Review: Cathay Pacific Aria Suite Business Class Boeing 777 (LHR-HKG)

For the most exciting segment of my Aria Suite Adventure to Hong Kong, I flew Cathay Pacific’s Boeing 777-300ER business class on the 11hr50min overnight flight from London (LHR) to Hong Kong (HKG). Best of all, this was on a plane featuring the carrier’s next generation Aria Suite business class.

I’ve long been a fan of the Cathay Pacific brand, and the the new Aria Suite product really takes business class to the next level. The Aria Suite hard product is excellent, with comfortable suites with doors, stylish design, and incredible tech. When you add in the good food and great service, this flight was a treat. I can’t wait to see this product’s footprint expand.

How I booked my Cathay Pacific business class ticket

I redeemed miles for my Cathay Pacific business class ticket, and it was part of a larger itinerary, as it also included my British Airways Club Suites business class flight from Washington to London. Specifically, I booked the following in business class for 115,000 Cathay Pacific Asia Miles plus $351.17 in taxes & fees:

2/04 BA216 Washington to London departing 6:00PM arriving 6:15AM (+1 day)
2/05 CX250 London to Hong Kong departing 5:50PM arriving 2:35PM (+1 day)

Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles program isn’t usually among my favorites, though I found this to be a good deal. Not only is it nice that the program lets you route from the US to Hong Kong via Europe, but carrier imposed surcharges on British Airways are also much lower than they’d be through other programs.

Cathay Pacific is transfer partners with some major transferable points currencies, as it partners with Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One, and Citi ThankYou.

Cathay Pacific business class lounge & boarding

In previous installments, I reviewed the Cathay Pacific Business Lounge and Cathay Pacific First Lounge Heathrow, which are phenomenal outstation lounges (I could access the latter on account of my oneworld Emerald status). I had most of the day at the airport, so it was a nice place from which to work.

My flight was departing from gate 40, quite a distance from the lounge. Boarding scheduled at 5:20PM, 30 minutes ahead of schedule. Boarding began as planned, with oneworld Emerald members invited to board first, followed by business class passengers and oneworld Sapphire members.

Cathay Pacific 777 Aria Suite business class cabin & seats

I boarded through the forward door, where I was greeted by the friendly crew, and pointed right into the cabin. Cathay Pacific’s 777s equipped with the Aria Suite product have 45 business class seats, spread across 12 rows, in a 1-2-1 configuration.

Cathay Pacific’s Aria Suite is a heavily customized version of the cutting edge Collins Aerospace Elements seat (Starlux Airlines was the launch customer for this seat), designed in partnership with JPA Design.

The forward cabin (between doors one and two) features a total of 25 business class seats. There are six full rows, with an additional seat in the back right corner, in the seventh row.

Then the rear cabin boasts a total of 20 business class seats, with five full rows of seats.

Before we even talk about the functionality of the seats, I want to mention that my first impression of the cabin was just how stylish it is. Cathay Pacific has long been known for its stunning lounge design, but that same elegance hasn’t really made its way onboard aircraft.

I feel that this has changed with the carrier’s latest cabin upgrades, and I’m so happy to see it. I love the cabin colors, the materials used, and the finishes, as they feel elegant and luxurious. There’s even some art in the galleys.

When it comes to the actual seats, those traveling with a companion may prefer to pick a pair of seats in the center. Reverse herringbone seats aren’t ideal for this, since you’re still angled, and quite a distance apart, but it’s better than nothing. If you do end up in one of these seats without a companion, worry not, as there’s a shield for privacy.

For those traveling alone, or those who just value a view out the window, you’ll want to select one of the window seats. There’s not much variability between seats, so it all comes down to what’s available and what your preferences are (unlike in some other configurations, the bulkhead seats don’t offer extra room).

I assigned myself seat 23K, the window seat on the right side in the very last row (in line with my preferences).

There’s only so much variability you’ll find between reverse herringbone seats across airlines, though Cathay Pacific managed to make some impressive incremental improvements.

Seats feature 43″ of pitch (due to the angle they’re at), plus are 21″ wide, so the seating surface is a good width. When reclined, seats turn into 78″ flat beds.

Each seat has a 24″ 4K UHD monitor, which might just be the most impressive entertainment screen and system you’ll find on any airline in business class.

As is standard for reverse herringbone products, there’s a console next to the seat, with some innovative features.

