cathay pacific pet travel reviews

The 10 Best Airlines To Travel With Pets (10 To Avoid)

Taking your beloved pet with you around the world is a dream for many pet owners — but choose the wrong airline and it could become a nightmare

Being able to take your furry friend along as you travel the world is a dream for many pet owners — but if you chose the wrong airline, the whole experience could be nothing short of a nightmare.

Safety is the utmost priority. You want to make sure your pet gets from Destination A to Destination B safe and sound, and hopefully without any smelly accidents. And if you've been paying attention to the news lately, you've seen that there's no shortage of airlines who have failed to keep their passengers pet from harm.

Pets have gone on the wrong flights, flown to the wrong continents and in some, very tragic cases, passed away while in mid-air. According to a report by the Department of Transportation,   during flights in 2017, 15 animals were injured and sadly 24 didn't make it at all.

Even though traveling by plane is risky, many pet owners are still bringing their dogs and cats along for the adventure. A survey by American Pet Products Association found that the number of dog owners taking their pups on trips more than doubled between 2006 and 2016; jumping from only 20% to 40%.

Thankfully many airlines are noticing this disturbing trend and taking action to review and improve their pet policies. But it's more important now than ever to make sure you do your own research and pick the best airline for you and your furry friend.

To help you out, we've listed the 10 best airlines to fly when traveling with pets and 10 airlines you should definitely avoid.

20 American Airlines (Purr-Fect) — home of the "cuddle class"

Probably the most pet-friendly airline, American created a next-level experience for pets and their owners by creating the "Cuddle Class." Found on flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco to New York City, this animal-designed class gives pets a special compartment next to their owner's seat.

It costs the same as the standard $125 pet fee and gives the animals a comfortable place to enjoy their flight. Really beats being stuffed under a seat, right?

19 Hawaiian Airlines (Purr-Fect) — welcoming for service animals

Named the "Best Airline for Pets" in 2018 by  Veterinarian's Money Digest , Hawaiian Airlines allows dogs, cat and even household birds. You have the option to bring them along in the passenger cabin — as long as they can fit under the seat in front of you — or as check-in baggage, so long as they don't weigh over 70 lbs.

The airline also allows trained service animals and emotional support and psychiatric support animals on the aircraft as long as they meet the airlines' conditions of not displaying aggressive behavior, causing disruption or blocking the aisle from other passengers.

In regards to safety, they have a strict policy against transporting pets in cargo if the temperature is too extreme. Fees range from $35 to $225 depending on the pet and destination location.

18 JetBlue (Purr-Fect) — more points for your pooch

Not only does JetBlue have an affordable $100 fee per flight for your pets, but it also gives JetBlue members 300 additional points from their flight. Pair that with the fact that you can buy a specialty pet carrier specifically for traveling on JetBlue flights with your pets, and this airline is a win-win.

Their JetPaws program is designed with pet-carrying travelers in mind, and their tips include information about making reservations, keeping little Fido calm mid-air, plus locations for your pets to relieve themselves.

17 Allegiant Air (Purr-Fect) — the BOGO option

Traveling with multiple pets can be pretty expensive. Thankfully Allegiant Air offers their own BOGO deal by allowing two animals per pet carrier. The fee is the same as JetBlue's, but you get more bang for your buck with larger carrier sizes being allowed. Twice as large, in fact, according to  PureWow .

While there are no checked kennels or big dogs allowed on this airline, it's perfect for the tiny, yet inseparable pair of pooches or kittens.

16 Southwest (Purr-Fect) — same as Allegiant, but slightly cheaper.

Southwest Airlines also hopped on that BOGO deal and also lets passengers keep two animals in a pet carrier for the price of one. The only difference is that the sizing of the carriers allowed is slightly smaller, so they knocked off a few bucks and priced it as $95.

Unlike most airlines, Southwest will allow people to take cremated pet remains onboard under certain conditions, according to their site.  Thus is a sweet sentiment if you're hoping to spread your beloved pet's memory in a special place.

15 Frontier (Purr-Fect) — cheap flight to Mexico

Many airlines don't allow pets to fly internationally, and for good reason. It's much safer for a pet to fly short distances than long ones.

However, affordable airline Frontier allows pets to travel on not only their domestic flights but their flights to Mexico and the Dominican Republic. All you need is a health certificate and $75, and you and your pup could be headed on an international adventure.

14 WestJet (Purr-Fect) — big dog's best friend

While it seems like most airlines are only small-dog friendly, there are a few out there that cater to traveling with large or multiple animals.

WestJet doesn't allow big dogs in-cabin — unless their service or emotional support animals — but it is very cheap to check them in a kennel. Ranging from $75 to $89 per pet, that's probably the best deal you'll find. Even in-cabin carriers are cheaper, ranging from $50 to $59 per flight.

13 Lufthansa (Purr-Fect) — the international pup

If you're looking to take your beloved pet from Europe to the United States (or vice versa), then you'll want to book your flight on Lufthansa.

This pet-friendly airline welcomes any dog over four months old to travel internationally at a cost-effective rate. Each passenger is allowed up to two animals for the price of $100. Larger breeds are a little more expensive — anywhere between $200 to $400 depending on size — but it's worth it seeing as this airline has the most room for kennels on international flights.

