Sweeping changes coming to Cathay’s Hong Kong lounges

2025 will see Cathay Pacific embark on a bold transformation of its Hong Kong hub to create a family of “next-generation flagship lounges” – but passengers will have to adapt to some changes and be patient with some disruption during the years-long project.

Cathay Pacific’s General Manager for Customer Experience & Design, Vivian Lo, has described it as “a holistic plan towards the next generation (of) flagship lounges for Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong.”

Here’s what travellers can expect.

The Wing lounges will undergo a total make-over from mid-2025.

Closure of The Wing first class lounge

The Wing First lounge remains a go-to for most top-tier frequent flyers, despite being of an older design than The Pier First.

And being handily located at the ‘top’ of the terminal, just past immigration, makes The Wing First an obvious choice for flights departing from gates numbering into the low-20s (including the T1 Satellite Concourse).

The Wing is one of Cathay's two Hong Kong flagship lounges.

Meanwhile, Cathay Diamond and Oneworld Emerald frequent flyers who arrive early at the airport, before their flight has been allocated a departure gate, find The Wing First is the best place to cool their heels until a gate is assigned – at which point they can decide if it’s worth decamping to The Pier First.

That will all change in the middle of this year, when The Wing First closes for a year-long renovation to become Cathay’s newest ‘flagship’ lounge.

The Wing First is set to become Cathay's new HKG flagship lounge.

"The future flagship First (lounge) will be amazing,” Lo has told Executive Traveller.

“But will take some patience, as we need to do this (renovation) step by step,” Lo explains, with the aim of The Wing First being reopened by mid-2026.

Cathay is expected to reshape The Wing along the same lines as The Pier, providing consistency with the look and feel of all its Hong Kong lounges.

Hopefully some hallmarks of The Wing First – such as the Champagne Lounge just beyond the entry, or the private Cabana Suites where passengers can enjoy an indulgent pre-flight soak in the oversized bath – won’t sacrificed in the process.

The Wing First's indulgent Cabana Suites.

Reopening of The Bridge

But before The Wing First is boarded up around the middle of 2025 ( and no, we don’t have an exact date as yet), Cathay Pacific will cut the ribbon on The Bridge lounge.

Long-time travellers to and through Hong Kong will recall The Bridge, which opened in late 2013 adjacent to Gates 35-36 at the end of the main spine of Terminal 1, and just before the terminal splits into two piers.

As it once was: Cathay's The Bridge lounge, Hong Kong.

Cathay locked the doors of The Bridge in April 2020 at the start of the pandemic, and in August 2021 said the lounge would remain permanently closed.

But its 2,560m² footprint and capacity for 450 passengers – making it around the same size as The Wing Business lounge – will be needed when The Wing First is shuttered for a makeover.

As it once was: Cathay's The Bridge lounge, Hong Kong.

“The Wing First will be closed for renovation after The Bridge re-opens,” Lo said.

“This will be in sequence as we need extra capacity for the spillover of passengers during the renovation closures… we won’t close The Wing until we have extra capacity.”

As it once was: Cathay's The Bridge lounge, Hong Kong.

The Bridge’s location is obviously less convenient than The Wing, which is perched at the very top of the terminal just after travellers pass through immigration.

Indeed, once they step off the inter-terminal train, many savvy flyers may opt to walk another five minutes to the comfort and familiarity of The Pier lounges at gates 63-65.

Visitors to The Bridge can expect to see many of the same hallmark pieces of furniture, and grouped together in similar ways, as at many of Cathay’s latest-look lounges including The Pier.

This will likely keep alive The Bridge’s original impression of “a living room environment, with natural sunlight filtering through the floor to ceiling windows”, as the airline once described it.

Expect The Bridge 2.0 to look and feel more like The Pier.

The ‘northern’ wing of The Bridge originally included an opening dining room featuring a bakery turning our freshly-made bread and pizzas, to be enjoyed alongside Asian and Western soups, sandwiches, pastries and salads.

As it once was: Cathay's The Bridge lounge, Hong Kong.

This section of The Bridge also featured the iconic Long Bar, where passengers could enjoy views across the airport’s operational area, apron and runway.

As it once was: Cathay's The Bridge lounge, Hong Kong.

The ‘southern’ wing included a self-serve bistro, a Coffee Loft cafe (a concept also seen at The Wing Business lounge), nine shower suites and a business zone.

Fast forward to 2026 and Cathay will reopen The Wing First, with The Wing Business then closing for its own year-long renovation, during which The Bridge will serve as an interim lounge for business class passengers, Cathay Gold and Oneworld Sapphire frequent flyers.

However, it’s not yet known whether The Bridge will serve only as a short-term solution during The Wingless Years or if it will remain open indefinitely to help Cathay cope with any increase in premium travellers.

The Wing’s makeover is part of Cathay’s pledge to launch three “newly-designed flagship lounges over the next three years”, with its companions being Beijing in late 2025 (which will move to a Pier-grade fitout and aesthetic) and New York in early 2026. 

Also read: Your complete guide to Hong Kong’s Oneworld lounges