A Total Guide To Cathay Pacific WiFi 2024

Cathay Pacific is one of many airlines that offer in-flight Wi-Fi service onboard their airplanes as more airlines join the in-flight Wi-Fi trend.

Cathay Pacific is Hong Kong’s flag-bearer airline with its control center at Hong Kong International Airport. It is the largest carrier, with a fleet size of 188 aircraft as of 2021.

Cathay Pacific Wi-Fi Timeline

In a media release in 2017, Cathay Pacific announced the launch of in-flight Wi-Fi on its Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 aircraft beginning in the middle of 2018 and planned completion to be in 2020.

That was in response to the increased need for in-flight internet among its passengers following the efficient launch of internet services aboard its Airbus A350 fleets by Panasonic’s eXConnect Ku-band network.

The latest internet service on the Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 aircraft utilized Gogo using its 2Ku satellite technology.

Due to delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and other issues, the installation is still being rolled out and is yet to cover the entire fleet in 2022.

Cost of In-flight Wi-Fi On Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific charges based on time usage rather than data usage. It offers free in-flight Wi-Fi for first-class passengers flying on all Wi-Fi-enabled fleets.

Below is the Wi-Fi package on Cathay Pacific Wi-Fi-enabled flights;

 Price (in USD)
1-hour$9.95
6-hours or less$12.95
Above 6 hours (full flight)$19.95

How To Connect To The In-flight Wi-Fi?

  • Turn your device to airplane mode.
  • Turn on your mobile Wi-Fi.
  • Join the “Cathay Pacific” hotspot.
  • The Wi-Fi portal automatically opens. If it doesn’t, type “wifi.cathaypacific.com” in your browser and press search.
  • Choose your proposed subscription plan and purchase.
  • You will get your receipt and login information in an email.
  • Click on the ‘Login’ button on your screen and input your login information to gain access to the Wi-Fi.

Cathay Pacific Airplanes With In-flight Wi-Fi Services

Currently, the following is an updated number of aircraft providing in-flight Wi-Fi onboard:

  • Boeing 777-300ER (three-class passengers’ seating) – 16/20
  • Boeing 777-300ER (four-class passengers’ seating) – 20/28
  • Airbus 330-300 (two-class passengers’ seating in 2-2-2 layout in Business Class) – 2/2
  • Airbus A330-300 (two-class passengers’ seating in 2-3-2 layout in Business Class) – 14/17
  • All Airbus A350 airplanes
  • All A321neo airplanes

How To Determine Flights Offering Wi-Fi On Cathay Pacific?

  • To find out if your flight has available Wi-Fi services, visit the Wi-Fi and connectivity page to get the ‘view flight status’ link.
  • Then, follow the link and type your flight number or route with the departure date in your browser.
  • Search for the ‘Wi-Fi-enabled’ sign to determine if your flight has Wi-Fi or not.
  • Wi-Fi-enabled airplanes have Wi-Fi signs all over the cabin.
  • You can view the status of flights exiting four days ago, the present day, and the following six days.
  • You can look up the flight timetable for other departing dates.

Features Of Cathay Pacific Wi-Fi

  • Wi-Fi is only available when the altitude is 10,000 feet and above.
  • The entire Airbus A350 and A321neo aircraft offer Wi-Fi services.
  • On Airbus A350, you can:
    1. Access cathaypacific.com and allied websites (in first-class)
    2. Send and receive emails.
    3. Surf the web.
    4. Visit online shops.
    5. Browse through your social networks.
    6. Send and receive SMS when you switch your device to data roaming  (20,000 ft after departure).
    7. Pay for Wi-Fi using Discover, Diners Club, JCB, China UnionPay (credit), Visa, MasterCard, American Express, AliPay, UnionPay, or Paypal.
  • On Airbus A321neo, A330, and Boeing 777, you can:
    1. Access cathaypacific.com and other allied websites, the Map App, the airline’s directory for some tax-free shopping, knowledge of destination (for first-class)
    2. Send and receive emails.
    3. Surf the web.
    4. Visit online shops.
    5. Connect to your social networks.
    6. Pay for Wi-Fi using Visa, American Express, MasterCard, UnionPay, AliPay, Diners Club, JCB, or PayPal.
  • Data roaming and SMS are unavailable in the US.
  • You can only use Data roaming and SMS on Airbus A350 fleets.
  • Data roaming fees differ and might be tasked directly by your service provider. For these fees, you can contact your provider.
  • Wi-Fi is not accessible over the arctic region (especially during flights to North America), India, and the Southern Indian Ocean.
  • Wi-Fi is commonly unavailable until after take-off and also during touch-down.
  • Disconnection might occur due to satellite switches.
  • Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 airplanes offering Wi-Fi services are limited.
  • The 1-hour plan is continuous and pauses only during periods of outage.
  • You cannot simultaneously use two or more devices with similar login info, but switching between devices is allowed.
  • You can access the Wi-Fi using any device that supports Wi-Fi and runs current versions of internet browsers and operating systems.
  • Visit the FAQ page on in-flight Wi-Fi for more details.

