Cathay Pacific Business Class Seat Guide

Oneworld founding member Cathay Pacific is a global force, flying to all continents except South America and Antarctica from its base in Hong Kong.

You can fly Business Class on every Cathay Pacific flight. They offer recliner seats on their Airbus A321neo, as well as selected Airbus A330s and Boeing 777s configured for regional operations. On other Airbus A330s and Boeing 777s, as well as all Airbus A350s, the airline offers lie-flat Business seating.

In Cathay Pacific Business Class, you’ll get a meal regardless of the length of your flight. Cathay Pacific even offers a Choose My Meal service on select long-haul routes, where you can pre-book “Cathay Signatures” – options beyond the onboard menu.

There’s also a selection of alcohol – and be sure to try the non-alcoholic Cathay Delight drink! (You’ll also find this delicious drink in the Cathay Pacific lounges at Hong Kong International Airport.)

But what kind of seat can you expect on board? Let’s take a closer look at the Cathay Pacific Business Class seats on each of the airline’s different aircraft types…

Cathay Pacific A321neo Business Class seats

Cathay Pacific’s Airbus A321neo Business Class seats are recliners in a 2-2 configuration.

This new addition to the fleet holds 12 Business Class seats, which recline within a fixed shell rather than taking up the space of the passenger behind.

Each seat features 15.6-inch TV screens with 4K capabilities, Bluetooth audio, USB-A/C ports, and power outlets. There is also Wi-Fi available.

Cathay Pacific A330-300 Business Class seats

You’ll find either recliners or international-grade lie-flat seats on Cathay Pacific’s Airbus A330-300s, depending on the route you’re flying.

Airbus A330-300 Recliner Business Class

Cathay Pacific uses the recliner-equipped A330s on short-haul routes like Hong Kong-Manila or Hong Kong-Taipei, configuring them with either 24 or 42 Business Class seats in a 2-2-2 layout. If you’re travelling solo, you might prefer the centre D/G seats, as these will give you direct aisle access.

These recliners are shell seats, so a similar (albeit older) design to those on the A321neo. You’ll also find a 12.1 inch touchscreen entertainment system and AC power.

Airbus A330-300 Lie-Flat Business Class seats

Cathay Pacific equips its long-haul A330-300s with modern reverse herringbone seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. These seats, based on the Safran (formerly Zodiac) Cirrus platform, all have direct aisle access and convert to a fully lie-flat bed.

You can find the updated Cirrus III seats on all Cathay Pacific A330s equipped with Premium Economy, while older Cirrus II seats are on those aircraft without. However, there’s very little practical difference between the two seats – the Cirrus III seat is slightly wider and has an 18-inch entertainment system, compared to the the 16-inch screen on the Cirrus II equipped A330s.

Regardless of seat type, they come equipped with AC and USB-A outlets. Some A330s offer Wi-Fi, and Cathay Pacific is progressively rolling it out across the fleet.

Cathay Pacific A350 Business Class seats

Cathay Pacific’s newest planes are the Airbus A350-900s and A350-1000s, both of which use the Cirrus III seat in Business Class.

These seats are exactly the same in design as the Cirrus III seats onboard Cathay’s A330s, with lie-flat beds that are just over two metres long.

Every passenger has aisle access, modern 18-inch entertainment screens, USB-A/AC power outlets and access to fast, although paid, Wi-Fi.

Cathay Pacific 777 Business Class seats

Most of Cathay Pacific’s Boeing 777’s feature the same Cirrus II lie-flat seat as the A330s in Business Class. However, a small regional sub-fleet features recliner Business Class seats.

The airline expects to debut a brand new Business Class on select Boeing 777s by the end of 2024.

Boeing 777-300ER current Business Class seats

The majority of Cathay Pacific’s 51-strong Boeing 777 fleet are the 777-300ER version, which uses the Cirrus II seat in Business Class. This seat is exactly the same design as used on their A330s – a fully lie-flat bed with direct aisle access, a 16-inch entertainment screen and power outlets.

Boeing 777-300 recliner Business Class seats

The airline also has a sub-fleet of Boeing 777-300s equipped for short regional flying. These aircraft, some recently returned to service, have 42 recliner Business Class seats in a 2-3-2 layout.

These seats have a great 47 inches of seat pitch, are 21 inches wide and recline quite far, into a “Lazy-Z”. You’ll also find a 15-inch entertainment screen and USB/AC power outlets.

Boeing 777-300ER future Business Class seats

Earlier this year Cathay Pacific teased the release of its brand-new Aria Suites, replacing the existing Cirrus platform. They originally intended these seats for the new Boeing 777X, but they won’t arrive until at least 2025.

The seats will still be reverse-herringbone in a 1-2-1 configuration, but you can expect the latest technology such as wireless charging, as well as a sliding privacy door in the updated seat.

Booking a seat

If you want to book a seat using your points or miles, you’ll find the most award availability when using Cathay’s own Asia Miles. You can also use Qantas points or Avios for flights on Cathay Pacific.

When paying money for a ticket with Cathay Pacific, you can earn Qantas points and status credits. However, beware of the reduced earn rates between Australia and Hong Kong, compared to Qantas services.

Wilson McTaggart

Wilson's love of travel started from a young age, but his love for points developed after figuring out ways to travel on a gap year for less - leading naturally towards Australian Frequent Flyer! Wilson's hobbies include skiing, cricket and planning trips, both with and without points.

Wilson posts on the AFF forum as @WilsonM.