Cathay Pacific has some of the best premium cabins in the sky – and this is now getting even better with new cabins on the Boeing 777-300ER. The airline launched its first retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in October 2024 and is working through refitting the rest of the fleet. This new layout drops first class but features new business class and premium economy products and a refresh in economy class. The new Aria Suite for business class is a big step forward, following the trend of making business class more private and suite-like.
The refitted Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300ER
Cathay Pacific
has now started launching its much anticipated refitted Boeing 777-300ER
aircraft. The refit of the Boeing 777-300 is part of an investment of HK$100 billion ($12.87 billion) in its fleet and airport lounges over the next several years. From 2024, 38 of the airlines’ Boeing 777-300 fleet will be retrofitted with new cabins.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace I Simple Flying
This is being undertaken by Cathay Pacific’s Customer Experience and Design team in partnership with JDA Design. Vivian Lo, General Manager Customer Experience & Design explained the overall aim of the re-design:
“The overhaul is part of a larger plan to remain at the forefront of design and innovation. “Our ambition is to be one of the best premium airlines.”
The first retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER flew on October 18th 2024 between Hong Kong and Beijing. It is now being introduced on other routes and has made its long-haul London debut. In February and March 2025, it is scheduled to operate the route to London Heathrow daily (as CX255 and CX250).
Related
Cathay Pacific Shows Off New Business Class Suite On Retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER
The Aria Suite has replaced Cathay’s first class on the 777.
The retrofit will see the aircraft take just three cabins – economy, premium economy, and business class, offering a total of 361 seats. Cathay Pacific is following the growing global trend of dropping first class cabins. The cabins are configured as follows:
- 45 Aria Suites in business class (arranged 1-2-1).
- 48 premium economy seats (arranged 2-4-2).
- 268 economy seats (arranged 3-4-3).
Business class – introducing the Aria Suite
Of course, the main upgrade is the impressive new Aria Suite used in the business class cabin. Cathay Pacific has followed several other airlines in introducing more suite-like business class, with closing doors for greater privacy.
Cathay Pacific is viewing this as a major step up from previous offerings. In addition to following the trend for privacy and suite-like business class, the airline has focused on “Human-Centric Design” and prioritizing the passenger experience.
Photo: Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific GM Customer Experience and Design, Vivian Lo, has explained this concept further, saying:
“When we started putting together a new cabin experience for our newly retrofitted 777s and before we even sketched anything we were thinking from the passenger’s point of view. This suite is designed fully with our customers in mind to maximise our customer’s comfort and enjoyment. Thoughtfully designed and effortlessly intuitive, this is what we set out to achieve.”
Fellow oneworld member airline 
British Airways
is particularly notable here as well. Having changed the industry standard with its flat beds in business class over 20 years, its 2-4-2 arranged forward-backward Club World design was falling behind others. This changed with the introduction of its Club Suite product, a 1-2-1 design that also features privacy doors. 
Qatar Airways
of course, also stands out with its excellent QSuite product.
Related
5 Incredible Features Of The Qatar Airways Qsuite
A brief dive into what is often dubbed the world’s best business class.
The Cathay Pacific Aria Suite – a closer look
The Aria Suite on the refitted Boeing 777-300ER has several standout new features. These include:
- A sliding door for enhanced privacy. There is also a movable divider for the central seats.
- Aisle-side armrests will also be adjustable to improve passenger comfort, including lowering to extend the bed’s surface.
- Seats are dressed in natural wool and surrounded by soft suede walls and a leather headrest.
- Multiple charging outlets (wireless, USB-A, USB-C, AC).
- 24-inch widescreen 4K screen with Bluetooth audio pairing.
- Intelligent lighting can change the light and experience at various times and in different seat positions.
- Several discreet storage spaces, including a side cabinet, a sliding drawer, and additional side stowage areas, with embroidered leather lining and interior lighting, are included.
The image below shows the main long-haul business class product in use with Cathay Pacific (this is on the Airbus A350-1000).
Photo: Cathay Pacific
The Aria Suite seats on the Boeing 777-300ER are arranged 1-2-1 in two separate cabins separated by toilets and galley space. The forward cabin has six full rows (rows 11 to 17 without row 13) and a single 18K window seat parallel with the galley. The second rear cabin has five full rows (rows 19 to 23).
Photo: Cathay Pacific
Vivian Lo explained the new business class design concept further, saying:
“It’s important to understand that the seat is a multi-purpose space. It’s a bed, a private cinema, an office and a dining room. So we had to design a suite with the right ambience and design elements.”