For one, there’s an enclosed, vertical storage compartment, where the headphones can be placed. There’s even a mirror that pops out. This is also where you’ll find the entertainment controller, though I find that to be unnecessary, since the monitor is also touchscreen.

Then the side table can be slid forward, to expose another storage compartment, which comes in handy.

Underneath the side table is a small monitor, which can control the seating positions and lighting.

When not in use, I love how this monitor automatically displays the remaining flight time. This might sound basic, but it’s one of those little touches that shows the attention to detail that was put into the design. When you’re sleeping, it’s helpful to be able to glance at a little screen and see for how long you’ve been asleep, and how much time is remaining, without the light pollution of one of the other monitors.

The tray table extends out from underneath the entertainment monitor, and can be folded over in half. It’s easy to slide forward and backward, so it’s still possible to get out of your seat when it’s extended.

The Aria Suite cabin features all the latest charging options, including AC power, USB-A, USB-C, and wireless.

There’s another storage area on the aisle-side of the seat — Cathay Pacific did a solid job maximizing storage space with this new seat.

Lastly, as you’d expect, there’s a door at each seat, which is unlocked while inflight. As is common on many airlines, the door doesn’t close all the way, but rather there’s still a gap. That’s not a huge deal, since it’s not like any door actually provides full privacy.

The only other thing worth mentioning is that Cathay Pacific doesn’t have individual air nozzles on its 777s. That’s not ideal, but fortunately I found the cabin wasn’t kept too warm on this flight, so it didn’t detract from the experience.

Cathay Pacific’s Aria Suite business class is evolutionary rather than revolutionary, in the sense that the airline is using an existing seating platform, and is just customizing it. Still, I’m a huge fan of what Cathay Pacific has done, as the airline went all-out when it comes to tech, aesthetics, and functionality.

Cathay Pacific business class amenities

There’s no shortage of amenities when flying Cathay Pacific business class.

For one, the airline offers bedding from Bamford, which I’d consider to be among the bedding business class bedding offered by any airline. The bedding includes a plush pillow, one of the most substantial duvets you’ll find on any airline, and a mattress pad.

Headphones were also waiting at seats upon boarding. They were just okay, but that doesn’t matter much to me, since the airline has bluetooth audio, so I could use my own.

There were also slippers placed at each seat, and they were among the more substantial ones I’ve seen in business class.

Next up, the menu and drink list were displayed at each seat. There’s even a little menu card for breakfast, which you can give to the crew, so that your order can be placed in advance, and you can state whether or not you want to be woken up for breakfast.

During boarding, the crew passed out Bamford amenity kits, with the option to pick from four colors, all with identical contents.

The kit contained a dental kit, mouthwash, eyeshades, ear plugs, and some Bamford products, like pillow mist, a balm, and cooling body gel.

During boarding, the crew served pre-departure drinks, with the choice of water, champagne, or orange juice. I chose champagne, and currently the airline is serving Laurent-Perrier Brut, which is lovely.

During boarding, the crew also distributed warm towels.

Cathay Pacific 777 Aria Suite business class entertainment & Wi-Fi

Cathay Pacific’s new Aria Suite entertainment system is stellar. For one, the 24″ screen is so high definition. Given the close distance between the seat and the screen, it almost feels too big, if anything.

Cathay Pacific’s new inflight entertainment interface is among the best I’ve seen, with some cool tech. For one, the system has bluetooth audio, so you can enjoy the programming with your own headphones or earbuds.

There’s also some tech we haven’t seen before, like a screen that will show you which lavatories are currently occupied, as well as a “do not disturb” mode.

There’s also a wide variety of movies, TV shows, audio, games, and more. The airline has one of the better entertainment selections out there, so you should have no issues staying entertained for the entire flight, no matter how long it is.

Cathay Pacific’s new flight map interface is also among my favorite I’ve seen, with endless possibilities to customize views.

Cathay Pacific has a camera feature on the 777. Unlike on the A350, it’s not a tail camera, though a nose camera is still better than nothing.

Cathay Pacific has Wi-Fi on its 777s. Ordinarily, the cost would be $9.95 for a one hour pass, or $19.95 for a full flight pass, all with no data caps.

However, Wi-Fi is free for first and business class passengers, plus for Cathay Diamond members, and can be accessed just by entering your last name and seat number.