12 Alaska Airlines (Purr-Fect) — understands your clinginess

We know how attached we can get to our pets, but does our airline know? Well, Alaska Airlines does.

If you check your dog into a kennel, a flight attendant will personally hand you a card once your dog has safely boarded the plane, ensuring that he's exactly where he needs to be and not on the wrong flight to Mexico.

It also costs the same amount to take a pet in the cabin as it does to check them, so it's a great option for pups over 20 pounds. Alaska is also a great airline for "unusual" pets as it allows ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, household birds, non-poisonous reptiles, pot-bellied pigs, rabbits and tropical fish, according to AJC .

11 Virgin Airlines (Purr-Fect) — No frills, but pretty good

Honestly, there's nothing super special about Virgin Airlines pet policy. It's decently priced, with in-cabin pets costing only $100. They only allow cats and dogs and require a recent health certificate proving the animal is more than 8-weeks-old and up-to-date on all its shots.

The certificate must include the animal's date of birth, according to their website. 

10 United Airlines (Avoid) — incidents result in more bans

While animals not making it through a flight are rare — like 24 out of 500,000 rare — last year most of those instances occurred on United Airlines, according to  The Fiscal Times.

In addition to those, United also had 23 incidents of animals being injured. This led to a new pet policy being implemented, which only allows 21 dog breeds and four cat breeds to fly. Pets are also banned from flying anywhere where the ground temperature is below 45 degrees or above 85 degrees (Fahrenheit). Four airports - Phoenix, Tucson, Palm Springs and Las Vegas — stop all pet travel during summer months, according to WAVE3News. 

9 Delta Airlines (Avoid) — no checked animals

In addition to coming in second place for most animals not making it (five), Delta is known to have stricter rules when it comes to flying with pets.

The fees cost anywhere from $75 to $200 depending on where you're traveling to, and dogs and cats must have proof of required vaccinations. They do allow reptiles, amphibians, and fish as air cargo, but they cannot be carried on as checked baggage. In fact, Delta doesn't accept any pets as checked baggage, according to Pets Welcome.

8 WOW Air (Avoid) — service dogs only

WOW Airlines gained popularity in the last few years for being an affordable, low-cost way to get to Iceland. They're great price-wise, but don't expect to bring Spot along for the ride.

WOW does not allow pets on their flights, per their website , but service and emotional support dogs are permitted.

7 Etihad Airways (Avoid) — not great for your dog, but good for your falcon

Bad news if you have separation anxiety from your pet: Etihad Airways, a flag carrier airline of the United Arab Emirates, does not allow dogs, cats or any other animals to travel in the cabin. However, if you want your falcon in the cabin with you, that's totally allowed.

Cargo travel is an option, but they suggest you let your captain know your pet is back there so they can keep the temperature at the proper level.

Which feels, uh, sketchy to say the least.

They also come with breed restrictions for both dogs and cats, as well as a required health certificate, and weather restrictions.

6 Eva Airways (Avoid) — potential for rabies

While this Taiwanese airline allows some pets per flight to travel as checked baggage, it may not be the best time to make a trip.

According to their website , rabies reappeared in Taiwan in 2013, and pet travel from Taiwan to other countries may be affected. They lightly suggest that you verify the quarantine regulation of the country you're coming from or going to before your flight.

They also are done letting live birds travel — which means ones that are no longer with us are okay? — and have restrictions for "snub nose dogs and cats" due to their trouble breathing.

5 Cathay Pacific — not cool with skunks

Cathay Pacific is a flag carrier airline out of Hong Kong that seems to have had some skunk-based trouble in the past.

While they require all pets to be transported as checked baggage — except for those snub nose breeds again — they make it a point to say: "other animals that are not accepted are the Korean squirrel and the Skunk."

Makes you think the Skunk did something stinky to scorn them in the past, doesn't it?

4 Emirates (Avoid) — just a hassle

There are technically no restrictions on the number of pets you can bring on an Emirates flight, but it depends on what country you're flying into. And you've got to find out that information on your own by calling Emirates directly before your departure date, which is a real hassle.

Pets are riding cargo-only on this airline — again, with the strange exception of falcons —and the fees range from $500 to $800 according to Bring Fido .

3 Air Canada (Avoid) — only so many pets allowed.

While pets are allowed to fly in this airline's cabin, they only allow so many. Specifically, two to four.

So before you book your flight, you're advised to call customer service and give them all your pet info as well as make sure you arrive 30 minutes earlier than you normally would. Pet fees are cheaper than average, running $50 to $118 depending on if the flight is domestic or international.

2 Spirit Airlines (Avoid) — limited amount of pets

Like Air Canada, Spirit Airlines only allows four pet carriers per domestic flight (pets are not allowed to fly internationally). While they suggest reserving your spot on the place with your pet as soon as your plans are confirmed, many reviewers on Bring Fido complained that they were still unable to bring their pets and lost out money switching their flights.

In regards to service dogs, there were also complaints about not having room for dogs and forcing them to lay in the aisle. Yikes.

