Cathay Pacific unveils its swanky new 'Aria Suite' business-class seat
Cathay Pacific took the wraps off its newest business-class seat today, showing off its new "Aria Suite" at a preview event in a hangar at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).
The airline first revealed plans for the new Aria Suite back in March 2024, though the carrier has been relatively quiet about it until now, only saying that the new suites would appear later this year aboard Cathay's Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Well, it looks like the first plane with the new suites is just about ready to take flight later this week — and TPG got a sneak peek at the airline's event.
Here's what we saw at the Cathay Pacific event and what you need to know about the airline's new business-class seat.
What is the Cathay Pacific Aria Suite?
Cathay Pacific has been flying a consistent version of its current business class (with some updates as newer aircraft like the Airbus A350 have gone into service) for over a decade now, so the introduction of the Aria Suite represents a big step into the future for the airline.
That said, it is more of a significant evolution than a complete departure for the airline. Like Cathay's current business class, Aria Suites are laid out in a reverse herringbone-style 1-2-1 configuration, so each seat has direct aisle access.
Those on the sides of the cabin are angled outward toward the window and are great for solo travelers, while those in the center section are angled toward one another, so they might be preferable for passengers traveling with a companion.
Each Aria Suite still has plenty of privacy, though, thanks to high seatback shells, adjustable dividers between the center seats and closing doors shielding them from the aisle. Doors are an increasingly popular feature of next-generation business-class seats, though this is the first time Cathay Pacific has offered them.
Unlike some other airlines like Virgin Atlantic and Starlux that have turned some seats in the first rows of their latest business-class cabins into superior, roomier products, Cathay Pacific's Aria Suites will be uniform throughout.
Aria Suites are decorated with a more neutral color palette of taupe, cream, sand and brown tones rather than the airline's signature green, creating a calming environment on board.
They also incorporate a variety of surface and stowage areas, including a wide, woodgrain and marbleized armrest to one side of the seat with a top panel that slides open to reveal a shallow cubby designed for storing valuables. Another convenient cubby (with an interior lining that provides a flash of that signature green) is also tucked into the seatback shell under a stylish seat-mounted reading light.
Among the technological advancements Aria Suites will offer are new 24-inch 4K high-definition entertainment screens that are among the largest offered in business class by any airline. They have Bluetooth audio connectivity, so passengers can use their own headphones. The airline promises that passengers will soon even be able to sync up their entertainment choices with travel companions thanks to new system functionality.
One particularly interesting new feature is the seat's "activity modes." Passengers can select from "movie," "work," "relax," "dine" and "sleep" modes, and at the touch of a button, the suite with adjust the seat position and lighting to suit that activity. Additionally, a guide on the inflight entertainment screen will advise passengers which lavatories are occupied and which are free for use.
The seats also feature universal power plugs and both USB-A and USB-C charging ports for personal devices, as well as wireless charging pads so you won't have to detangle a Gordian knot of cords when you board or deplane. Passengers can take advantage of free Wi-Fi, too.
The seat's bifold tray table slides out from under the entertainment system and has a device holder for tablets integrated into its design.
The tray table also has a unique feature allowing it to be positioned easily at any height in its range by pulling or pushing it into place.
As you might expect, each seat reclines to a fully lie-flat bed, and passengers can expect the same soft amenities currently available in Cathay Pacific business class, including premium bedding, Bamford amenity kits and menus created in partnership with well-known Hong Kong restaurants.
Don't forget to cast your eye toward the very front of the cabin, where each plane outfitted with Aria Suites will display a unique piece of art inspired by Hong Kong's cityscapes and natural surroundings. The piece will be created by artists with a connection to the destination as part of the airline's self-described "gallery in the skies."
Which planes will have Cathay Pacific Aria Suites?
Cathay Pacific will install Aria Suites aboard its fleet of 30 Boeing 777-300ERs at a rate of about one plane per month, meaning the entire retrofit should be complete by the end of 2027.
The airline is removing first class from these jets, though it has disclosed plans to install an all-new first-class product on its forthcoming fleet of Boeing 777-9s, which the airline has ordered 21 of and expects to take delivery of starting sometime in 2026 (pending any delays from the jet manufacturer). The Boeing 777-9s will also have Aria Suite business-class cabins on board.
Want to know if a specific flight has the new Aria Suites aboard? Your first clue will be if the Boeing 777 has a first-class cabin or not. If it does, it has not yet been retrofitted.
If your flight is on a three-cabin (business, premium economy and economy) Cathay Pacific Boeing 777, the next thing you have to look at is seat count. The airline's current three-class Boeing 777s have 368 seats: 40 in business class, 32 in premium economy and 296 in economy.
Boeing 777-300ERs with the new Aria Suite will have 45 business-class seats, 48 premium economy seats and 268 economy seats. So, the planes are gaining five seats in business class and 16 seats in premium economy (which will also be an updated product previewed for us in April) but are losing 28 economy seats. The economy seats are also a refreshed version of the existing product.
The business-class cabin on reconfigured planes will be split into two sections. The first, at the front of the plane, will have six rows of four seats each, plus a single side seat in the last row. The smaller section, which will be behind an area with the galley and a lavatory, will have five rows of four seats each. The whole business-class cabin will have a total of three lavatories: two at the front near the cockpit and one between the two sections of business class.
If in doubt, check your flight's seat map against the seat configuration displayed on Cathay Pacific's website. The Boeing 777-300ERs with Aria Suites aboard will be denoted as 77J.
Which routes will feature Cathay Pacific Aria Suites?
We do not yet know exactly which routes will feature Aria Suites in the long term, but it is expected that once the airline has taken delivery of three retrofitted jets by January, it will begin flying long-haul routes.
For now, the first Cathay Pacific jet to sport them will be operating daily flights between HKG and Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) from Oct. 18-31. Specifically, the jet will fly the following frequencies:
- Cathay Pacific flight CX 332: will depart Hong Kong at noon and arrive in Beijing at 3:30 p.m. local time
- Cathay Pacific flight CX 331: will depart Beijing at 4:50 p.m. and arrive in Hong Kong at 8:35 p.m. local time
These flights are subject to change, though, so always double-check your seat configuration ahead of departure in case there are any last-minute equipment swaps.
At the time of publication, business-class seats appeared to be sold out in both directions on most days, but that could be for a number of reasons. If you do intend to be in the region and can take one of these flights (remember to check visa requirements!), you might have better luck booking close in.
How to book Cathay Pacific Aria Suites
Due to the limited number of planes likely to have Aria Suites in the near future and the single-jet-per-month rollout time frame, it's unlikely that we will see Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300ERs with the new suites on board flying to the U.S. on a regular basis anytime soon. That might not matter too much, though, since Cathay Pacific business-class awards have been nearly impossible to book using American Airlines AAdvantage or Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles in recent years.
Hopefully, that will change, and if it does, at current mileage prices, you'll need 110,000 American miles or 75,000 to 85,000 Alaska miles from the airline's destinations in the U.S., including Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD), Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) starting in April 2025, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
In the meantime, your best bet for booking award flights on the carrier might be to redeem miles from Cathay Pacific's Asia Miles program. Asia Miles is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One miles and Citi ThankYou Rewards. Tickets between Hong Kong and the airline's various U.S. gateways will range from 84,000 to 110,000 Asia Miles one-way in business class.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
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- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
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Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.