Cathay Pacific is returning to Seattle, coming back to Seattle after ending service during Covid. The oneworld airline has confirmed it will resume nonstop flights between Hong Kong and Seattle beginning March 30, 2026. It’s great to see another route finally being restored. Cathay Pacific first launched in March 2019 before being sidelined by the pandemic just a year later.
Seattle once again appears on Cathay’s North American route map, with five weekly frequencies reconnecting Hong Kong to one of the most dynamic cities on the US West Coast, and of course my favorite city. My home!
Cathay Brings the A350 To Seattle
The transpacific hop between Hong Kong and Seattle is a long flight. Clocking in at roughly 13 hours westbound be prepared to sleep, eat, sleep and eat again. Cathay is deploying its Airbus A350 on this route, a relative favorite among long‑haul flyers due to it’s lower pressure of it’s cabin, keeping guests skin more hydrated and better for jet lag.
Passengers can expect Cathay’s familiar A350 hard product, including the airline’s reverse‑herringbone business class seat, a well‑regarded premium economy cabin, and complimentary onboard Wi‑Fi throughout the flight.
Flight schedules are as follows:
- CX852 departs Hong Kong at 1:25pm, arriving in Seattle at 10:05am the same day
- CX853 leaves Seattle at 11:45am and lands back in Hong Kong at 4:45pm the following afternoon
According to Cathay Pacific Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau, the Seattle return reflects renewed demand for travel between Asia and North America, particularly from Mainland China and India, while also strengthening connectivity across Cathay’s broader network.
From Hong Kong, passengers can connect onward to more than 100 destinations worldwide, making the route an appealing option for both point‑to‑point travelers and those connecting beyond HKG. In Seattle, Cathay Pacific passengers can connect on partner Alaska Airlines to 100s of destinations across North America. With an early arrival in the day, this fits perfectly for connecting passengers across the Western United States.
Why Seattle Still Matters
Seattle’s appeal isn’t hard to understand (at least to me) from a business perspective. Seattle is home to technology giants including Microsoft and Amazon, alongside satellite offices for Silicon Valley heavyweights such as Google and Meta and smaller startups and tech companies like Smartsheets, Adobe, Snap Inc and more. The city consistently ranks just behind San Francisco as the second‑largest tech market in the United States.
Beyond tech, Seattle offers a notably different US city experience, with easy access to the outdoors, a strong food and coffee culture, and proximity to the Pacific Northwest’s natural scenery. There’s also large companies in Seattle including Costco, Starbucks, and several travel companies like National Geographic- Lindblad Expeditions, HX expeditions, Quark and more.
The city also serves as a major departure point for Alaska cruises, as well as land tours through the Canadian Rockies, further broadening its international traffic base.
Bottom Line
Cathay Pacific is restarting flights to Seattle. Restarting service after a short time serving Seattle before Covid suspended operations. Options for onward connections in both Seattle via Alaska Airlines or beyond Hong Kong to SE Asia, India, and China are easy. Travelers will enjoy comfort across economy, premium economy and business class on Cathay Pacific newer A350s.