Elliott Koehler, Creative Director at partner JPA Design, went further, explaining:
“It’s one of the most comfortable Business seats out there. A sleek, wraparound design, privacy door and sliding partition give you the personal space to unwind. The fully lie-flat bed, lined with soft Rohi wool, ensures you’re cocooned in comfort throughout your journey. “
The cabin design also has an interesting new theme. As part of a new program called “Gallery in the Skies,” each business cabin will feature artwork specially commissioned from Hong Kong artists. The artwork is all different, but it aims to introduce an element of nature to create a calming environment in the aircraft.
Photo: Cathay Pacific
Revamped premium economy class
The Boeing 777-300ER also features a new premium economy cabin. This is designed to improve the existing premium economy products with the airlines, offering more comfort and privacy and new technology improvements.
Seat and cabin features include:
- New leather headrests and padded footrests. The headrests feature “wings” for privacy and a useful reading light.
- Stowage options include a front compartment and bottle holder, as well as a side compartment fitted with a USB-C charging port.
- Upgraded 15.6-inch 4K monitors (the largest screen of any premium economy cabin with Cathay).
- IFE with Bluetooth audio connectivity for personal devices and the ability to connect with travel companions.
- With the cabin redesign, the premium economy class will have access to two lavatories on either side of the cabin.
Photo: Cathay Pacific
The premium economy cabin sits straight behind the second business class cabin. It has six full rows (rows 30 to 35), all configured 2-4-2. The front bulkhead row has bassinets and extra legroom.
Vivian Lo, General Manager of Customer Experience & Design, explained the motivation for the new premium economy cabin design, saying:
“If you look at the industry, Premium Economy has historically been seen as a mere extension of Economy: a seat with a slightly wider pitch and a little bit more space. For our Boeing 777-300ER, we have a very clear goal, which is to design Premium Economy as a cabin that thrives on its own merits – a product that reflects the customer’s needs and the premium differentiation.”
Changes to freshen economy class
While the economy cabin is not getting a new seat design as premium economy and business are, there are some nice updates. This includes many features from Cathay’s Airbus A350 fleet. Economy class is arranged in two cabins separated by toilets and galley space. Unfortunately, the cabin is arranged 10-across – this is now becoming standard with most airlines, but a few still retain a nine-across layout. The cabin tapers to 3-3-3 for the last four rows.
The improvements include:
- Extra overhead baggage space.
- Updated seat dress covers and more flexible headrests.
- Latest-generation IFE user interface. This includes Bluetooth audio connectivity.
Photo: Cathay Pacific
All passengers will also notice some big changes with the lavatories in all cabins. These feature touch-free controls for enhanced hygiene, including a touch-free flush button and a foot-activated wastebin.
How to fly on the new Boeing 777-300ER
There is no published timetable for the rest of the fleet to be refitted. As this happens, we will no doubt see the new cabins appearing on more routes. After an initial start on short routes in 2024, the new aircraft with its Aria Suites is in full long-haul service to London Heathrow Airport
. According to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, the scheduled routes for early 2025 (January to the end of March) are as follows:
- Hong Kong to London Heathrow (LHR): 57 one-way flights, operating CX255 and CX250.
- Hong Kong to Beijing (PEK): 21 one-way flights between March 1 and 29.
- Hong Kong to Singapore (SIN): 15 one-way flights between Feb 3 and 28.
Photo: Anderson Leung | Shutterstock
Don’t forget first class with Cathay Pacific
It looks like this new Aria Suite will set the new standard for Cathay Pacific’s business class. As with many airlines, business class products are continually improving, which is a large part of why first class is disappearing.
But don’t forget that Cathay Pacific still offers first class – and it is a great product. This was an amazing experience on the Boeing 747-400s, now sadly well retired. The airline now only has the cabin on the Boeing 777-300ER, which will remain until the refit is complete.
PhotoL Cathay Pacific
It is a great product while it remains – recently winning 9th place in the SkyTrax awards for first class cabins. The cabin features six seats in a 1-1-1 configuration – while they are not fully enclosed or suite-style, the seats themselves are an incredible 36 inches wide. Service, too, sets this far above business class.
The routes operated by aircraft with a first class cabin vary – and will do even more so as the refit proceeds – but currently include:
- Tokyo Haneda (HND)
- New York John F. Kennedy (JFK)
- Los Angeles (LAX)
- London Heathrow (LHR)
- Beijing (PEK)
Related
First Class On Cathay Pacific: Everything You Need To Know
The airline’s premium product will be undergoing major changes in the next few years.
First class seems likely to stay on the upcoming Boeing 777X
as well. Cathay Pacific has 21 Boeing 777-9 aircraft on order (according to data from ch-aviation). These will arrive in 2026 at the earliest.
Related
Cathay Pacific Disappointed By Boeing 777X Delays
Cathay Pacific had planned to welcome two Boeing 777-9s in 2025.
