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Hong Kong International Airport is the hub of Cathay Pacific, which has seven lounges at terminal 1 & 2 that rank among the best airline lounges in the world. We review the best airport lounges at Hong Kong airport.
We have already reviewed the best executive or club lounges in Hong Kong hotels.
Free Airport Lounge Access
If you have not paid for Business Class or First Class, you can still access lounges at this airport for a fee or for free if you have a Priority Pass. Get an unlimited Priority Pass with the Amex Platinum card, or you can also access most Priority Pass lounges for free using the free American Express Gold with its two free Lounge Club passes. To get extra referral points and advice on these free-lounge-access cards and more, have a read of our best credit cards for luxury travel.
1. American Express Centurion Lounge
If you don’t have access to The Wing or The Pier by Cathay Pacific, for example, if you are flying Oneworld in Economy or Premium Economy, the excellent American Express Centurion Lounge Hong Kong is a great choice and is pictured above. In fact, this is one of the best lounges at Hong Kong airport regardless of your class of travel, and if you have access to the VIP Centurion, you will be treated to high-end Champagne and truffles along with an excellent a la carte menu.
You can access this Centurion Lounge for free if you have premium American Express cards, such as The Platinum or the Business Platinum Card® from American Express. Holders of these cards can access Centurion Lounges free of charge with up to two guests. If you have an exclusive Centurion card (the legendary black card!), you get access to the VIP exclusive Centurion section of this American Express Centurion Lounge.
To get extra bonus referral points and advice on the Platinum American Express and other free-lounge-access credit cards, have a read of our best credit cards for luxury travel.
This AMEX lounge is located just before Gate 60, opposite the United Airlines lounge. Access to the lounge is limited to cardholders of the American Express Platinum card and the Centurion card, as well as two guests.
The entrance of the lounge has the signature foliage wall similar to other American Express Centurion Lounges. As you enter the lounge, you will pass two meeting rooms with work desks and desktops with printers. There’s a sculptured metal frame in the main lounge containing an extensive bar surrounded by high wireframe bar stools. The bar had a great list of signature cocktails curated by renowned mixologist Jim Meehan and a wine list curated by renowned wine expert Anthony Giglio.
There is a variety of seating within the lounge, and because it is a balcony in design, the sides of the lounge look down to the main internal airport. Comfortable low sofa seats can be found near the railings, so these offer one of the top spots with a view for sitting.
The buffet is surrounded by cafe seating with tables, and it offers Western and Asian food options. To the left of this dining area is a small check-in counter and glass door, which leads to the VIP Centurion area, while the right side of the dining area leads to the bathrooms and shower area.
The Centurion area is the most exclusive area of this airport lounge and has two sections. One room has white marble tables with blue chairs. The other area has dining tables.
The difference between the Centurion area and the regular area for the lounge is that the Centurion area features a sit-down a la carte dining instead of a buffet. The menu consists of Western and Asian options designed by the chefs from Yan Toh Heen, the 2 Michelin star Cantonese restaurant at the Intercontinental hotel in Hong Kong.
Dishes include a Vietnamese salad, Asian mushroom, and black chicken soup, and Asian combination starters with fried dumplings and rolls. They also serve the higher-end GH Mumm Grand Cordon champagne in the Centurion area. In the main lounge, they serve GH Mumm Cordon Rouge champagne.
For the main course, options include pan-fried salmon, truffle risotto, honey barbecued pork, and wok-fried beef shoulder with spicy sauce. The servings are generous, including a generous helping of truffles. The food is as good as it sounds and looks and tastes properly gourmet. The service is also superb, with plenty of attention and refills. Desserts include egg tarts and fruit with sorbet.
The internet speed is great throughout this lounge. The Centurion area is particularly peaceful. For a complimentary lounge offered to cardholders, this lounge was on par with the best airport lounges at the Hong Kong airport, such as the Cathay ones, and definitely better than the Plaza Premium ones.
2. The Wing First Lounge
We think this is one of the best airport lounges at Hong Kong airport, and if you are flying in First Class on Cathay Pacific, this is the lounge you should use. The Wing lounge is by far the best Cathay Pacific lounges at Hong Kong International Airport, so I advise you to visit The Wing if you get the opportunity.
