I took Uber from the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong to the airport. The driver was super friendly even tho he didn’t speak a lot of English. As we arrived at the airport, he got out to organize a luggage cart for me and brought it over to the car. I only head a backpack, my Laptop roller carry-on and a regular suitcase for which I never used a luggage cart. Because he was so helpful I couldn’t ignore this nice gesture and used a luggage cart this time.
Hong Kong’s check-in hall is pretty amazing. You will walk down a ramp to the main check-in aisles for all the airlines. There is a directory to help you find your aisle. I was flying Cathay Pacific and went to the Business Class check-in. Once I got there, they asked me about my destination and I told them that I would be flying to the US and they have dedicated check-in counters for passengers flying to the US. Because of the increased security procedures, they will ask you some random questions. Mainly about your luggage if it was always with you and if everything in there belongs to you and therefore…
With my boarding pass, I also received an invite to the lounge. There are no premium security lines at HKG. There is a south and north security checkpoint and that’s it. The line was pretty short and it took me only a few minutes to get through security. From there I followed the signs towards my departure gate, which would be close to Cathay’s “The Bridge” lounge. I went down a set of escalators to get to an automated train, which dropped me off at the end of Terminal 1 before it splits like a “Y”. From there it took a set of escalators to get to the departure level and from there you just follow the signs or walk towards the big glass windows at the end of the terminal building. You will see the sign for the lounge entrance which is right in front of an escalator which will take you down to the lounge check-in.
The Bridge is located on Level 5, in the west concourse near gate 35 and the passenger train terminal.
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First Class passengers
Departure First Class lounge Departure Business Class lounge Arrival lounges* Cathay Pacific or Cathay Dragon First Class Passenger + 1 guest Passenger + 1 guest Passenger only oneworld carrier First Class Passenger + 1 guest Passenger + 1 guest No access *Arrival lounges:
- Hong Kong (The Arrival)
- London (American Arrivals Lounge) for passengers arriving from CX237, CX255 and CX251 only
- Frankfurt (Cathay Pacific First and Business Class Lounge)
Business Class passengers
Departure First Class lounge Departure Business Class lounge Arrival lounges* Cathay Pacific or Cathay Dragon Business Class No access Passenger only Passenger only oneworld carrier Business Class No access Passenger only No access *Arrival lounges:
- Hong Kong (The Arrival)
- London (American Arrivals Lounge) for passengers arriving from CX237, CX255 and CX251 only
- Frankfurt (Cathay Pacific First and Business Class Lounge)
Marco Polo Club members
Standard benefits
As one of the standard club benefits, Silver, Gold and Diamond members can enjoy unlimited lounge access regardless of the cabin class flown.
Departure First Class lounge Departure Business Class lounge Arrival lounges* Diamond members Passenger + 2 guests Departing on Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon or oneworld carrier** flights onlyPassenger + 2 guests Departing on Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon or oneworld carrier** flights onlyPassenger only Arriving on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights onlyGold members No access Passenger + 1 guest Departing on Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon or oneworld carrier** flights onlyPassenger only Arriving on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights onlySilver members No access Passenger only Departing on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights onlyNo access *Arrival lounges:
- Hong Kong (The Arrival)
- London (American Arrivals Lounge) for Diamond members arriving from CX237, CX255 and CX251 only
- Frankfurt (Cathay Pacific First and Business Class Lounge)
** Lounge access is limited to lounges operated by CX/KA only.
Lounge Pass
Marco Polo Club members can earn Lounge Pass(es) as a mid-tier benefit for self-use or to share with others. Please refer to the table below for benefits offered to members of different tiers.
Who can they redeem Lounge Pass(es) for? Lounge Pass holder can access Diamond members Travel companion or Redemption Group member Departing on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights only
Departure First Class lounge and Departure Business Class lounge Gold members Travel companion or Redemption Group member Departing on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights only
Departure Business Class lounge Silver members Travel companion Departing on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights only
Departure Business Class lounge Green members Member self or travel companion Departing on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights only
Departure Business Class lounge Travel companions refer to guests traveling with the Marco Polo Club member on the same booking or traveling on the same flight date, with the same origin and destination, as the Marco Polo Club member.
A Redemption Group member may use this benefit either when traveling with the Marco Polo Club member or on their own.
All other Marco Polo Club members can use their Asia Miles to instantly redeem lounge access for themselves and for friends and family members traveling with them – even if they are not flying on Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon, or a oneworld airline.
The list above was copied from Cathay Pacific’s official website.
Daily open from 5:30 a.m. until 00:30 a.m.
- Location
- Access
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First Class passengers
Departure First Class lounge Departure Business Class lounge Arrival lounges* Cathay Pacific or Cathay Dragon First Class Passenger + 1 guest Passenger + 1 guest Passenger only oneworld carrier First Class Passenger + 1 guest Passenger + 1 guest No access *Arrival lounges:
- Hong Kong (The Arrival)
- London (American Arrivals Lounge) for passengers arriving from CX237, CX255 and CX251 only
- Frankfurt (Cathay Pacific First and Business Class Lounge)
Business Class passengers
Departure First Class lounge Departure Business Class lounge Arrival lounges* Cathay Pacific or Cathay Dragon Business Class No access Passenger only Passenger only oneworld carrier Business Class No access Passenger only No access *Arrival lounges:
- Hong Kong (The Arrival)
- London (American Arrivals Lounge) for passengers arriving from CX237, CX255 and CX251 only
- Frankfurt (Cathay Pacific First and Business Class Lounge)
Marco Polo Club members
Standard benefits
As one of the standard club benefits, Silver, Gold and Diamond members can enjoy unlimited lounge access regardless of the cabin class flown.
