Cathay Pacific has been slow to add back capacity post-pandemic, given the extent to which the airline shrunk, with quite a few planes being retired. That’s why it’s noteworthy that the airline has announced two new long haul routes today, which will operate as of next summer.
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Cathay Pacific adds two European destinations
As of the summer of 2025, Cathay Pacific will be adding year-round service from Hong Kong (HKG) to two European airports — Brussels (BRU) and Munich (MUC). Both flights will be operated by Airbus A350-900s, featuring 280 seats, comprised of 38 business class seats, 28 premium economy seats, and 214 economy seats.
As of June 16, 2025, Cathay Pacific will fly 4x weekly to Munich, with the following schedule:
CX301 Hong Kong to Munich departing 1:10AM arriving 7:55AM
CX300 Munich to Hong Kong departing 2:00PM arriving 6:55AM (+1 day)
The 5,614-mile is blocked at 12hr45min westbound and 10hr50min eastbound. The service will operate in both directions on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Then as of August 3, 2025, Cathay Pacific will fly 4x weekly to Brussels, with the following schedule:
CX291 Hong Kong to Brussels departing 11:50PM arriving 7:20AM (+1 day)
CX294 Brussels to Hong Kong departing 1:25PM arriving 6:55AM (+1 day)
The 5,830-mile is blocked at 13hr30min westbound and 11hr30min eastbound. The service will operate westbound on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and eastbound on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
How this fits into Cathay Pacific’s Europe network
Cathay Pacific’s Brussels service represents a route resumption, as that service was last offered in 2020. Meanwhile the Munich service is new, as it’s not a destination that Cathay Pacific has previously served. With that in mind, how does this fit into the rest of Cathay Pacific’s network to Europe?
- Cathay Pacific operates five daily flights to London (LHR)
- Cathay Pacific operates daily flights to Amsterdam (AMS), Frankfurt (FRA), Manchester (MAN), Milan (MXP), Paris (CDG), and Zurich (ZRH)
- Cathay Pacific operates four weekly flights to Barcelona (BCN) and Madrid (MAD), with the former being a summer seasonal flight
It’s not surprising, but it’s noteworthy just how massive Cathay Pacific’s operation in London is. London gets five daily flights, making up close to half of the daily frequencies the airline has to Europe.
It’s also interesting to consider that an all-new route is being added, when some other routes that were discontinued in 2020 never ended up being resumed. In Europe, the airline also canceled Dublin (DUB) and London (LGW) flights, and neither of those resumed.
Meanwhile in the United States, flights to Newark (EWR), Seattle (SEA), and Washington (IAD), also weren’t restarted. Instead, the airline added a new route to the United States, to Dallas (DFW).
Cathay Pacific really is pretty capacity constrained at the moment when it comes to long haul expansion. The carrier’s only true long haul aircraft on order are the Boeing 777-9s, and those will largely be replacing existing 777s. Never mind the delay of six years (and counting) on that jet. Cathay Pacific also has Airbus A330-900neos on order, but those are intended primarily for regional flights.
Bottom line
Cathay Pacific is adding two routes to Europe as of 2025, as the airline will fly to both Brussels and Munich. Brussels represents a service resumption, while Munich is a new destination for the airline. I’m always happy to see Cathay Pacific grow. I just wish the airline also added more flights to the United States.
What do you make of Cathay Pacific adding Brussels and Munich flights?
It is not lack of aircraft that is constraining capacity, it is lack of crew. There are plenty of planes, just not enough pilots to fly them.
Are you sure Zurich and Milan are daily?
> "I just wish the airline also added more flights to the United States."
Which is not happening without a joint venture.
A three way joint business venture between AA, CX, and JL would be very powerful. Throw Starlux (JX) into there too for a large and comprehensive Intra-Asia and TPAC network.
So, what's stopping them?
Before someone mentions the "Lack of Open Skies Agreement!" Well yes true, but why do you think they...
> "I just wish the airline also added more flights to the United States."
Which is not happening without a joint venture.
A three way joint business venture between AA, CX, and JL would be very powerful. Throw Starlux (JX) into there too for a large and comprehensive Intra-Asia and TPAC network.
So, what's stopping them?
Before someone mentions the "Lack of Open Skies Agreement!" Well yes true, but why do you think they lack one in the first place?
CX has effectively written the Hong Kong bilaterals for a long time. They agree to a JV, Open Skies is signed, JV formed. It's that simple.
Crazy idea, but I figured I would throw it out there.
eh I don’t think a JV is as much of a challenge as the geography - CX has to shift to connecting traffic for US travel with decline of HKG-US ties. Even though they do a ton of Chinese transit business, most destinations require backtracking. So more build out of SEA, India, etc. which is highly competitive and low-yield
It’s surprising to me how much frequency CX already has to US given geopolitical tensions. 3x...
eh I don’t think a JV is as much of a challenge as the geography - CX has to shift to connecting traffic for US travel with decline of HKG-US ties. Even though they do a ton of Chinese transit business, most destinations require backtracking. So more build out of SEA, India, etc. which is highly competitive and low-yield
It’s surprising to me how much frequency CX already has to US given geopolitical tensions. 3x JFK, 2x SFO/LAX iirc. I’d love to see them bring back SEA and IAD but maybe not enough O&D to justify
Also I thought HKG-USA had borderline open skies anyways which CX was able to use very effectively to transit Chinese passengers when the flight caps were very low? Could be misremembering
US frequency looks like from late '00s-early 10's when they were much smaller with BOS and ORD thrown in. Europe is bigger as well as MXP was the only new destination launched at the time. Everything else came or resumed later such as MAN and ZRH.
Not surpassing to see Munich being launched. CX & Lufthansa have a joint venture on flights between some parts of Europe and all the way to Australia.
CX flew to BRU previously. My instinct tells me Cathay will exit OW and enter Star Alliance, in the near future, an Singapore Airlines will exit Star Alliance and join OW. Just a hunch.
And Singapore Airlines will merge with Qantas. It makes complete business sense!! You heard it here first. //as if//
I mean... That was a possibility 20 years ago.
Isn't it more likely they switch with China Southern?
Why the hell would Singapore Airlines leave Star Alliance for OW? They just launched a joint venture with another massive Star Alliance partner in ANA this year.
Very weird argument. Singapore just relaunched BRU-SIN flights too…
Any plans to try out their A321neo as well as Aria Suites anytime soon? I believe the neo is the only a/c in their fleet you haven't been on.
A321neo is a pretty boring 2-2 narrow body regional product, but Aria Suites? That would be fun
Interesting that both are to LH hubs. Could CX be looking to expand their partnership with them?
Very likely, back when BRU launched the 1st time CX added codeshares to places like Lyon and Toulouse
This should be a codeshare with DELTA to ensure maximum success!