The Wing lounge can be found immediately behind the security checkpoint (near gates 1-4) and houses a The Wing First Class and Business Class lounge. Obviously, the First Class part of this lounge is the better bit, but even the Business Class section offers an excellent lounge. The lounge has an open-plan design, and you will find it on the second floor, one floor above the gates and shopping area.
This lounge has no side walls or ceiling, which means it is a dream lounge for aviation geeks as the views of the airport’s stunning roof architecture and of the tarmac with all the planes are brilliant as these windows are so big.
As you enter the lounge, you will see (and enjoy?) the Champagne Bar, ideal for a quick tipple. Then you head onto the main part of the lounge, which contains loads of varied seating and minimalistic design. It is utterly classy with reflective black glass walls and black marble floors accentuated by a crisp white marble bar and warm colors of natural Eucalyptus wood walls.
This lounge has an extensive dining area which has been named ‘The Haven’. This restaurant can get crowded, but more recently, it has been expanded to double its capacity.
Breakfast here is great with a stunning buffet and a carte menu, both free. Catering is inspired by The Peninsula Hotels, one of the world’s most exclusive and luxurious hotel brands, and it shows as the food is beyond excellent for an airport lounge.
This lounge also has 12 shower suites or 5 cabins which come with a full-sized bath, a shower, and a day bed. This is one of the very few airport lounges in the world offering baths!
3. The Wing Business Lounge
You can see the pictures of The Wing Business Lounge in my separate review of this Business airport lounge. You can access this lounge if you are flying First or Business Class flying on either Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon, or another Oneworld carrier. These passengers can also bring one guest.
Again, this lounge is big and excellent. In fact, it has two levels, both featuring varied seating, plus there are hot and cold buffet selections.
Taking a right turn at the entrance will lead to a long corridor, where you can access the lower lounge space and the business center. The shower room is at the end of the corridor. There are 23 shower rooms (wow! at many airport lounges, you are lucky to have access to just one shower room!), and they feature bath products from Jurlique. Other amenities include a hairdryer, toothbrush set, and cotton buds.
The top floor of The Wing Business Class is the airiest and bright area to sit in. On the right side of the lounge are some seating spaces with their trademark circular Solus chairs and a long stylish bar for alcoholic drinks and cocktails. The long bar also offers a great view of the gates in front of the lounge.
On the left side of the lounge, there;’s lots of seating and a hot buffet which includes western and Asian cuisine. Free drinks include water, beer, and various cans of soda in small fridges. There are also plenty of newspapers and magazines. This bit of the lounge can get crowded, particularly before large planes leave.
At the quieter back of the lounge are the Coffee Loft and the famous Cathay Noodle Bar. The Coffee Loft is carved out at the corner of the lounge and feels more secluded, so it is a lovely place to sit. There is a small selection of pastries here and coffee. The Coffee Loft also serves alcohol and ice cream.
The Noodle Bar is a larger space with loads of seating and nice tables and bamboo decorations. As the name suggests, The Noodle Bar serves Asian noodles and other Asian appetizers like dumplings or buns. The food is freshly prepared when ordered and is very tasty. Overall this is a great lounge.
4. The Pier First Class lounge
The Pier lounge, located near gate 65, represents Cathay Pacific’s flagship lounge complex and features a separate lounge facility for First and Business Class passengers. This is the other “best lounge” to use while waiting for your flight as it offers some of the best facilities and food.
Inside this lounge, you can enjoy dark wood and light green marble decor, muted lighting, plus loads of natural light. The lounge is fragranced with a signature Cathay Pacific scent.
The Bar is arranged in a large semi-circle with plenty of sitting spaces overlooking some gates and planes. This bar offers an almost unlimited selection of alcohol, including cocktails and 3 types of champagne. The Pantry is a small room where you can pick up pastries, light bites, and a good selection of fruits, desserts, finger food, and drinks.