Departure First Class lounge Departure Business Class lounge Arrival lounges* Diamond members Passenger + 2 guests Departing on Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon or oneworld carrier** flights onlyPassenger + 2 guests Departing on Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon or oneworld carrier** flights onlyPassenger only Arriving on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights onlyGold members No access Passenger + 1 guest Departing on Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon or oneworld carrier** flights onlyPassenger only Arriving on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights onlySilver members No access Passenger only Departing on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights onlyNo access *Arrival lounges:
- Hong Kong (The Arrival)
- London (American Arrivals Lounge) for Diamond members arriving from CX237, CX255 and CX251 only
- Frankfurt (Cathay Pacific First and Business Class Lounge)
** Lounge access is limited to lounges operated by CX/KA only.
Lounge Pass
Marco Polo Club members can earn Lounge Pass(es) as a mid-tier benefit for self-use or to share with others. Please refer to the table below for benefits offered to members of different tiers.
Who can they redeem Lounge Pass(es) for? Lounge Pass holder can access Diamond members Travel companion or Redemption Group member Departing on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights only
Departure First Class lounge and Departure Business Class lounge Gold members Travel companion or Redemption Group member Departing on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights only
Departure Business Class lounge Silver members Travel companion Departing on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights only
Departure Business Class lounge Green members Member self or travel companion Departing on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights only
Departure Business Class lounge Travel companions refer to guests traveling with the Marco Polo Club member on the same booking or traveling on the same flight date, with the same origin and destination, as the Marco Polo Club member.
A Redemption Group member may use this benefit either when traveling with the Marco Polo Club member or on their own.
All other Marco Polo Club members can use their Asia Miles to instantly redeem lounge access for themselves and for friends and family members traveling with them – even if they are not flying on Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon, or a oneworld airline.
The list above was copied from Cathay Pacific’s official website.
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- Hours of Operation
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Daily open from 5:30 a.m. until 00:30 a.m.
The Bridge has probably one of the most prestigious entrances to a lounge I ever have seen. You will ride down the escalator to level 5. In front of you the big glass windows of the airport with a good view of the tarmac and if you look down you have the check-in counter of the lounge right in front of you. The Cathay staff was awesome and greeted me with a smile. I gave them my invitation card for the lounge which I got during check-in and was welcomed to The Bridge. This is one of the fastest check-in experiences ever. No need to show boarding pass, ID or anything else. Just present your invitation.
The Bridge is divided into north and south wing from the check-in counter. Besides regular seating, they offer different amenities to the guests.
South Wing – Left of the Check-in Counter
- The Bistro offers a variety of exceptional dishes, from mouth-watering Asian pho and soups to Western favorites and a buffet of cold delicacies. For a healthy choice, try our leafy salads with a mixture of different dressings—or, for an indulgence, there’s a selection of sweet desserts.
- The Coffee Loft offers specialty tea made by one of Cathays baristas, coffee like cappuccino and others, and a selection of freshly baked pastries, muffins, and cookies.
- The Shower Rooms are each equipped with premium bath products and fluffy towels. Ask your shower attendants to serve you with personal amenities, including hair and shaving products.
- The IT Zone has workstations for you to use including printers and phones.
North Wing – Right of the Check-in Counter
- The Bakery serves crusty bread and warm rolls, fresh from the oven as well on-site baked pizza. Enrich your meal with sandwiches, pastries, soups, or salads also available.
- The Long Bar at the end of the north wing has great views of the tarmac and serves signature cocktails, fine wine and champagne accompanied by an assortment of canapés or freshly prepared tapas bites.
I was very impressed with the overall size, design, and amenities of “The Bridge”. There is no other lounge I could compare it to. There was enough seating everywhere in the lounge and no need to wait to get a spot or squeeze yourself between others.
The food at the bakery was amazing. I loved their freshly baked pizza and sandwiches. The bakery is divided from the lounge and has a “darker” setting which I enjoyed for being a dining area. There were plenty of dining tables and open spots to sit down and enjoy a meal. Service was quick as well and tables got cleaned quickly.
I really liked the big windows with the amazing views of the tarmac. This is just so different to everything else I know. Plenty of seating was available throughout The Bridge lounge. The long bar at the end of the north wing lets you relax with a drink and great views as well.
The Bridge is one kind of a lounge. Hard to beat and I will miss it for sure. Access to the lounge is very limited as well, as you have to fly Cathay Pacific basically, even as oneworld top tier. For example, American Airlines invites you to the Plaza Premium Lounge in Hong Kong. I really want to come back here, but I also want to check out their other lounges here in Hong Kong, which I am sure will be amazing as well. I guess that means a lot more trips to Hong Kong.
Peter has a passion for Traveling, Photography, and Geocaching. These are the best ingredients for amazing adventures all over the globe. “Traveling is fun, no matter if you stay in a luxury hotel or travel like a backpacker.” Peter shares his experiences on his Blog www.gatetoadventures.com
Some of Peter’s photos are published on corporate websites, in-flight magazines, travel guides, and much more.