In late 2024, we saw Cathay Pacific launch its new Aria Suite business class. I’ve had the chance to fly it, and it’s a phenomenal product. Cathay Pacific is a world class airline, and this really elevates the carrier’s business class to being among the best in the world.
As is the case with any new product, the challenge is the lengthy rollout, as actually retrofitting aircraft with a new product can take years. With that in mind, we’re continuing to see these seats introduced on more planes.
In this post, I’d like to go over the current state of the rollout. Let me recap all the details, including which planes have the Aria Suite product, and which routes the planes regularly fly.
In this post:
Which planes have Cathay Pacific Aria Suite seats?
Cathay Pacific’s Aria Suite business class is debuting on Boeing 777-300ERs. Specifically, the airline is reconfiguring its entire fleet of long haul 777s with these new cabins, and hopes to finish this project by the end of 2027.
There are no firm plans to retrofit this product on other long haul aircraft, including the Airbus A330, Airbus A350, etc. Furthermore, regional Boeing 777s won’t be getting these cabins. However, this is also the product we’ll find on the carrier’s new Boeing 777-9s, once those are delivered (the aircraft has already been delayed by at least seven years due to certification issues).
As it currently stands, 12 Cathay Pacific 777-300ERs have been reconfigured with the new cabins. This includes the planes with the following registration codes:
Cathay Pacific is reconfiguring planes in Xiamen (XMN), and it seems that each jet takes around seven weeks to get interior overhauls, which is quite a long time. For what it’s worth, it appears that the next plane to get the new cabins has the registration code B-KQU, and it’s currently in the shop.
Which routes feature Cathay Pacific Aria Suite seats?
Which routes is Cathay Pacific currently operating with its Aria Suite Boeing 777-300ERs? Keep in mind that airlines adjust their schedules over time, particularly with the switches between IATA summer and winter seasons (which happen in late October and late March of each year).
For the current part of the IATA winter season, you’ll find planes with the Aria Suite cabins scheduled to operate flights between Hong Kong (HKG) and the following destinations:
- Frankfurt (FRA) — daily on the CX289/288 rotation
- London (LHR) — daily on the CX255/250 rotation
- Melbourne (MEL) — daily on the CX163/178 rotation
- Milan (MXP) — 3x weekly on the CX233/234 rotation
- San Francisco (SFO) — daily on the CX872/873 rotation
- Sydney (SYD) — daily on the CX101/100 rotation
- Tokyo Haneda (HND) — daily on the CX548/549 rotation
- Vancouver (YVR) — daily on the CX888/865 rotation
On top of that, you’ll find planes with the Aria Suite product operating select frequencies to Bangkok (BKK) and Sapporo (CTS), though there’s significant variation based on the day of the week and month.
Let me of course add the disclaimer that aircraft assignments are always subject to change, and you’ll want to consult the seat map for the flight you’re looking to book, to confirm that it’s expected to feature the Aria Suite. Furthermore, the above assignments apply through the end of the IATA winter 2025-2026 travel schedule, which goes through late March 2026. Aircraft assignments have started to be updated beyond that, but remain subject to change.
What are the best ways to verify that a route features Aria Suite seats?
- If you look up a flight on Google Flights, it’ll show as having an “Individual suite” product in business class if it has Aria Suite, rather than showing as having a “Lie flat seat”
- If you look up a flight on Cathay Pacific’s website, you’ll see the aircraft type listed, so click on that, and if the plane features Aria Suite, the seat map will specifically say there are “45 Aria suites”
- If you look at a seat map, you’ll see that the 777-300ER with the Aria Suite product has 45 business class seats, rather than 40; you’ll notice that the plane has seats in row 14 (unlike the non-Aria Suite product), and also has four seats in row 20 (unlike the non-Aria Suite product, where there are just two seats)
If you’re looking to redeem miles for this product, keep in mind that Cathay Pacific’s own program has access to the most award space, so that’s how you’d want to book.
Bottom line
Cathay Pacific currently has 12 Boeing 777-300ERs equipped with the new Aria Suite business class product, and plans to reconfigure all 777-300ERs by the end of 2027.
Currently, you’ll consistently find the planes flying from Hong Kong to Frankfurt, London, Melbourne, Milan, San Francisco, Sydney, Tokyo, and Vancouver. You can expect more routes to get the new product as time goes on, but with each plane taking nearly two months to be reconfigured, it’s not exactly a fast process.
What do you make of Cathay Pacific’s Aria Suite routes?
This is one airline which I would not bother to fly their 777 or 350.
