Despite Financial Woes, Cathay Pacific Launching Three New Routes to Europe
Cathay Pacific may be facing financial problems, but it remains one of international standards for excellent seats and service onboard its flights. Now, the Hong Kong-based airline just announced three new European destinations: Brussels (BRU), Copenhagen (CPH) and Dublin (DUB).
Service between Hong Kong (HKG) and these three European capitals will be on Cathay Pacific's newest aircraft, the Airbus A350, starting on these dates:
- Brussels: March 25, 2018
- Copenhagen: May 2, 2018
- Dublin: June 2, 2018
The route to DUB is especially notable. As the Irish Times points out, this will be Dublin airport's first-ever direct flight to the Asia-Pacific region. (Not the first to Asia, though, because the ME3 carriers — Emirates, Etihad and Qatar — have been connecting Dublin to their Gulf home bases for years.)
Here are the flight schedules for Brussels:
- CX 339 — Hong Kong 12:35am Departure ⇒ Brussels 6:55am Arrival (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday)
- CX 338 — Brussels 1:10pm Departure ⇒ Hong Kong 6:55am+1 Arrival (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday)
Copenhagen:
- CX 227 — Hong Kong 1:10am Departure ⇒ Copenhagen 6:30am Arrival (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
- CX 226 — Copenhagen 1:55pm Departure ⇒ Hong Kong (HKG) 6:35am+1 Arrival (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
and Dublin:
- CX 307 — Hong Kong 12:50am Departure ⇒ Dublin 6:45am Arrival (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday)
- CX 306 — Dublin 11:00am Departure ⇒ Hong Kong 7:30am+1 Arrival (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday)
Of course, points and miles aficionados will want to know how much these flights will cost. Using Cathay Pacific's own Asia Miles program, each of these flights falls in the 5,001 to 7,500-mile distance band. If you're just flying the nonstop, the flights will cost:
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | One-Way | Round-Trip |
|---|---|---|
Economy | 40,000 | 60,000 |
Premium Economy | 48,000 | 72,000 |
Business | 70,000 | 120,000 |
But, that's just nonstop flights. You might be able to add on a few more connecting flights for the same price using Asia Miles' excellent program.
Alaska's Mileage Plan will provide some great redemption options on these routes, especially in premium cabins. Booking Cathay Pacific flights between Asia and Europe with Alaska miles costs 30,000 miles one-way in economy, 35,000 miles one-way in premium economy or just 42,500 miles one-way in business class. And remember that you can book a stopover even on a one-way Alaska award.
If you're looking to use American Airlines AAdvantage miles for these routes, one-way economy flights between Asia Region 2 and Europe costs 35,000 miles and business class costs 75,000 miles. The AAdvantage award chart provides no discount for round-trip flights and still doesn't include premium economy awards.
Using British Airways Avios, the CPH flight just slips into "Zone 6" pricing, while DUB and BRU flights fall in "Zone 7" pricing:
| British Airways Avios | HKG-CPH (one-way) | HKG-DUB/BRU (one-way) |
|---|---|---|
Economy | 25,000 | 30,000 |
Premium Economy | 50,000 | 60,000 |
Business | 75,000 | 90,000 |
Not planning to fly between Europe and Asia? You can still experience Cathay Pacific's newest aircraft on flights between Hong Kong (HKG) and North America. The airline has already announced A350 flights to:
- Vancouver (YVR), which started in March
- Newark (EWR) beginning October 29
- San Francisco (SFO) beginning October 29
When do you plan to check out Cathay Pacific's A350?
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 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. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
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 $8,000 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.