To kick off Dana’s 50th birthday trip, we knew we wanted to start the celebration before we even reached our destination. We are not wealthy enough to pay out of pocket for luxury flights, so we relied on our favorite travel strategy – using points.
By converting our American Express credit card points into Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, we booked a 13-hour business class flight from Vancouver to Hong Kong. This allowed us to experience their brand new Aria Suites for a fraction of the cost.
If you are preparing for a long flight across the Pacific, comfort is everything. We had an incredible experience from the moment we arrived at the airport. Here is our complete review of the YVR lounge, the lay-flat seats, and the amazing in-flight dining.
The YVR Cathay Pacific Lounge
We are the type of travelers who love to arrive at the airport early. The Cathay Pacific lounge opens four hours before departure, and we made sure to get there right at opening time. Because there were only a few other people around, it provided a wonderfully quiet and relaxing setting to start our trip.
We skipped the busy terminal restaurants and headed straight for the lounge buffet. You simply must try their famous Dan Dan noodles. We paired our bowls with fresh spring rolls and dim sum. It was the perfect, comforting pre-flight meal.
Settling Into the Aria Suites
Stepping onto the plane, we were immediately impressed by the design of the new Aria Suites. The curved walls offer a fantastic level of privacy and shield you from the foot traffic in the aisles.
The suite feels like your own personal living room. You get a massive 24-inch touchscreen for movies and plenty of clever storage space to keep your phone, water, and passport organized. We also found a beautiful amenity kit from the British brand Bamford waiting at our seats.
The In-Flight Menu
We have flown business class on Singapore Airlines in the past, so our expectations for the food were high. Cathay Pacific matched that premium level of service flawlessly. For dinner, I ordered the beef cheeks. The meat was perfectly tender, covered in a rich sauce, and served with roasted carrots.
Breakfast was equally impressive. I ordered the chia seed pudding topped with fresh mango and raspberries. Served alongside a warm croissant, it was a light and refreshing way to wake up on our final approach to Asia.
Surviving a 13-Hour Flight
A 13-hour flight sounds intimidating, but the layout of this trip made the time fly by. We spent the first three or four hours enjoying dinner and watching a movie on the big screen. After that, we converted our seats into lay-flat beds and slept soundly for about six hours.
We woke up refreshed with three hours left to enjoy breakfast and watch the scenery out the window. During our descent, we were treated to a spectacular sunset view of the massive Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. We ended up driving across that exact bridge a few days later during our Macau day trip!
Have you ever flown in a lay-flat seat, or is it on your travel bucket list? Head over to our Facebook page and let us know!