1 (Avoid) AeroMexico — your dog might not be on the same plane as you

So according to AeroMexico's pet policy, your pet in cargo "may be transported in the hold of a different aircraft heading to the same destination" in order for them to have "the most comfortable journey."

In addition to having no guarantees on just where your animal is, you also have to drop them off at the cargo location three house before departure time. So make sure you get to the airport nice and early.

References:  PureWow, Bring Fido, Veterinarian's Money Digest

Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology .

Cathay Pacific Review – Seats, Amenities, Customer Service, Baggage Fees, and More

Amar Hussain

Senior Content Contributor

785 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 63 U.S. States Visited: 9

Stella Shon

News Managing Editor

89 Published Articles 638 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 25 U.S. States Visited: 22

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

34 Published Articles 3189 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 47 U.S. States Visited: 28

Table of Contents

Basic information, cathay frequent flyer program, ticketing options, cathay pacific baggage, other fees, and add-ons, how to avoid paying excess fees and travel expenses, inflight inclusions, amenities, and seat specs.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Cathay Pacific has a vast global network serving over 200 destinations across Asia, Australia, the Americas, Europe, and Africa.

If you’re planning on flying this 5-star airline, then we’ve outlined all the info you need, including baggage and other extra fees, in-flight amenities, customer satisfaction, and more.

Airline: Cathay Pacific

Alliance: Oneworld

Category: International airline

Frequent Flyer Program: Cathay (formerly Asia Miles and Marco Polo Club)

Tagline: “ Life Well Travelled”

Mission Statement: “Our vision is to be the world’s best airline. Being the best means that we always strive to excel in everything we do. Our dynamic team provides the highest quality service so that our customers are happy they chose Cathay Pacific.” ( Source. )

Main Hub:  Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)

Destinations: Over 200 destinations across Asia, Australia, the Americas, Europe, and Africa

The Cathay frequent flyer program is a new program that combines Asia Miles and the Marco Polo Club. Members can earn Asia Miles that can be redeemed for flights with Cathay Pacific and Oneworld partners such as American Airlines and Status Points , which count toward elite status.

Cathay Pacific has ten fare options across its four cabin types. Below is information on the booking conditions and benefits, excluding in-flight amenities, which are covered later in this article. Fees can be found in our “Other Fees” section.

Economy Supersaver

This entry-level economy fare is the cheapest available but does come with its restrictions.

You’ll incur a fee to pre-book a seat, and for long and short-haul international routes, the fare cannot be canceled or changed (excluding routes from mainland China to Hong Kong where a fee would be incurred.) With this fare, it’s also not possible to upgrade using miles.

Economy Core

Economy Core allows you to select a seat for free, permits booking changes for a fee (lower than the Supersaver fee for mainland China to Hong Kong flight), and has a higher Asia Miles earning rate. As with the Supersaver fare, you aren’t permitted to upgrade using miles.

Economy Standard

This fare has the same benefits and restrictions as Economy Core but does permit you to upgrade using miles.

Economy  Flex

This flexible fare allows you to select a seat for free, permits booking changes free of charge or for a smaller fee, has a higher earning rate for Asia Miles, and allows passengers to upgrade with miles.

Premium Economy Standard and Flex

Both fares allow you to select your seat for free and permits booking changes and cancellations for a fee. Passengers can collect Asia Miles points with a higher earning rate for Flex fares and are permitted to upgrade using miles on the Flex fare.

Passengers also benefit from dedicated check-in desks, increased baggage allowance, and priority boarding.

Business Save, Standard, and Flex

All of these fare types allow free seat selection and permit changes and cancellations for a fee (lower fee than for Standard and Flex). Business passengers can collect Asia Miles points on all fares, with a slightly higher earning rate for Flex fares, and can upgrade with miles.

Business passengers benefit from dedicated check-in desks, increased baggage allowance, priority boarding, and access to business class lounges.

First Standard and Flex 

Both fare types allow free seat selection, permit changes, and cancellations (First Standard incurs a fee while Flex is free of charge). Both fares have the same earning rate for Asia Miles.

First Class passengers benefit from dedicated check-in areas, fast-track security at some airports, priority boarding, and access to first class lounges.

Hot Tip: If you’re interested in redeeming your miles for reward flights, you can read our article on redeem Cathay Pacific Asia Miles for max value.

Cathay Pacific Carry-On Allowance

All passengers are permitted to bring 1 personal item (such as a handbag or briefcase) and 1 standard carry-on bag.

The personal item must not exceed 6 x 12 x 16 inches and the standard carry-on must not be bigger than 22 x 14 x 9 inches.

Weight allowances depend on the cabin type and apply to a combined weight for the personal item and carry-on:

• Economy and premium economy: 15 pounds (7 kg)
• Business: 22 pounds (10 kg)
• First: 33 pounds (15 kg)

Marco Polo Silver and Gold members are allowed increased cabin baggage weight:

• Economy and premium economy: up to 22 pounds (10 kg)

Marco Polo Diamond members are allowed increased cabin baggage weight:

• Economy, premium economy, business, and first class: up to 33 pounds (15 kg)

Lap Infant Carry-On Policy

Lap infants are permitted one piece of carry-on that must not exceed 45 inches. A stroller or car seat is also permitted up to the maximum weight allowance of the cabin weight for the adult ticket.