Seats are good and the service level is very good as well.
It is not like Aria Suite is QSuite
Just flew CX Aria Suite HKG-BKK. Nice aesthetic, tech and screen. However, seemed less roomy for feet and at knee bend (for side sleepers) than older 350 J (which I took a few days earlier on long haul from US).
Surprise they are not on the JFK route.
I’ve noticed 2 of the 3 daily JFK-HKG nonstops are a359s anyway; so, the 3rd is the older 773. No clue why it hasn’t been prioritized.
BOYCOTT CX CATHAY!!! NO TO COMMUNIST DICTATORSHIP RUN AIRLINES
Shut up, you moronic dog.
Is that real Eskimo, or the faker…
Darlene’s enthusiasm is a bit misplaced against Cathay, but, her concerns more
broadly are valid.
No faker here. Tired of seeing "Darlene" posting nonsense across every article all in caps. Yesterday was ICE, today is boycotting communists, and a few days ago was about veganism. Pick a topic.
For the information of rational readers; Cathay Pacific is not a Chinese Nationalised Airline. However, the Chinese government does have influence via its Air China shareholding. The airline’s management structure is via Swire Pacific, making CX a neutral, international commercial enterprise.
I flew on the aria suite a couple of weeks back on the London route and whilst it was a general improvement over the previous business class on CX, I didn't find it that much of a leap. The storage space has somewhat taken a hit (vs. JAL's new one where the below feet area is huge and accommodate my carry on backpack.
The entertainment screen and the bluetooth headset connectivity was a plus...
I flew on the aria suite a couple of weeks back on the London route and whilst it was a general improvement over the previous business class on CX, I didn't find it that much of a leap. The storage space has somewhat taken a hit (vs. JAL's new one where the below feet area is huge and accommodate my carry on backpack.
The entertainment screen and the bluetooth headset connectivity was a plus on CX, although entertainment on CX has already been great.
Getting in and out of the seats was not that comfortable and again, compared to JAL's A350 business class that I flew a week after, I found that the more "square" layout of JAL to be accommodating for getting in and out.
One highlight of the CX new seats are the tables, it's much easier to move around now, that is a plus.
Service wise, having been on CX for many many years, they're efficient but never really "warm" - which is fine and adequate,
Thanks, AC (or should I say... Tim).
Who the fk is Tim?
Who the fk is fake Eskimo?
Tim "The Dunce" "TinyD" "Tom Deuce" Dunn. That's who!
@Penile (the troll) took a few weeks off… and is now back in full-force! How are the M&A’s going? Bring back 8-figures guy.
Access in and out of the seat looks cramped
"There are no firm plans to retrofit this product on other long haul aircraft, including the Airbus A330, Airbus A350, etc. Furthermore, regional Boeing 777s won’t be getting these cabins. However, this is also the product we’ll find on the carrier’s new Boeing 777-9s, once those are delivered (the aircraft has already been delayed by at least seven years due to certification issues)."
I could see the 779s getting a more refined or updated version...
"There are no firm plans to retrofit this product on other long haul aircraft, including the Airbus A330, Airbus A350, etc. Furthermore, regional Boeing 777s won’t be getting these cabins. However, this is also the product we’ll find on the carrier’s new Boeing 777-9s, once those are delivered (the aircraft has already been delayed by at least seven years due to certification issues)."
I could see the 779s getting a more refined or updated version of the Aria Suite. Possibly higher walls similar to what we saw in Emirates' video, more storage options, etc. And I could eventually see the A350s get the same exact seat as the 779 similar to the way the A343, 744, 77W and select A333s got the herringbone product as they'll be the backbone of the long-haul fleet.
As for the A333s, while they're not going to get the exact same Aria Suites, they'll probably go with the same layout as they'll be getting all-aisle access and they'll be taking some design cues from the Aria Suites. I actually can see them go with JPAs AirTek as the platform makes sense since it's a lightweight platform.
Reconfiguring A350s might be an option, assuming CX does not order any more of them. SQ, too, which chose not to order any more A350s (at least the passenger variant), is similarly refitting its A350s with the new F and J suites. Both airlines, plus ANA, are heavily reliant on the 777X for their new flagship products — and of course have been heavily let down by Boeing in this regard.
Oh they'll be ordering more! They can certainly use more; the 779s aren't going to replace the 77W entirely and the A350s they have are not enough.
Why reconfigure when you can gaslight passengers to visualise themselves flying Qsuites. You know....
Ahh, just thinking of Qsuite made me feel happy again… LOL. (The Kevin Hart safety video is a bit much though.)