To the main walkway’s right, you will pass by The Bureau, the lounge’s business center. The bathroom, spa, and day suites can also be found here. At the end of this walkway is The Dining Room, which is large and serves high-end a la carte food with starters, main dishes, and sweets. This food is restaurant quality and beautifully presented, although portions are quite small. That said, you can order as much as you like! There’s also a small bar in this area serving drinks.
There is a spa in the lounge by Gentleman’s Tonic. They offer complimentary massages to passengers, but you need to book one as soon as you get into the lounge, as spots can run out.
5. The Pier Business Class lounge
This is the other best Business Class lounge to use while waiting for your flight as it offers some of the best facilities and food. You can access the Pier Business Class lounge if you are flying Business Class flying on either Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon, or another Oneworld carrier. These passengers can also bring one guest.
This lounge is furnished with dark wood decor, dark leather seats. Floor to ceiling windows look out to the planes and tarmac (great views!). The lounge is fragranced with a signature Cathay Pacific scent.
There’s a Noodle Bar where you can order made-to-order noodles, and there’s a buffet to go with the Noodle Bar, which serves dumplings and other items to go with your noodles.
In the extensive buffet, you will find whole fruit, salad with cold cuts and cheeses, cut fruit like melon, rolls, and fresh bread, including baguettes and croissants. They even have things like fresh pizza slices and dessert pastries. Hot dishes beyond the noodles are things like vegetarian lasagne, beef ragout, and tortilla soup.
There are loads of self serve drinks, including cans of soft drinks, beers, plus a coffee machine and Jing Tea (excellent tea!). The shower rooms, of which there are many, are classy with slate tiles and delicious Aesop amenities.
The Bar provides cocktails, including champagne and pretty much every spirit you can imagine.
There’s also a business center and a yoga and meditation space. All in all, this is one of the best Business Class lounges in the world and one that you won’t want to leave.
6. The Bridge
The Bridge by Cathay Pacific is an exclusive Business Class lounge located one floor below the main concourse near gate 35. While it isn’t quite as good as The Wing or The Pier, it may be more convenient for your flight departure gates.
The North wing of this airport lounge features the bulk of the facilities, including a ‘The Bakery’, a large restaurant, with both individual and communal tables. Here you will find the excellent buffet with freshly baked bread and pizzas, as well as delicious sandwiches, Danish pastries, Asian and Western soups, and several fresh salads.
There’s also an excellent bar in this airport lounge offering a wide range of drinks, canapés, and hot and cold tapas, as well as a television lounge. There’s a variety of seating within the lounge, including the famous Cathay Solus Chair solid, marked by leather upholstery and lacquered shell, a designer piece exclusively created for Cathay Pacific.
The South wing in the same lounge features a dedicated IT zone with computer workstations as well as the so-called ‘The Bistro’ restaurant. This is a second smaller self-service area offering various high-quality Asian and Western hot dishes and cold food, including delicious desserts and light leafy salads.
The Coffee Loft is yet another area where you can treat yourself to freshly brewed coffee and specialty tea, as well as freshly-baked muffins, pastries, and cookies.
Aviation geeks and travelers who like to watch the planes will appreciate the floor-to-ceiling windows which stretch along the length of the lounge. You can see the planes moving around as you enjoy your complimentary food and drink.
Possibly the nicest thing about this lounge is its residential ambiance, offering a ‘home away from home’. Wood floors and accents of oak and brass form a warm, and natural color palette throughout that creates a comfortable and cozy atmosphere to make you feel at home. Various pieces of art and culture, just like you would find in the living room of any home, are dotted about. For example, the main seating area in the North wing features two display cabinets that are curated with artifacts and books.
7. The Cabin
The Cabin airport lounge, also a Cathay Pacific airport lounge, is an exclusive Business Class lounge located near gate 25. Cathay Pacific also has a small arrival lounge located between terminal 1 and 2.
8. The Sanctuary lounge
The Sanctuary lounge is another Cathay Pacific airport lounge. The Sanctuary by Pure Yoga offers a 700 ft² space located on the right side of the lounge upon entry.