Cathay Pacific doesn’t disclose its policy on strollers in the checked compartment.

Cathay Pacific Checked Baggage Allowance

All checked bags must not exceed the maximum linear dimensions of 80 inches and the weight allowance is determined by the route.

On Most Flights (excluding the Americas and Auckland/Christchurch)

Weight can be distributed across the maximum number of pieces, but a single piece should not exceed more than 32 kg or 70 pounds. 

Flights to, from, or through the U.S., Canada, and Central and South America

Hot Tip: For more information on baggage excess fees, waivers, and exemptions check out our Cathay Pacific baggage fees article.

Other Cathay Pacific Fees and Add-Ons

Change or Cancellation Fees (Cash Tickets)

Rebooking date and time change fee : $150 for promotional fares, Economy Saver, Premium Economy Standard, and Business Save. $50 for Standard Economy.

Rerouting : $150 plus the fare difference.

Cancellation for unused and partially used tickets: $150.

Cancellation for expired tickets: $200.

Name correction: Fees dependent on change required.

Tickets issued by Reservations Department:  $39.

Extra legroom seat: $23 to $199.

Seat reservation fee (for Economy Supersaver tickets): $8 to $43.

Unaccompanied minor : $150 plus tax (per one-way route).

Transporting a pet:  Animals aren’t permitted in the cabin or as checked baggage. They’re transported in the cargo hold and fees vary depending on the size and weight of the crate.

Hot Tip: We’ve also included information about Cathay Pacific in this article: Airline Cancellation & Change Fees For Award Flight Bookings .

There are many travel rewards cards that offer an annual “airline credit” allowance that you can put towards extra expenses such as baggage fees — and others where you can use your points balance to pay off some (or all of) your statement charges!

Here are some cards that we recommend:

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• $395 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status
• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ®
• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Capital One Miles

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card   is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

• 5x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
• $95 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Limited elite benefits
• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

The card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.

Interested in a travel rewards credit card without one of those pesky annual fees? Then say hello to the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

In addition to no annual fee, the Capital One VentureOne card offers no foreign transaction fees.

But is this card worth its salt, or is it merely a shell of the more popular Capital One Venture card?

• No annual fee ( rates & fees )
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates & fees )
• Ability to use transfer partners
• Weak earn rate at 1.25x miles per $1 spent on all purchases
• No luxury travel or elite benefits
• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
• Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
• Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months

Each card allows you to redeem Capital One miles for 1 cent each as a statement credit for previous travel purchases (within 90 days).

Amenities include:

• Seat storage for valuables
• Shelf for your cell phone or tablet
• Ergonomically-designed, cushioned seating with adjustable headrest and generous legroom
• 11.6-inch personal touchscreen TV with films, music, and games
• Complimentary meals, award-winning wines, and other beverages
• Newspapers, magazines, and game packs for children

Premium Economy

• Welcome drink on long-haul flights
• Regular complimentary snacks and drinks
• Spacious seating with generous recline and legroom (calf rest and leather footrest on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft)
• Larger tray table than economy and cocktail table for extra room for beverages
• Amenity kit on long-haul flights
• Personal touchscreen TV with films, music, and games
• Noise-canceling headphones

Business Class

• Dedicated cabin crew and a personalized service
• An award-winning seat that converts into a lie-flat bed on long-haul flights
• Ergonomically-designed, cushioned seating with adjustable headrest and generous legroom on short-haul flights
• Privacy partitions, large table, and power outlets
• Fine food with locally sourced ingredients, complimentary award-winning wines, and other beverages
• Amenity kit with Jurlique skincare items
• Soft duvet cover, and pillow

First Class

• First Class Suite leather chair, with built-in massages settings, that converts to a lie-flat bed
• 500 thread count cotton duvet and pillows
• Aesop amenity kit with items such as hand balm, facial hydrating cream, and lip cream
• Spacious work area with a power outlet and USB port
• 4.3-inch touchscreen and controller to control a range of services such as do not disturb and wake-up time notices for the crew
• 18.5-inch TV screen with on-demand entertainment
• À la carte dining
• Champagne and award-winning wines

Cathay Pacific has 5 types of airplane in its fleet with varying seating configurations.

Cathay Pacific Customer Satisfaction

The general consensus for Cathay is pretty good, which is what you would expect for a 5-star airline. Many customer reviews state that it’s worth paying a bit extra to fly with them over another airline.

They’re noted frequently for their excellent, attentive service, and Cathay states that their cabin crew try to anticipate the needs of the customer in their first class cabin.

The few negative comments on their social media sites mostly reference poor call center customer experience, with long call wait times and occasionally no answer at all.

Cathay has some great reviews on TripAdvisor , with 72% of travelers rating them excellent or very good, 15% average, and 13% poor or terrible.

Negative reviews on sites such as TripAdvisor tend to cover flight delays with a lack of communication or compensation from ground staff during these events.

Most Common Complaints

No official statistics can be found on Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department website .

