If you happen to’ve ever dreamed of sinking into one among Cathay Pacific’s legendary cabanas at The Wing in Hong Kong, you’re too late. They’re gone.
The airline’s flagship top notch lounge, The Wing, First, reopens on April 22, 2026, after 11 months of renovation. The 1,675-square-metre area has been fully redesigned by London-based StudioIlse, and whereas it retains the enduring inexperienced onyx, virtually every part else is new. A spa idea replaces the cabanas, a wonderful eating partnership with Mott 32 anchors the meals program, and a tighter entry coverage will flip away some oneworld Emerald members on the door.
Contained in the Redesigned Lounge
The Wing, First sits on Degree 7 of Terminal 1 at Hong Kong Worldwide Airport, with capability for 237 company. It opens every day at 5:30am and runs till Cathay Pacific’s final departure of the day.
Inexperienced onyx stays the anchor materials, however the redesign introduces walnut wooden throughout a variety of finishes and granite flooring for the primary time in any Cathay lounge. The granite is a nod to conventional Chinese language structure, and the general impact is hotter and extra residential than the outgoing design.
Distinct zones divide the area. The Atrium serves because the central hub, with informal eating that shifts all through the day – lighter wellness-led choices at breakfast, afternoon tea service, and bistro-style fare within the night.
For a sit-down meal, The Eating Room options à la carte desk service via a partnership with Mott 32, the award-winning Hong Kong restaurant. Count on dishes like Iberico char siew with honeyed soy beans and Australian wagyu hanger steak, with a seasonal menu that rotates.
The Cabanas Are Gone
That is the headline that can sting essentially the most for frequent flyers. The Wing’s cabanas – non-public suites with deep soaking tubs, rain showers, and day beds – have been some of the iconic lounge options in aviation. They’re not coming again.
Of their place is The Retreat, a wellness area with seven non-public cubicles providing complimentary 15-minute massages (foot, neck, or shoulder). You possibly can e-book a slot via the Cathay app as much as 48 hours prematurely.
Whether or not that’s an improve or a downgrade depends upon who you ask. A complimentary therapeutic massage is a pleasant contact, but it surely’s not the identical as a non-public suite with a soaking tub earlier than a 16-hour flight.
Elsewhere, there are 12 bathe suites with new water and lighting modes, 5 semi-private nooks in The Alcove for charging and quiet time, and two absolutely enclosed workspaces in The Bureau for calls or conferences.
Who Will get In (and Who Doesn’t)
Entry is extra restricted than earlier than, at the very least initially.
In the course of the opening interval, The Wing, First is open to Cathay Pacific top notch passengers, Cathay Diamond members and above, and SCB Cathay Mastercard First Class cross holders. Every can convey one to 2 company.
Notably, oneworld Emerald members and top notch passengers on different oneworld airways is not going to have entry to The Wing, First for now. They’ll be directed to The Pier, First as an alternative, which continues to be a wonderful lounge, but it surely’s a transparent hierarchy play.
Cathay Pacific says the restriction is non permanent, meant to “keep persistently excessive service requirements” in the course of the ramp-up. However there’s no confirmed date for when broader entry returns. If the pattern we’ve seen with United’s Polaris lounge restrictions is any indication, “non permanent” can stretch a very long time.
For many of us, the practical path into The Wing, First is a firstclass redemption relatively than incomes Diamond standing. Cathay Pacific operates direct flights from Vancouver (YVR) to Hong Kong, and Asia Miles are essentially the most direct strategy to e-book. Examine our information to Asia Miles redemptions for present award pricing.
You possibly can earn Asia Miles via the Cathay World Elite® Mastercard® – Powered by Neo or by transferring from Amex Membership Rewards or RBC Avion. British Airways Avios, transferable from each Amex MR and RBC Avion, can even e-book Cathay Pacific top notch via oneworld.
Conclusion
The lack of the cabanas will sting for anybody who skilled them. No quantity of wellness cubicles can absolutely change the expertise of a non-public suite with a soaking tub at 30,000 toes above sea stage (so to talk).
However the remainder of the redesign seems to be sturdy. The Mott 32 eating partnership, expanded bathe suites, and refined residential design all level to a lounge that’s making an attempt to set a brand new normal relatively than simply patch up the previous one. If you happen to’re planning a visit via Hong Kong in top notch, this reopening is price constructing an itinerary round.
Keep watch over The Wing, Enterprise, too. It closes on April 23 for its personal renovation and reopens in mid-2027. If it follows the identical playbook, Cathay Pacific can have essentially the most full lounge portfolio in Asia.