This is a long rectangular space divided into two zones, the front part is The Body Sanctuary, and the back part is The Mind Sanctuary. The Body Sanctuary is a space dedicated to activities involving body movements. To enter, you have to remove your shoes and store them on the right side of the entrance. On the left side of the entrance, there is a small cubicle for one person to do self-training.
In the main Body Sanctuary area, the left side of this area has 5 yoga mats on a slightly elevated podium. There’s a large TV screen with a video instructor demonstrating yoga moves. While this part of the lounge might not appeal to every traveler, it definitely pushes the boundaries with new innovative ideas for their lounges.
9. The United Club Hong Kong
This lounge can be found in the northwest concourse of Terminal 1. It is reached by the lift and there are a number of airline lounges on the same floor including the Emirates Lounge, Thai Royal Orchid Lounge, Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, and the two Plaza Premium Lounges which you can access with your Priority Pass or pay to enter.
The United Club Hong Kong can be accessed if you’re traveling in First or Business Class on United or Star Alliance partner flights. If you are a Star Alliance Gold member or a United Club pass member, you can also access this lounge.
Interestingly, like the Plaza Premium lounges at Hong Kong airport, you can also pay to get into this lounge if you so wish.
The lounge itself is quite small and looks down on the boarding gates and the rest of the terminal, including the runway, as it is elevated above the main floor of the Terminal. The view is a highlight of this lounge as it looks over the runway. There’s also a business area with printers etc, or you can take a seat on one of the sofas or bar stool tables which are higher.
The food includes breakfast with hot options of scrambled eggs, beans, bacon, sausages, and cereals and bread, including croissants. The lunch service included cold sandwiches and salads and hot soup, pasta, chicken, and potatoes. There’s also a “make your own noodle” areas. For drinks, you could choose between a limited choice of soft drinks, sodas, wines, spirits, and beers.
10. Plaza Premium Lounge
This is not the best lounge at Hong Kong airport, Plaza Premium lounges rarely are the best lounge at an airport, but they are better than nothing, and this Plaza Premium Lounge is fairly good.
If you’ve not paid for Business Class or First Class, you can still access several brilliant lounges at Hong Kong Airport for a fee or for free if you have a Priority Pass. There are two Priority Pass “Plaza Premium” lounges at Hong Kong airport in Terminal 1 and one Plaza Premium lounge in Terminal 2.
Paid entrance is also sometimes possible using cash or you can get in for free if you have a Priority Pass which comes free with the Amex Platinum card. You can also access most Priority Pass lounges for free using the free American Express Gold with its two free Lounge Club passes. To get extra referral points and advice on these free-lounge-access cards and more, have a read of our best credit cards for luxury travel.
The Hongkong Airport Plaza Premium Airport Lounge is the lounge you will be given access to if you are flying in Business Class on Etihad Airways from Hong Kong to Abu Dhabi (Gate 65). This lounge is conveniently located near Gate 40 (for guests using Gate 30 or above).
This lounge has 2 sections, one for paying guests (2 hours 480 HKD) near the entry and one for Business Class passengers on the left and further on. There is a mutual area of bathroom and shower facilities, and a private resting area (3 hours 600HKD), as well as well-equipped workstations.
I was directed to the lounge for Business Class passengers on my last trip. There’s a bar area within the lounge with bar staff, bar stools, and a large range of alcoholic drinks and beer on tap. There’s also a good selection of wines and a self-service fridge with cans of beer and soft drinks.
The food selection is excellent with sandwiches, cheese, smoked salmon, nuts, crisps and crackers, and a huge bowl of fresh fruit. There’s also a hot food area with a good selection of hot snacks, including the signature Hong Kong-style Fish Ball Noodles. Beside the bar is a selection of delicious mini-desserts, things like Tiramisu and fruit Pannacotta. Much better than your average Plaza Premium lounge food selection.
This lounge’s advantages are the airy outside seating area, which occupies a premium position with views across the airport and looking down on the planes from both sides. There is a separate, more comfortable area with no views. As you would expect, the paying and Priority Pass section of this lounge was much busier.
Below I have reviewed a number of the very best airline lounges at Hong Kong International Airport with photos:
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