Consumer Rankings and Ratings

We’ve rounded-up the results for a few popular review sites so you can see how Cathay is rated.

Skytrax Ranking : 5 Star Airline (out of 5)

Skytrax Customer Rating : 7/10

Tripadvisor Airline Review Rating : 4/5 (average from 13,293 reviews)

Kayak Customer Rating: 8/10 (average from 5,613 reviews)

Safety and Performance

Cathay Pacific has a 7/7 safety record as awarded by AirlineRatings.com . This takes into consideration whether the airline has an IATA Operational Safety Audit Certification, combined with information from the World’s Aviation Governing Body, plus government and crash records.

Awards and Notable Mentions

IMA Italian Mission Award 2018: Best Economy Class

Ming Pao Weekly Elite Awards 2017: Airline Category

APEX Regional Passenger Choice Awards:  Best Entertainment (Asia and Australia region)

Cellars in the Sky 2017 Award by Business Traveller Magazine: Best First Class Sparkling

Charity Partnerships

As with many other airlines, Cathay collects spare change from its passengers, and the collection is donated to UNICEF who they’ve had a long-standing relationship with since 1991.

Cathay also participates in relief projects, holding fundraising events for donations and transporting relief supplies and rescue teams to required areas around the world.

In Hong Kong, Cathay has a volunteer team with over 1,500 staff participating in activities for local communities.

Final Thoughts

Many customers of Cathay Pacific tend to agree with the airline’s 5-star status, with its excellent service in the air, relatively young fleet of aircraft, generous seat width, and extensive legroom, it’s no wonder people love it.

Some disgruntled customers complain that Cathay isn’t as good as it used to be. Cost-saving is blamed for this with less cabin crew and quality of meals deteriorating.

However, these complaints are in the minority, and Cathay is mostly perceived as a high-quality airline with a real emphasis on service.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the carry on baggage allowance for cathay pacific.

All passengers are permitted to bring 1 personal item (such as a handbag or briefcase) and 1 standard carry-on bag .

Was this page helpful?

About Amar Hussain

Amar is an avid traveler and tester of products. He has spent the last 13 years traveling all 7 continents and has put the products to the test on each of them. He has contributed to publications including Forbes, the Huffington Post, and more.

INSIDERS ONLY: UP PULSE ™

Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...

Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.

We respect your privacy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy and terms of service apply.

Related Posts

UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific is the flagship carrier of Hong Kong and a super popular carrier for great international flights across parts of Asia and Europe. They have a fleet of over 150 aircrafts and fly to over 75 destinations around the world. They are also one of the founding members of the Oneworld alliance, which makes them a very lucrative codeshare partner across several rewards programs. Check out our latest reviews, news, and deals on Cathay Pacific below.

Essential Reading

Oops! Did you mean...

Sign-up Successful!

Welcome to The Points Guy!

All Cathay Pacific Stories

Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Please view our advertising policy page for more information.

Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

• Holiday Rentals
• Restaurants
• Things to do
• Things to Do
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travellers' Choice
• Help Centre

Cathay Pacific Reviews and Flights

• Airlines    

Cathay Pacific

Airline Alliance

Airline Summary

Reviews we perform checks on reviews. tripadvisor’s approach to reviews before posting, each tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. if the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines , the review is not published. when the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site. our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines . learn more about our review moderation..

• Excellent 6,256
• Very Good 5,605
• Average 2,554
• Terrible 1,388
• Premium Economy
• Business Class
• First Class
• All languages ( 16,813 )
• English ( 12,120 )
• Chinese (Trad.) ( 1,574 )
• Chinese (Sim.) ( 1,570 )

" Don't pre select your seats. They offer 48 hour check-in when you can do it free of charge. (applies only if travelling on Light fare) "

" Book Emirates "

" Bring your own snacks "

" Use it only if you wont mind not having internet and take your own water to the flight "

" Just avoid this airline, they don't care about you only your money. "

Search flights

Cathay Pacific Pet Restrictions & Fees

Explore Today's Deals

Cathay Pacific Pet Policy

Embarking on a journey with your beloved pet by your side can be a delightful experience. Here at Cathay Pacific Airways, we strive to make this possible while prioritizing the safety and comfort of your furry friends. To ensure a seamless travel experience, you should keep in mind certain important aspects when reserving a spot for your pet.

Firstly, the combined weight of your pet and its carrier, its dimensions, as well as the material and make of the carrier, need to be provided at the time of booking. As is standard across airlines, we also require health and vaccination certificates, along with entry permits and any other necessary documents based on your destination country. To facilitate this process, or for any further inquiries, feel free to contact our team at (800) 233-2742.

Despite our commitment to accommodating your pets, we regret to inform you that animals are not allowed in the passenger cabin on any of our flights. However, we do provide the option for pets to travel as checked baggage, given they meet our necessary criteria. Pets and carriers should have a maximum combined weight of 70 lbs (32 kg). Exceptions can be made for weights above this limit with prior approval. The transportation fee for your pet is dependent on the zones of travel, ranging between $12 for shorter flights and $60 for longer flights.

