of The Wing First, there’s a riot of charging options: AC, USB-C, USB-A and wireless.

Yes, The Wing First has a private room...

Discretely tucked away past The Lobby, in The Living Room area, is an unmarked door flanked by a wall-mounted screen.

This is The 18 – a private retreat for Cathay’s own first class passengers and elite members of the invitation-only Diamond Plus tier.

Executive Traveller understands The 18 has room for around sixteen travellers, but the airline is remaining tight-lipped on what the 18 actually signifies.

Reset for The Deck, renewal for The Pier Business

While The Wing First was undergoing this renovation, The Deck – perched at the opposite end of the terminal, overlooking Gates 7-9 – served as a temporary first class lounge.

From Wednesday April 22, The Deck will revert to its origins as premium lounge for business class passengers on Cathay Pacific and partner airlines, as well as Cathay Silver, Cathay Gold and Oneworld Sapphire frequent flyers.

Meanwhile, The Wing Business will be closed from the morning of Thursday April 23 to undergo its own transformation, along the same lines as The Wing First – and once again, an evolution of what we see today in The Pier Business.

The Wing Business will reopen by mid-2027 as Cathay’s new flagship business class lounge.

In the interim, this will leave The Deck as the only Cathay business class lounge at the ‘top’ of the terminal, although travellers shouldn’t overlook the Qantas Hong Kong Lounge, handily located next door to The Deck – albeit with its own entry just past the airport’s north security and immigration area.

Up next on Cathay’s lounge to-do list is the opening of its first-ever New York lounge later this year, which will boast “a dedicated zone” for first class passengers and Cathay Diamond members, along with direct boarding from the lounge.

And before you can ask: no, the arrivals lounge at Hong Kong is not coming back.

Also read: More legroom in Cathay’s big economy revamp

David Flynn travelled to Hong Kong as a guest of Cathay Pacific.