Cathay Pacific boosts flights, adds A350 to Perth

West Australians with an eye on Hong Kong now have even more chances to jet off to Asia’s World City, with Cathay Pacific almost doubling flights to Perth from late October.

Part of a wider same-day increase on both sides of Australia, the move sees Perth rise from six to 11 flights per week, while Brisbane climbs from six to 10 a week, alongside Cathay’s welcome return to Cairns.

But wait, as they say, there’s more... the Boeing 777 currently winging its way to Perth is being switched out for an Airbus A350 fitted with 38 business class flat beds and a premium economy cabin of 28 seats.

At present, Cathay flies six times a week from Perth, excluding Mondays. This changes come October 28, when the schedule becomes: 

• CX170 from Perth lifts off daily at 12:10am, touching down in Hong Kong 7:45am the following morning
• CX144 out of Perth departs at 11am every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, arriving in Hong Kong at 6:45pm
• CX171 is wheels up from Hong Kong at 3:10pm daily, reaching Perth at 10:55pm the same day
• CX143 leaves Hong Kong at 1:50am on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, landing in Perth at 9:30am the same day

Cathay's flat bed A350 business class.

Departing from Perth’s Terminal 1, where there are no international Oneworld lounges at present, Cathay business class passengers receive access to the independent Aspire Lounge, located between Gates 53 and 54 on Level 3. 

In Hong Kong, business class passengers and frequent flyers have their pick of Cathay’s five Hong Kong lounges – The Wing First (home to private cabana suites), plus The Wing Business, The Pier First, The Pier Business and The Deck – along with the Qantas Hong Kong Lounge.

These additional flights join Cathay’s daily departures from both Sydney and Melbourne, which lift off four and three times per day, respectively.

Earlier this month, Cathay Pacific celebrated the homecoming of its final aircraft stored in the Australian desert, closing a chapter started during the pandemic and shifting its attention to the future, with new 777 business class and premium economy  also primed for takeoff in the middle of this year.

Further down the road, or should that be runway, Cathay will launch a fresh take on its 777 first class suites, upgrade its Beijing lounge to become a “flagship lounge” for the Chinese capital, and cut the ribbon on an all-new Cathay Pacific lounge at New York JFK.

Are you headed to Hong Kong? Here’s how your Australian passport can be used to skip the immigration queues at Hong Kong Airport via the automated e-Channel lanes.