Guidance, Tips, & info on Airlines and Airports

• Go to our guide to global airlines to find information on any other commercial airline.
• Peruse the Cathay Pacific CX baggage fees and restrictions page to learn what luggage policies and fees are imposed.
• Check out where you can fly direct to on Cathay Pacific if you live near one of their gateway cities.
• Get insights and learn the lingo on airline cabin configurations and seating , while understanding the economics and rationale why those airplane seats seem so small.
• Get up-to-date live info for Cathay Pacific's flight status anywhere in the world.
• For more detailed information, including flight check-in, baggage policies, corporate information, and more, visit our guide to Cathay Pacific (CX)

For your pet's comfortable journey, their carrier needs to be clean, lockable, escape-proof, and leak-proof, with ample holes for breathing. It's crucial that your pet can stand, turn, and lie down naturally in the carrier. While dog carriers should be constructed from fibreglass, rigid plastic, or metal with strong weld metal mesh, cat carriers can be made from wood, fibreglass, rigid plastic, or metal.

We value the well-being of all pets, hence, there are some breed restrictions due to health concerns. Several snub-nosed dog breeds, fighting dog breeds, as well as some cat breeds are not accepted in the hold on our flights. Additionally, Korean squirrels and Skunks are also not allowed.

Keep in mind that air carriers can change these policies at any time, so you should always check directly with Cathay Pacific, before you book, for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

For more comprehensive information about Cathay Pacific, including details on flight check-in, baggage policies, corporate information, and more, check out our Cathay Pacific Guide .

Do you need to track your Cathay Pacific flight? Get real-time flight status here .

Find more help here for your journey through the airport

Cathay Pacific Airways

Customer reviews.

"forced to purchase a new return ticket"

N chong (singapore) 7th may 2024, "unsatisfactory travel experience", c han (hong kong) 4th may 2024, “i find it very underwhelming”, g chong (singapore) 2nd may 2024, "fabulous attentive service", tim patrick (hong kong) 7th april 2024, "overall great experience", darayus patva (australia) 20th march 2024, "full of impatience", m zhi (china) 15th march 2024, "think twice before flying cx again", s hardeno (indonesia) 12th march 2024, "haven't got the decency to reply, g. niven (united kingdom) 9th february 2024, "more than 2 hours delay", p yeung (hong kong) 4th february 2024, "cabin crew are the best", s marengo (philippines) 23rd january 2024, the worlds best airlines, the nicest airport staff, the cleanest airline, cathay pacific airways photos.

• Holiday Rentals
• Restaurants
• Things to do
• Things to Do
• Travel Stories
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travellers' Choice
• Help Centre

Cathay Pacific Reviews and Flights

• Airlines    

Cathay Pacific

Airline Alliance

Airline Summary

• Excellent 6,256
• Very Good 5,605
• Average 2,554
• Terrible 1,388
• Premium Economy
• Business Class
• First Class
• All languages ( 16,813 )
• English ( 12,120 )
• Chinese (Trad.) ( 1,574 )
• Chinese (Sim.) ( 1,570 )

" Don't pre select your seats. They offer 48 hour check-in when you can do it free of charge. (applies only if travelling on Light fare) "

" Book Emirates "

" Bring your own snacks "

" Use it only if you wont mind not having internet and take your own water to the flight "

" Just avoid this airline, they don't care about you only your money. "

Search flights

• Holiday Rentals
• Restaurants
• Things to do
• Things to Do
• Holiday Homes
• Travel Stories
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travellers' Choice
• Help Centre

Cathay Pacific Reviews and Flights

• Airlines    

Cathay Pacific

Airline Alliance

Airline Summary

• Excellent 6,256
• Very Good 5,605
• Average 2,554
• Terrible 1,388
• Premium Economy
• Business Class
• First Class
• All languages ( 16,813 )
• English ( 12,120 )
• Chinese (Trad.) ( 1,574 )
• Chinese (Sim.) ( 1,570 )

" Don't pre select your seats. They offer 48 hour check-in when you can do it free of charge. (applies only if travelling on Light fare) "

" Book Emirates "

" Bring your own snacks "

" Use it only if you wont mind not having internet and take your own water to the flight "

" Just avoid this airline, they don't care about you only your money. "

Search flights

• Holiday Rentals
• Restaurants
• Things to do
• Things to Do
• Travel Stories
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travellers' Choice
• Help Centre

Cathay Pacific Reviews and Flights

• Airlines    

Cathay Pacific

Airline Alliance

Airline Summary

Reviews we perform checks on reviews. tripadvisor’s approach to reviews before posting, each tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. if the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines , the review is not published. when the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site. our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines . learn more about our review moderation..

• Excellent 6,256
• Very Good 5,605
• Average 2,554
• Terrible 1,388
• Premium Economy
• Business Class
• First Class
• All languages ( 16,813 )
• English ( 12,120 )
• Chinese (Trad.) ( 1,574 )
• Chinese (Sim.) ( 1,570 )

" Don't pre select your seats. They offer 48 hour check-in when you can do it free of charge. (applies only if travelling on Light fare) "

" Book Emirates "

" Bring your own snacks "

" Use it only if you wont mind not having internet and take your own water to the flight "

" Just avoid this airline, they don't care about you only your money. "

Search flights

Suggested companies

Qatar airways, singapore airlines.

