Sydney Direct vs. Connecting Flight / Cathay Pacific Hong Kong-Sydney In-flight Meal & Lounge Review

Direct flight to Sydney or a connecting flight? / Cathay Pacific Airways Hong Kong-Sydney in-flight meal and lounge review

Hello, I'm Runninghaeyoung, a woman who loves sports.

This is a Cathay Pacific Airways review written before my memories of the September Sydney Marathon fade. As the title suggests, I'll discuss whether a direct flight to Sydney, Australia, is better or if a connecting flight is better.

I took a direct flight to Brisbane, Australia, but a connecting flight to Sydney. This post shares my experience with Cathay Pacific's economy class seat and the relaxed and convenient connecting flight. By the way, I'm very sensitive to the cold, so I've bought blankets many times when flying. Cathay Pacific, known as a premium brand among Northeast Asian airlines, allows you to enjoy a short trip to Hong Kong with a Hong Kong stopover, and you can also visit a small Hong Kong in the lounge during the Hong Kong layover. I wanted to travel as soon as I arrived in Sydney, so I adjusted my schedule to arrive in the morning, and I thought using the lounge was appropriate.

<b>Cathay Pacific Hong Kong layover review</b> It consists of Cathay Pacific in-flight meal and boarding review and Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Lounge.

Cathay Pacific Hong Kong layover. Cathay Pacific Hong Kong, with its 78-year history of premium service, was selected as the world's best economy class, the cleanest airline, and the world's top 5 airline in 2024 by Skytrax. Travel to various destinations such as Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Europe, the Americas, South Africa, and the Middle East is possible. Currently, the website offers a special benefit of a 10% discount on business class and 5% discount on economy class for Hong Kong connecting flights worldwide and a 15% discount on economy class for Bangkok (~24.09.30). Plus, a 60,000 won discount on the official website. I chose the Hong Kong layover due to various benefits. Before boarding, I liked the <b>2 pieces of 23kg baggage for economy class</b>, <b>in-flight meals and entertainment screen usage</b>, and <b>48 hours prior online check-in, free seat selection</b>.

Above all, if you have a Hong Kong layover, you can consider a Hong Kong trip, and if you want to arrive quickly at your destination like me, you can enjoy a small Hong Kong by visiting the lounge before a long-haul flight. I had a more relaxed and diverse experience with the connecting flight than with a direct flight. <b>Hong Kong International Airport is a hub airport connecting East Asia and major cities around the world, with excellent connectivity and short transfer times.</b> If you have time, I recommend a Hong Kong layover.

Cathay Pacific in-flight meal and boarding review. I thought it was an appropriate layover because the waiting time wasn't long on my way from Sydney to Korea via Hong Kong. <b>Hong Kong - Sydney - Hong Kong</b> currently operates with the latest A350 aircraft, and I felt that both the comfort of the seats and the quality of the in-flight meals were excellent. The familiar taste and a variety of content such as the latest movies, TV programs, and music available on the in-flight system allowed for an enjoyable flight without boredom.

In particular, there were K-MOVIES and K-DRAMAS among the Asian films. There were "The Roundup" and "Spring in Seoul," which I hadn't seen in theaters, making the trip very enjoyable. Failure is rebellion; success is revolution!

And Cathay Pacific, often called the "Häagen-Dazs airline," gives Häagen-Dazs as a dessert in addition to the excellent in-flight meal. It was so enjoyable having Häagen-Dazs appear in the movie. The Häagen-Dazs flavors seem to be given randomly.

<b>Free blankets and pillows (many airlines charge extra, but Cathay Pacific provides them even in economy class!)</b><b>The in-flight meal menu is provided beforehand. (I often had to ask for what I understood because I didn't speak English well, but this allows time to consider the options)</b><b>Plenty of legroom in economy class... perfect for a nap</b><b>There's a separate storage space for passports, chargers, AirPods, etc.</b><b>The seats recline, and the spacing is wide enough that I never needed to ask anyone behind me to raise their seat</b><b>The in-flight meals are delicious, especially... Häagen-Dazs(?)</b>

Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Lounge The Pier, Business Class Lounge

Actually, I came this far because I wanted to write about the Hong Kong lounge! It's a business class lounge designed to allow you to experience Hong Kong's culture. It's a space where you can comfortably and leisurely feel the flavors of Hong Kong, like your own home. The Pier, Cathay Pacific's lounge, is a unique experience; it's a small Hong Kong with a comfortable and quiet space and wonderful cocktails.

Hours: 5:30 AM - 12:30 AM daily

Location: 6th floor, near Gate 65 in Terminal 1

Excited face! The most popular place in The Pier Lounge is the noodle bar, so I started there.

Wonton noodles, dan dan noodles, and three types of dim sum are the most famous, and after trying them... Korea should reflect... The original is different... The richness of flavor was on a whole other level; they were so delicious.

A feature of The Pier Business Class Lounge is that you can experience high-class tea ceremony at Cathay Pacific's first tea house. In addition, at the Delhi-style food hall, there are simple meal menus such as tapas, assorted cheeses, salads, and fish platters, as well as warm dishes, sandwiches, desserts, and fruits, so you just need to order.

Finally, there were so many types of handcrafted cocktails that I had to think carefully before choosing.

In addition, with 14 shower rooms equipped with high-end bath amenities and fluffy towels, I was able to conveniently prepare for my trip before the flight.

Be sure to try the wonton noodles, dan dan noodles, and dim sum. You can also experience the high-class tea ceremony at the tea house. The splendid experience is unforgettable.

Summary

Perfect food and rest with Cathay Pacific. Beyond expectations. The start of a happy journey.