Cathay Pacific Airplanes With In-flight Wi-Fi Services

Currently, the following is an updated number of aircraft providing in-flight Wi-Fi onboard:

  • Boeing 777-300ER (three-class passengers’ seating) – 16/20
  • Boeing 777-300ER (four-class passengers’ seating) – 20/28
  • Airbus 330-300 (two-class passengers’ seating in 2-2-2 layout in Business Class) – 2/2
  • Airbus A330-300 (two-class passengers’ seating in 2-3-2 layout in Business Class) – 14/17
  • All Airbus A350 airplanes
  • All A321neo airplanes

How To Determine Flights Offering Wi-Fi On Cathay Pacific?

  • To find out if your flight has available Wi-Fi services, visit the Wi-Fi and connectivity page to get the ‘view flight status’ link.
  • Then, follow the link and type your flight number or route with the departure date in your browser.
  • Search for the ‘Wi-Fi-enabled’ sign to determine if your flight has Wi-Fi or not.
  • Wi-Fi-enabled airplanes have Wi-Fi signs all over the cabin.
  • You can view the status of flights exiting four days ago, the present day, and the following six days.
  • You can look up the flight timetable for other departing dates.

Discounts, Promo Codes, Or Coupons For Cathay Pacific Wi-Fi

Cathay Pacific occasionally offers a few free one-hour Wi-Fi coupons on Wi-Fi-equipped flights from FWD, a partnering  Asian insurance company. Therefore, it is advisable to grab one immediately and reclaim it later on the flight.

Follow these steps to redeem your free one-hour Wi-Fi coupon:

  • Join the “Cathay Pacific” hotspot using the steps listed above.
  • Scroll down the pop-up Wi-Fi homepage to view the ‘free Wi-Fi’ box.
  • Press the box and input your flight number on the next page.
  • Select an insurance plan (no payment details or purchases are required).
  • Complete the ‘customer inquiry’ form on the following page and submit it.
  • The next page will show your promo code if available – copy it.
  • Return to the Wi-Fi homepage and click ‘Redeem’ on the ‘Get Voucher’ box.
  • Paste your code on the next page
  • Follow the directive to create an account if you are new or input your account login details if you are a returning user.
  • Go ahead and enjoy one free hour of browsing, streaming, emailing, etc.

Service Provider Of Onboard Wi-Fi For Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific uses Panasonic, an in-flight internet company, as the service provider for its A350 fleets, while Gogo serves as the service provider for the Airbus A330, A321neo, and Boeing 777 fleets.

Furthermore, in 2020 due to the disparity from having two different service providers, the airline launched a synchronized Wi-Fi gateway with Deutsche Telekom to coordinate customer experience across all the internet-equipped airplanes.

The synchronized portal would progress from the quarter of the same year beginning with the carrier’s A350 aircraft, then its Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 would follow.

In-flight Entertainment On Cathay Pacific

Along with Wi-Fi services, Cathay Pacific provides a wide range of in-flight entertainment for its customers onboard. Every aircraft has each seat equipped with personal seatback screens connected to the in-flight entertainment system.

From the newest releases to old-time classics, you would be captivated with the most extensive collection of entertainment content in the Asia Pacific throughout your flight.

Furthermore, in a new deal with HBO Max, Cathay Pacific unveiled HBO Max contents for passengers’ in-flight experience beginning from 1st January 2022. That marked the Hong Kong carrier as the first airline in Asia to launch HBO Max Original content on its in-flight entertainment as reported on Aviation Business News.

Customers now enjoy above 200 hours of HBO Max content featuring the latest Hollywood movies, TV dramas and box sets, HBO Originals, music videos and albums, podcasts, Chinese and Asian films with subtitles, and more fascinating games.

Not only that, the airline became the first to equip its entire fleet with 4K ultra-high-resolution in-flight entertainment TV monitoring worldwide with the 4K content and wireless Bluetooth headset pairing offered in their newest Airbus A321neo.

Note that offered in-flight entertainment differs depending on your flight month and route. Get more details by visiting the in-flight entertainment page.

Most Common Questions

What Is The Speed Of Cathay Pacific In-flight Wi-Fi?

Cathay Pacific Wi-Fi offers up to 3Mbps on its Airbus 350, while the Boeing 777 and Airbus 330 get up to 10Mbps due to Gogo’s latest satellite technology.

Which Fleet Offers Wi-Fi Service On Cathay Pacific?

In-flight Wi-Fi is available on only selected Boeing 777 and A330 aircraft but installed on the entire Airbus A350 and A321neo airplanes.

Can I Send SMS Text Messages Using Onboard Wi-Fi?

You can send and receive messages with Wi-Fi on WhatsApp, iMessage, and Facebook Messenger apps. Data roaming and SMS messaging are only available on A350 fleets, while your service provider fees might apply.

More Articles:

Was this article helpful?
YesNo

Leave a Comment