Cathay Pacific Airways   Reviews

In the Flights search site category

Visit this website

Company activity See all

Write a review

Reviews 1.6.

Most relevant

6.5 Hours delay and no compensation: a disgrace !

After a 30 minutes delayed flight to Hong Kong we were assigned to another flight than our original (that left 1.5 hours later). The replacement flight was delayed 6.5 hours, missing our next connections and making us having to book a hotel to stay overnight. Cathay makes it very hard to get in touch and they offer a $ 50 worth of "points" per person. Disgraceful.

Date of experience : 01 May 2024

Booking and website are poor

Booking is difficult because their website is poor. Booking via 3rd parties are also fake, after fill out everything, it got error during payment out of no reason.

Date of experience : 05 May 2024

Bad customer service and checkin nightmare

Bad customer service and the check in agents are so poorly trained that they demand the customers to place the luggages in such an orientation that pleases them. Come on if you’re the front desk agent be prepared to handle the languages and not boss the customers to do it for you. Customer don’t get paid for doing the front desk agents job. Outrageous! Bad airline! Worst of all Asian airlines! There is a discrimination on Chinese passengers who only speak Mandarin! It is real! They are so rude to the Chinese even though it’s a Hong Kong based airline. There is no reason to book with Cathay Pacific if you want to save yourself from an insult after paying them for service!

Date of experience : 14 April 2024

Do not use them for any bookings

Do not use them for any bookings; they took my points and canceled my flight. Never refund points back. When I called them, they said we are investigating you, and your points will not be refunded. This is absurd. I worked four years to earn those points, and they are just rubbing you. Horrible company, please be aware they don't care about customers.

Date of experience : 29 April 2024

They don’t follow their own policies on…

They don’t follow their own policies on refunds.I cancelled a booking within hours but they didn’t refund the miles used - only the tax. Their policy says they offer a full refund for members when they cancel within 24 hours.

Date of experience : 27 April 2024

New Year Ruined by Flight Cancellation

My missus and I were in Hongkong from 26 Dec 2023 to 31 Dec 2023. We flew with Cathay Pacific and . Our return pm flight was cancelled and rescheduled to 1 Jan 2024 7.50am. As it was over New Year, we had to fork out $400 to extend our stay for 1 more night. We were not happy with the Best Western hotel but as the online bookings were taken up hither and thither for the New Year festivities, we had to bite the bullet and decided to spend 1 more one night at same accommodation. We could not enjoy the New Year celebrations as the roads were closed until the morning of 1 Jan for the countdown and firework and we had to get up at 4am to take the first train to the airport. We lodged our complaint officially on 30 Dec 2023 and seek a reimbursement from Cathay Pacific for the hotel extension which was more than doubled the usual rate. The airline acknowledged receipt of the request but never came back with a reply. It has been 4.5months now.

Date of experience : 31 December 2023

They lie about rewards schemes

I booked and flew 3 times with this airline, and joined their rewards scheme. On 3 of the 4 pages of the booking process, they tell you the exact amount of rewards you will accrue. You pay the money, thinking you'll get a ticket for which those rewards will accrue. They then issue you a ticket for which no rewards accrue. They also actively pursue other false ways to prevent you claiming any rewards, for instance they claimed the name on one of my other tickets didn't match the name in my rewards membership, but it does. It seems harsh, but this company is just dishonest, you should avoid them. And, as per the other reviews, Cathay Pacific aircrew are disinterested at best.

Date of experience : 13 April 2024

Trying to give this company cash for an…

Trying to give this company cash for an upgrade is impossible. Have 9 seats booked for august 24 from London to Vietnam. We want to upgrade to premium economy or business class and have tried every way possible to do this without using the bidding function for the last leg of our journey. Have tried the whats app function that says to do it online, online says to call or message. Messaging takes forever and eventually they hang up. Finally got to speak to someone who quoted wrongly (£2100.10 for 9 passengers to upgrade to business class) clearly that was wrong which i had to call out, they checked and it was. They then didnt know how to check for upgrades as part of our flight is operated by hong king air, but ended up saying it wasnt possible but they themselves didnt know why and they couldnt get hold of a manager to help. So far wasted 7-8 hours of my time trying to sort this, would be cancelling if i wouldnt lose the money as im really not looking to the flight given the pre-experience so far.

Date of experience : 16 April 2024

The worst customer service

The worst customer service. We have been trying for months now to transfer our BA points and never get the promised response only having to start the conversation from scratch again. The support is shockingly bad.

Date of experience : 09 April 2024

I have flew with them for the very…

I have flew with them for the very first time, from HK to SYD. Excellent customer service. However, I have contacted them regarding an item left behind during my flight, I'm still waiting for them to get back to me. I don't think the item was taken by any other passengers.

Date of experience : 29 February 2024

Scammer like online booking experience

Scammer like online booking experience I've chose to book via cathay pacific instead of other good booking websites like booking.com and trip.com because it shows a message that if you login and make your booking then you are eligible for 24 hr free cancellation. However, it's NOT the case, you will have to be one of the passengers as it's checking the asia miles membership number that's attached to the passenger, and it's only stated in the T&C. I'm leaving review here for such bad experience, which you won't expect when you pay that amount. Don't trust what you see on their website, unless you want to read every detail.

