Six reasons why you should be flying to New York via Hong Kong

New York is a must-visit metropolis for business travellers and holiday makers alike. Its vibrancy exerts a particularly magnetic pull on Australians, despite the fact that there are no direct flights to New York

So what’s the best way to head to the Big Apple? This may surprise you but it’s certainly not via Los Angeles. When New York next calls, you’ll find that Hong Kong is the smarter stopover!

This article is sponsored by Cathay Pacific.

1. Avoid LAX!

For many travellers, Los Angeles is the natural transfer point when heading to the East Coast as there are plenty of direct flights from Australia, and great connectivity onwards.

But going from to New York from Australia is already a long journey, and it’s only made tougher when you need to get off your international flight at LAX and change terminals to connect to your onwards domestic flight.

Instead, you can avoid all the hassle at LAX and fly to New York via Hong with Cathay Pacific.

You’ll skip having to wait around to collect your checked baggage at LAX (remember, luggage must be collected at the point of entry to the US), and you won’t have to take it to a recheck counter before heading to the lounge - instead, your luggage will go straight through to New York.

You’ll also avoid the much-dreaded TSA checks that can stretch interminably long (and at times be overly intrusive).

In addition to sidestepping all of those pesky procedures at LAX, you’ll also be flying with Cathay Pacific into their key Hong Kong hub.

Your Cathay Pacific flights arrive and depart from the same terminal at Hong Kong Airport, which means less stress and more time taking advantage of Cathay Pacific’s world-class lounges.

2. Travel at a time that suits you

Cathay Pacific offers a range of flight times from Australia’s major capital cities to Hong Kong, including four flights each day from Sydney and three from Melbourne.

From Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific runs five daily flights to New York, including four to JFK and one to Newark.

With so many timings on Cathay Pacific, it’s easy to manage your schedule and fly at a time that’s convenient for you.

3. One-stop connections from Perth, Adelaide and Cairns

Generally, when flying with other airlines travellers from Perth, Adelaide and Cairns have to fly to Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane to board a flight to the USA – meaning there’s one more time-consuming stopover to add to the journey.

Cathay Pacific flies direct from Perth, Adelaide and Cairns to Hong Kong, putting more of your working day or holiday time back in your hands and giving you a one-stop journey all the way to the East Coast.

4. Visit two of the world’s great cities

Of course, there’s no reason you have to fly straight through to New York. Hitting two of the world’s largest financial centres in one trip makes sense, so why not add a stopover in Hong Kong on the way there or back?

Catch up with some business contacts, spend some downtime shopping or just enjoy some of the best Asian food you’ll find anywhere in the world.

If you’ve got business on mainland China, it’s just a quick hop over from Hong Kong to the manufacturing hub of Shenzhen via train or car. Cathay Pacific also offers a vast range of domestic Chinese destinations from Hong Kong in case you need to head further afield.

5. Know what you’re getting

Cathay Pacific’s international fleet offers the same high-quality seating and service in business class, premium economy and economy across your entire journey, so that you know exactly what you’re getting.

Don’t fret about trying to book the right aircraft or researching all the different configurations like you’d need to with other airlines – the consistency of product means that your expectations are always met for a smooth journey.

Selected flights from Hong Kong to New York also offer first class – a great way to use any spare points you may have to score yourself an upgrade from business class. 

6. Experience the world’s best lounges

When we say that Cathay Pacific offers some of the world’s best lounges, we mean it.

Cathay Pacific’s The Pier first class and business class lounges at Hong Kong Airport have won rave reviews from business travellers, making them the ideal place to break your journey on the way to and from New York.

The Pier isn’t your usual lounge experience with tired furniture and lukewarm buffet food – instead, think swanky décor, amazing a la carte dining, cocktail bartenders and all the amenities you could need for a productive and relaxing stopover.

Read more: The business traveller's guide to Cathay Pacific's Hong Kong lounges

This article is sponsored by Cathay Pacific.