I found the speeds to be good, and that helped with staying productive for some of the flight.

Cathay Pacific knocked it out of the park with tech on its Aria Suite 777s, so kudos…

Cathay Pacific 777 departure from London

Despite a full flight, the boarding process was efficient. I love Cathay Pacific’s boarding music, and enjoyed listening to that throughout the boarding process.

Boarding wrapped up within 20 minutes of when it started, ahead of schedule. At 5:40PM, the captain was on the PA to add his welcome aboard, informing us of our flight time of 11hr50min, and anticipated smooth flight. Moments later, the cabin service manager, Paul, added his welcome aboard.

At 5:45PM we began our pushback, at which point the safety video was screened. Then at 5:50PM we began our taxi, and within 15 minutes, we were cleared for takeoff on runway 27L. We had a smooth climb out, and the seatbelt sign was turned off 10 minutes after takeoff.

Cathay Pacific business class dinner service

After takeoff, it was time for dinner, Cathay Pacific style! You can find the business class dinner menu below.

You can find the Cathay Pacific business class drink list and wine menu below, including the special featured wines from China.

Meal orders had been taken on the ground, and then around 45 minutes after takeoff, the first round of drinks was served. I decided to order a negroni, which was served with a salmon amuse bouche, plus some mixed nuts.

Dinner was coursed out at a leisurely pace, with the starter being served around 80 minutes after takeoff. The pace didn’t bother me, since this was a relatively long flight, so there was plenty of time to both enjoy a meal and get rest.

There were two choices for the starter, and I chose the poached prawns with spiced horseradish and tomato sauce, with baby gem, sieved egg, and avocado. This was much more interesting than I was expecting, and had a kick to it. I also had some garlic bread to go along with it. To drink, I had a glass of champagne, plus some sparkling water.

The main course was served as soon as the starter was cleared. There were four choices that offered variety for different taste buds, and I opted for the roasted cauliflower with chickpea stew and mint raita. It was delicious, and beautifully presented.

To accompany the main course, I couldn’t help but try the featured Chinese wine, since I don’t think I’ve ever had wine from China before. On this flight, the featured option was the Cabernet Franc from Ningxia. It wasn’t my favorite wine I’ve ever tried, but it had a unique taste.

There was a bit of a gap with the service after the main course. That’s because while all the dishes up until this point were brought out with trays, dessert was served from a trolley, so they waited until everyone was finished.

There were a variety of options, from fruit, to cheese, to ice cream, to sweets. I selected the green tea tiramisu, plus the cheese plate, which contained brie, cheddar, and roquefort.

At the conclusion of the meal, the crew came around with a box of chocolates, which passengers could help themselves to. That’s a nice touch, which is more common in first class than business class.

All-in-all, I thought the meal was excellent. I appreciated how it was different than your typical airline meal, and wasn’t what I was expecting. The salad was surprisingly spicy, while I liked having a unique vegetarian option, beyond just random pasta.

Cathay Pacific 777 business class lavatories

After the meal, I checked out the bathroom situation. Cathay Pacific’s Aria Suite 777 business class has a total of three lavatories — there are two lavatories at the very front of the cabin, plus one at the center galley.

I wish the plane had one more lavatory in the center of the cabin, since one lavatory there really isn’t enough. It’s also not ideal to queue for an area with just one lavatory, since you never know if you’ll be waiting for 30 seconds, or 15 minutes.

The lavatories as such are nice, and in particular, the center lavatory is spacious.

There are also Bamford products in the lavatory, including hand soap and body lotion.

Cathay Pacific 777 Aria Suite business class bed

After the meal, it was time to get some sleep. I was zonked, after taking a redeye the night before as well, and was looking forward to giving the bed a try. So I reclined my seat and made my bed.

So, how is Cathay Pacific’s new Aria Suite bed comfort? The Elements seat is a nice evolution of previous reverse herringbone seats, in terms of seat comfort. In particular, the sleeping surface feels much wider when the seat is reclined. As a side sleeper, for me the test of seat comfort always comes down to whether my knees hit the side of the seat when I bend them while sleeping.

In the case of the Aria Suite bed, it absolutely passed the test. Now, there’s one area where I wasn’t overly impressed, and that’s with the footwell. I’ve heard some complaints about how it’s surprisingly tight. While I didn’t find it to be overly tight (and it’s something I’m sensitive to, since I have pretty big feet), I also wouldn’t say it was particularly spacious.