Date of experience : 04 March 2024

I have flown 3 times with Cathay…

I have flown 3 times with Cathay Pacific & 2 of the 3 were delayed. You need to purchase seats at an extra cost to ensure you sit with your family. This is more frustrating than the delays. My most recent flight to Heathrow from Hong Kong my case was damaged also. Not my first choice for long haul airlines.

Date of experience : 07 March 2024

Don’t bother

First time booking with Cathay. Booked Via love holidays. So far all my flights have been changed. It went from a very reasonable 1 hr 45 layover to an 8 hour layover between the hours of 23:00 - 07:00. They didn’t provide any sort of accommodation, money back or even sympathy. They expected me to sleep on an airport floor overnight. Never have I had such a bad experience and I haven’t even left for my holiday yet

Date of experience : 13 March 2024

I've traveled my entire life to 40…

I've traveled my entire life to 40 countries and had hundreds of flights, but my last flight on Cathay Pacific from Thailand to California through Hong Kong was the worst I've ever had. Understaffed, horrible food, requested a coffee and was told 4 times they'd bring it, and when it did arrive it was 1/4 full, in a tiny cup and cold. The flight attendants don't seem happy, bathrooms left filled with trash, and hours of no service. I'll never fly with them again. Of course, it could have just been a bad crew, but after reading the many recent 1 star reviews, I see my feelings are shared.

Date of experience : 21 February 2024

1) Onboard meal served with 8 hour…

1) Onboard meal served with 8 hour interval in between,e.g. simple meal at departure and one before landing, crew is rushing to accomplish things.AMS-HKG, never again. 2) Quality onboard meals total crap, cheap tastless stuff, toilets dirty or damaged, disgusting. Flew recently with Quatar and their serving is tasty and of good quality, what happened Cathay?? 3) Unnessecary delay at Hong Kong airport (connecting flight to Manila), the pilot told us that the plane arrived late, but the damn thing was just standing there, we saw them pull it up to the gate.

Date of experience : 06 January 2024

I travel a lot internationally and…

I travel a lot internationally and mostly on Business or First Class. I chose Cathay Pacific the last 2 times from SFO to Hong Kong. The first time was half of the list below so I gave them a second chance. The second time it was worse than the first. 2 different planes mind you. I hope this helps the Airline to get things together as I have chosen a competitor and will be cancelling my Credit card as well. The good: They were on Time. The Bad: Poor Quality Service Staff barely attentive Dead Bugs Water Damage floors Damaged Infotainment Damaged Cabin Panels Damaged Remote/Duct Taped up. Business Class price with less than budget airlines quality & service.

Date of experience : 03 January 2024

Really rude staff at the check in…

Really rude staff at the check in counter at Chennai India. The manager Suresh Babu specifically stated he does not care if I had medicines or food or water he needs to meet the weight for cabin baggage by a kg margin. He asked me to throw them or whatever it takes to show him the weight. I noticed that I was singled out and the others passengers did not weigh their back back + luggage. I am never flying Cathay again and will recommend my followers and friends to stay away from them.

Date of experience : 11 February 2024

Useless website booking system

Been trying to book a multi city flight fir weeks now and every time I get to the final stages of paying, I get the same error message. Wasted so much time changing the dates etc. Their website is absolute rubbish. Contacted customer services and they are as useless and incompetent. Will have to find their senior directors on LinkedIn and Facebook to escalate this now. EDIT - THIS HAS NOW BEEN RESOLVED BY ERICA AND FIONA WHO WERE AMAZING AND EXTREMELY HELPFUL.

Date of experience : 13 January 2024

First time flying with Cathay, would do it again

We flew from Heathrow - Hong Kong (return) Both flights were on time. The staff were always friendly, polite & helpful. Amenities: A pillow, blanket & earphones were provided. Someone requested an eye-mask on the night flight out, and this was provided. Meals: we received 2 per flight. The meals were perfectly fine, it's economy after all! It was a nice touch to have metal cutlery. The drinks trolley came around a few times between meals, but perhaps could have come round with a few more snacks too. The flight attendants always responded promptly when we requested a few coffees / noodles between meals (as the return flight was around 14 hours). We were able to select special meals on the return flight for free too. Entertainment: pretty good & quite varied, though the UX/UI could be improved as navigation wasn't seamless Legroom / seat: I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of leg room & how comfortable the seat was. We waited until 48h before check in and selected our seats for free, thankfully able to sit together both times.

Date of experience : 19 January 2024

Stick to flying!

Love that CP wanted to run a competition for free flights, didn't like queuing for an hour to take my turn to then be faced with a broken process (my browser flicked between sign in and submission page, impossible to do anything). CP: perhaps good at being an airline, not good at running on-line competitions :) I'd message CP directly but there is no way I can see to do this... (Whatsapp robot only)

Date of experience : 09 May 2023

Is this your company?

Claim your profile to access Trustpilot’s free business tools and connect with customers.