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Cathay Pacific launches Aria Suite business class on Australia flights from March 2025, enhancing luxury travel with upgraded Boeing 777-300ER cabins.

Cathay Pacific Airways (CX) is set to enhance its Sydney service by introducing its latest Aria Suite business class on Boeing 777-300ER flights, beginning March 17, 2025. This move expands the airline’s premium travel offering, bringing its flagship business-class experience to Australia for the first time.

With this launch, Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) joins an exclusive list of destinations, including Beijing, London Heathrow, Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, and Tokyo Narita, that have received the airline’s newest product.

Cathay Pacific’s Aria Suite: A Premium Upgrade

Cathay Pacific unveiled its first Aria Suite-equipped aircraft (B-KPO) in October 2024, featuring a sleek design, sliding privacy doors, wireless charging, and expanded entertainment screens. The airline has since been retrofitting its Boeing 777-300ER fleet, upgrading one aircraft per month. So far, aircraft B-KPO, B-KPF, and B-KQH have undergone the transformation, with premium economy upgrades included in the revamp.

New Schedule for Sydney Route with Aria Suite

Starting March 17, 2025, Cathay Pacific Flight CX101 will depart Hong Kong (HKG) at 11:55 PM and land in Sydney at 12:00 noon the following day. The return flight, CX100, will depart SYD at 3:15 PM, arriving back in Hong Kong at 9:30 PM local time.

  • CX101/CX100 will operate five times a week (excluding Tuesdays and Thursdays).
  • Flights on non-Aria Suite days will feature older business-class seats on the Boeing 777-300ER.

From March 30, 2025, the Aria Suite service will shift to CX161/CX162, offering a different schedule:

  • CX161 departs Hong Kong at 9:20 PM, arriving in Sydney at 9:35 AM the next morning.
  • CX162 leaves Sydney at 11:05 AM, reaching Hong Kong at 5:30 PM.
  • CX161 will operate with the Aria Suite every day except Thursdays and Sundays, while CX162 excludes Fridays and Mondays from the Aria Suite schedule.

On non-designated Aria Suite days, older-generation business-class cabins will remain in service.

Cathay Faces Intense Competition on the Sydney Route

The Hong Kong-Sydney-London corridor remains one of the busiest international travel routes, with approximately 300,000 passengers flying between London and Sydney annually. Cathay Pacific faces stiff competition from Middle Eastern giants such as Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways, which offer connecting flights, while Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways remain strong competitors in the Southeast Asian region.

Other airlines providing alternative connections include Air India, British Airways (via Singapore), SriLankan Airlines, and Qantas (via Singapore).

Strengthening Hong Kong’s Position as a Global Hub

The introduction of the Aria Suite to Sydney comes just two months after its debut on the London Heathrow route. Currently, CX255 with the Aria Suite departs Hong Kong at 11:35 PM daily, arriving in London Heathrow at 6:20 AM, while CX250 returns from London at 5:50 PM, landing in Hong Kong at 2:35 PM the next day.

By expanding the Aria Suite to Sydney, Cathay Pacific is reinforcing its premium travel appeal while also contributing to Hong Kong International Airport’s (HKG) post-pandemic recovery efforts. With this move, the airline continues to position itself as a top-tier carrier for long-haul business travelers.

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