Still, all-in-all, I found the bed to be very comfortable. I fell asleep with roughly 8.5 hours remaining, as we were over the Black Sea…

…and I woke up with around 2hr40m remaining to Hong Kong, as we were well into our journey across China.

I’m a horrible airplane sleeper, so the fact that I got roughly six hours of sleep is a testament to how comfortable the bed is.

Cathay Pacific business class snack & breakfast

Since I slept for around six hours, I didn’t have any sort of mid flight snack, but you can find the all-day dining menu below.

On top of that, there was a snack basket in the galley, which guests could help themselves to.

Instead, I waited until the breakfast service, which started just under two hours before arrival. You can find the breakfast menu below.

To start, I ordered a Cathay Delight, the carrier’s signature non-alcoholic drink, with kiwi fruit juice, coconut milk, and fresh mint. If you haven’t had it, it’s absolutely worth ordering. Yum.

I also ordered a cappuccino for my caffeine hit.

Cathay Pacific has an impressive selection of breakfast options, as there are four different menu items, in addition to an express breakfast. At first, I was served the “lighter breakfast” option, which consisted of a twice baked soufflé omelet, sautéed kale, and cherry tomatoes. However, that wasn’t what I actually ordered, as it was a misunderstanding, but I still snapped a picture before this was corrected.

I love to see an airline serving an omelet that isn’t filled with cheese and a bunch of meat, so kudos to Cathay Pacific for serving this.

Instead, I had intended to order the “wellness breakfast,” which consisted of cacao chia seed pudding with coconut yogurt and blackberries. This was served with a side of fresh fruit, plus a pastry and croissant.

I love the idea of what Cathay Pacific is going for with this cacao chia seed pudding, but I do think this particular recipe needs some revising. It was totally tasteless, and I’m not sure where the coconut yogurt was. If this could be done correctly, it would be one of my favorite airplane breakfast options I’ve seen.

Cathay Pacific business class service

The crew on this Cathay Pacific couldn’t have been better. They were a mix of Hong Kong and London based, and that made for a fun dynamic. London-based Gary was assigned to my section, and he was awesome.

He was just genuinely such a nice and fun person, and also incredibly professional. The same was true for the rest of the crew, as every crew member I interacted with was friendly. The cabin service manager Paul was also professional, and often checked on passengers.

In the past, I’ve sometimes found service on Cathay Pacific to be assembly line-esque, and not very personalized. I didn’t find that to be the case here, though in fairness, it had been around five years since I took a long haul flight on the airline. I’m not sure if the service procedure has changed, or if I just lucked out with a great crew.

Cathay Pacific 777 arrival in Hong Kong

At 1:20PM Hong Kong time, the captain was on the PA to advise that we’d shortly be starting our descent, and would be landing in around 30 minutes, well ahead of schedule. At this point the crew started to prepare the cabin for landing.

I had a child-like excitement landing in Hong Kong, as it has historically been one of my favorite cities, and I hadn’t properly visited since before the pandemic. I was looking forward to a couple of days on the ground.

At 1:50PM, we had a stunningly smooth touchdown on runway 7L. As is common in Hong Kong, from there it was a very drawn out taxi to our arrival gate. You almost feel like you’re landing in Guangzhou and taxiing to Hong Kong.

Our taxi ended up taking a full 25 minutes, and we arrived at the gate at 2:15PM, still 20 minutes ahead of schedule. I bid farewell to the crew, headed to immigration (where there was a roughly 20 minute queue), and was then on my way to the St. Regis Hong Kong, which would be my home for two nights.

Bottom line

Cathay Pacific has taken its long haul business class experience to the next level, with the introduction of the Aria Suite product. This seat is based on the Collins Aerospace Elements platform, which is the best reverse herringbone seat there is. On top of that, Cathay Pacific has nicely customized this, with exceptional tech, and an elegant design.

With the new Aria Suite hard product, I think Cathay Pacific offers among the best business class experiences in the world, especially when you factor in the great bedding, extensive entertainment, free Wi-Fi, friendly service, and tasty food and drinks.

I’m happy to see Cathay Pacific evolving its passenger experience, and can’t wait to fly the Aria Suite again!

What’s your take on Cathay Pacific’s Aria Suite business class?