Cathay Pacific does an incredible job with its lounges, and in particular, I’d argue the airline sets the industry standard when it comes to lounge design. For quite some time now, Cathay Pacific has been renovating The Wing First Class Lounge, which is one of the carrier’s two primary first class lounges at its Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) hub.

The airline has been claiming that this will be the carrier’s new flagship lounge when it opens, and will raise the bar when it comes to design. There’s now an exciting update, as the airline has just unveiled what the lounge will look like, as it’s opening shortly. It’s a stunner, but there’s a major catch!

New Cathay Pacific The Wing First Class Lounge opening

Cathay Pacific’s The Wing First Class Lounge will be reopening on April 22, 2026, roughly 11 months after the lounge was closed, to undergo its biggest refurbishment to date. Cathay Pacific describes the new lounge as heralding a new chapter in Cathay Pacific’s global lounge design, as part of its broader lounge enhancement plan in Hong Kong and around the world.

As before, Cathay Pacific partnered with London-based StudioIlse on this project, so while it raises the bar compared to other lounges, it should look familiar, in terms of the vibe. As it’s described, the new lounge “harmoniously blends contemporary design and residential comfort, retaining its warmth and familiarity, while introducing a more holistic approach to space, dining and service for elevated comfort and privacy.”

Before we take a look at the redesigned lounge, let me link to my reviews of Cathay Pacific’s The Pier First Class Lounge, as well as the old Cathay Pacific The Wing First Class Lounge, which I consider to be among the best first class lounges in the world. The idea is that the updated version of The Wing is more like The Pier, but even more elevated.

What can we expect? In terms of design, green onyx continues to anchor the space, while walnut wood has been introduced as the primary timber, presented in a wide variety of finishes and detailing to add warmth and depth. Granite is also being used for the flooring, intended to honor its heritage in traditional Chinese architecture.

When it comes to the lounge’s design and layout, here’s what we can anticipate with The Wing First Class Lounge:

• The Atrium is a light-filled, open space, that serves as the crossroads of the lounge, and it’s the more casual dining venue, with a menu that evolves throughout the day; this is also where you’ll find the Pantry, which offers an extensive self-serve selection of light snacks
• The Dining Room is the more formal dining experience, with a la carte table service featuring Asian and international dishes; this looks remarkably similar to the dining space in The Pier
• The Retreat is a new space with seven private booths, where guests can enjoy a foot or neck and shoulder massage to relax; this is inspired by The Pier, and it’s the first time we’re seeing spa treatments in The Wing
• The Alcove features five multipurpose booths designed for comfort and privacy, each equipped with a compact table and charging facilities
• The lounge has new shower suites, though unfortunately these come at the expense of the iconic Cabanas, which were arguably the world’s best airport showers
• The Bureau is a new feature with fully enclosed workspaces, offering complete privacy for those who want to work or conduct meetings

Below are some pictures of the new The Wing First Class Lounge.

This lounge looks gorgeous, but there’s a major catch

Cathay Pacific did an absolutely stellar job with renovating The Wing First Class Lounge, and I think it looks incredible. It’s a lot like The Pier First Class Lounge, and arguably even more elevated, so huge kudos to Cathay Pacific on that.

Now, there is some bad news, though. Historically, Cathay Pacific’s first class lounges have followed standard oneworld lounge access rules, meaning they’ve been open to all oneworld first class passengers, plus all oneworld Emerald members.

When this lounge reopens, that won’t be the case… at least initially. As the airline describes it, it’s anticipating strong demand for visiting this lounge, and in order to “maintain a consistently high standard of service during the initial period,” the airline will be limiting access. We’ll see how long that “initial period” lasts.

During this time, the lounge will only be open to Cathay Pacific first class passengers, and will also be open to Cathay Pacific Diamond members and above. Meanwhile other oneworld first class passengers, plus other oneworld Emerald members, are invited to visit The Pier First Class Lounge, or any of Cathay Pacific’s other lounges at the airport.

Bottom line

Cathay Pacific has just unveiled The Wing First Class Lounge, after it has undergone a nearly year-long renovation. This is being marketed as the carrier’s new flagship lounge, and it draws inspiration from The Pier First Class Lounge.

Not surprisingly, Cathay Pacific knocked it out of the park, and the new lounge looks phenomenal. The only catch is that at least for the foreseeable future, us lowly oneworld Emerald members who earn status with an airline other than Cathay Pacific won’t be invited to use this facility, though that is expected to change in the long run.

What do you make of the new Cathay Pacific The Pier First Class Lounge (plus the access restrictions)?