Cathay Pacific First Class Flight Review JFK-HKG is part of the TPOL Down Under Trip Report.
Welcome to Cathay First flight with service to Hong Kong from JFK. You are one lucky person to be flying this fine product. Here’s why:
Flight Time
“Who would want to be stuck in box for 15.5 hours?”, my friend asked. My answer: I would when that ‘box’, as he called it, is aboard Cathay first. Last time I flew Cathay, I took the scenic route through Vancouver to have even more time in the sky (see Cathay First JFK-HKG: Part 1 to Vancouver).
Seats
I forgot how massive the seats in Cathay are compared to most business class flights I have taken. There is room for two to relax in one pod and even dine! That was a first for me.
Pajamas
The Kim Jong-un pajamas have been updated from dark gray to light blue.
Amenities
Here is Cathay’s gift basket:
Champagne
“Up, up, up,” to quote Uncle Frank again. That request was honored over and over as I savored glass after glass of Krug champagne.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Although there were only 4 people in first, we managed to finish all the Krug and had to endure one glass of business champagne.
Breakfast
Breakfast was dim sum, a smoothie, and more champagne. The dim sum was slightly overcooked and got stuck in the basket. But it’s dim sum on an airplane!
Snack
I’ll pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today. On Cathay, burgers are snacks and they only take fifteen minutes to prepare. 
I also had the cheese plate, samosas, along with Pinot Noir.
Dinner
Oh caviar, where have you been? I haven’t seen you since Russia.
At this point, I could not eat but I did my best with the soup, shrimp, and steak. 
Dessert
Nothing but the best.
IFE
Home Alone was available (see above Uncle Frank reference). Need I say more? There also were many other new releases, but my favorite was Sleep which featured best actor, TPOL.
Sleep
Bed was prepped and I was out cold. Again, the size of the seat makes the time pass by peacefully.
Crew
Every flight experience, whether it be in peasant or first, dependent on the crew. Cathay is one of the best. I need not press the flight attendant button because they are so attentive to my needs that they show up at the exact moment I want something i.e, when my glass runs dry.
Overall
The sad part about flying Cathay is wondering how I will do it again, given the tightening of churn rules. That anxiety quickly passes as I chose to live in the moment and appreciate the service.
Was that flight non-stop, or did you stop for fuel in YVR? We are going to Hanoi three times this year, and I am wondering if we are stopping in YVR 6 times. If so, they need a better plane so I don’t have to be disturbed while flying on my $5 ticket.
Lol this time it was the direct. Last time I chose to stop
Prompted by your post, now I bothered to look it up, and thankfully no stops in YVR. I want to put on my KJU PJs and leave them on for 15.5 hours.
The best!
The wife and I flew Cathay on Sunday from Chicago in first class. While we were sadly lacking in Krug and my medium steak was pretty close to well done, the overall experience was amazing as usual. There were no orchids this time, which was unusual. Still our favorite airline in first class.
Yes, same reason I didn’t finish the steak.
Wow. That looks incredible. Thank you for sharing.
Try Singapore Airlines first class…then you will experience true First Class travel. Cathy first class is below par compared to Singapore Airline Business class.
yes, I was thinking ‘that is a really small screen’
Thinking is good. Most people who comment don’t think.
Read the blog more frequently and youll note that I’ve flown them all including SQ first multiple times. (https://thepointsoflife.boardingarea.com/singapore-airlines-777-first-class-review/)
This wasn’t a comparison piece. Below par? Try Ethiopian business. See that post and read those comments. (https://thepointsoflife.boardingarea.com/ethiopian-business-jnb-add-flight-review/)
Great review. Heading to ICN on KE (A380, JFK-ICN), in Business, rather than First. Is it worth it to upgrade? Thanks!
Always upgrade!
Ok, but how were the bathrooms?
Best number 2 of my life. And no five minute shower countdown giving me anxiety. Thank you for asking.
We’re booked on CX SFO-HKG in biz. I know it will be wonderful, but that won’t stop me from making a run at an upgrade to first. Thanks for the great review. As far as orchids in Chicago in January? Dream on.
I flew biz from hkg to Syd the next day. No orchids and so underwhelming compared to first. Probably the biggest drop off from any other airline from first to biz.
Wow…. How many bottles of Krug did the cabin consume for it to run out? I would assume they would load at least a bottle per person.
We are above average drinkers.