Lately all the hype is for Cathay Pacific’s Pier Lounges at Hong Kong Airport. Don’t get me wrong the Pier looks like a great lounge in terms of design and facilities, but I just wanted to mention that The Wing is no slouch in this department.
The first class check in area at Hong Kong is located at the far end of the departures hall where there was literally no one on this particular morning. Check in was done in a matter of minutes.
I was extremely hungry so I decided to go try the “Big Chill” while I waited for my cousin to finish checking in (his visa was on an expired passport so that complicated things).
I enjoyed my freshly made veggie salad wrap at the Big Chill. While the ingredients were fresh and quite tasty, the prices were exorbitantly high (it cost $15 for the wrap). I believe this place has since been closed because I didn’t see it this past time I was in Hong Kong. I may have just forgotten where it is located, but I doubt it.
Security was a breeze (in the priority lane) and we were promptly checked into the lounge upon presenting our AAdvantage Executive Platinum cards and oneworld boarding passes. Access to The Wing First Class lounge is available to Oneworld Emerald and first class passengers, while the business class section is available to Oneworld Sapphire and business class passengers. The lounge is located in the south departures hall at Hong Kong Airport and is to the left after clearing security.
The business class portion of the Wing is just a bit farther down from the First Class Lounge portion of the lounge. The entire lounge is classy and features large windows for watching all those Cathay Pacific planes roll on by. It kind of reminded me of a way better version of Terminal 5 at Heathrow.
There is plenty of seating in the lounge of course, but the highlight has to be the dining area, which features both a buffet and an a la carte menu. The buffet spread is quite extensive.
I had some dessert and tried to get a shower, but they were all full. Needless to say the cabanas were fully booked. And in case you are wondering, the location of these was clearly demarcated on signboards.
My cousin and I just sat at the high table enjoying the views while getting some work done. I absolutely love those semicircular work cubicles they have in the lounge.
After a while I went around and explored the business class section, which just turned out to be a more crowded section with better food 🙂 If you are looking for the acclaimed noodle bar, it’s in that section of the place. And yes they do have a vegetarian option which looked quite tempting (really started to regret having lunch at the Big Chill).
Time flies by fast when you in such a lounge with plenty to photograph and document. And before we knew it was time to board our flight to Tokyo.
Oh and if you don’t have access to the Wing or the Pier, there are plenty of lounges to choose from, which includes the Centurion lounge and Plaza Premium Lounge. Both are available to AMEX Platinum cardholders, while the Plaza Premium Lounge is available to Priority Pass cardholders.
Bottom Line: Cathay Pacific is decidedly one of the world’s best airlines off the ground and on it. The lounges at Hong Kong airport are world class and they really are in a league of their own in terms of design, functionality, and spaciousness. I would most certainly rank the Wing among my favorite airport lounges and maybe even prefer it over Singapore’s Silver Kris Lounges. Let’s also not forget the fact that Hong Kong Airport itself is one of the finest in the world. All of these factors combine to make Cathay Pacific simply a pleasure to fly. I really look forward to flying Cathay Pacific again and checking out Cathay’s Pier lounges next time I’m in Hong Kong.
Trip Index:
Japan Airlines First Class ORD-NRT
Japan Airlines First Class Lounge Tokyo-Narita
Cathay Pacific 747 First Class NRT – HKG
Cathay Pacific – The Wing @ HKG
