Review: Cathay Pacific B777-300ER Aria Suites Business Class (HKG-SIN)

Cathay Pacific recently deployed a retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to Singapore in February 2025, which features the recently-launched Aria Business Class seat, as well as an all-new Premium Economy Class.

These flagship cabin products were originally intended to debut on the B777-9, before repeated delays forced the airline to consider other options. Cathay expects to refit its entire fleet of 30 B777-300ER aircraft by 2027, giving them a significant leg up on regional rival Singapore Airlines, which only expects to debut the first aircraft with its new Business Class suite in Q2 2026).

Once the news broke, I quickly redeemed a Premium Economy award to Hong Kong, and a Business Class award back to Singapore. This review is for Cathay Pacific’s new Aria Business Class Suite on the B777-300ER, which could quite possibly be one of my new favourite Business Class seats.

You can find the review of the new Premium Economy product below. 

Review: Cathay Pacific B777-300ER New Premium Economy Class (SIN-HKG)

How I booked this flight

I redeemed this flight through Qatar Privilege Club at a cost of 22,000 Avios + HKD 345 (~S$60) in taxes. 

The great thing about booking Cathay Pacific flights through Qatar Privilege Club is that fuel surcharges don’t apply. Had I booked this flight through another programme like Asia Miles, I’d have paid 28,000 miles + HKD 506 (~S$88) in taxes instead.

Cathay Pacific B777-300ER Aria Business Class

Cathay Pacific is clearly aiming to impress with its new Aria Suites cabin, and that starts at the door, where an elegantly backlit Cathay logo on a slatted feature wall greets arriving passengers. 

Cathay Pacific has installed a total of 45 Aria Suites in its Business Class cabin, a slight increase from the 40 Safran Cirrus II seats found on older B777-300ERs. Business Class is divided into a forward cabin with 25 seats, and a rear cabin with 20 seats, in a 1-2-1 configuration that gives every passenger direct aisle access.

These seats are based on the Collins Aerospace Elements platform, which can also be found on Starlux’s A350s and Etihad’s B787-9s. Cathay has added its own customisations, of course, using a neutral colour palette of cream and taupe rather than their signature green.

Visually, the cabin is striking. Cathay’s lounges (at least the Studioilse-designed ones) have always been stylish, but that has never really translated over to the cabin until now.

Unlike Singapore Airlines’ B777-300ERs, Cathay Pacific has chosen to retain the overhead bins above the centre section during the refit. This offers extra storage space, obviously, but also makes the cabin feel less spacious because of the lower ceiling. That’s especially the case during boarding, when all the overhead bins are opened by default. 

I wonder if they could have gotten away without the bins, though I suppose that boils down to whether passengers out of Hong Kong tend to have more carry-on luggage than those from Singapore.

Couples will naturally prefer the D/G seats in the middle of the aircraft, though the seat layout still favours solo travellers. Centre seats are angled towards each other, but making conversation requires leaning forward a fair bit (unlike “honeymoon seats” in other configurations where you can just turn your head). If you end up in one of these seats when travelling solo, there’s a sliding privacy divider to spare your blushes. 

Otherwise, solo travellers will be gunning for the A/K seats by the windows (do note that 18K is missing one window). For this flight, I picked seat 21A, in the rear Business Class cabin on the port side.

As I got up close and personal with the seat, I started to appreciate even more the trims and finishes that Cathay has chosen for the Aria Suite. The woolen seat covers, the limewash-esque suede adorning the interior, the soft ambient lighting, leather-clad headrest, and various textures all came together to give a premium, hotel-like feel. This is a much more mature feel than the somewhat gaudy green of the current generation seats. 

Each seat measures 21 inches (53cm) wide, and turns into a 78 inch (198cm) flat bed when fully reclined. I’ve read complaints that the suite can feel snug, but it really depends on your build (and if you need extra width, the armrest near the aisle can be lowered).

The seat uses a three-point seatbelt, and the shoulder strap must be used during take-off and landing.

The Aria Suite is the first Cathay Pacific Business Class seat to feature a door, so let’s talk about that. The door slides out from a recessed panel in the seat shell, and the movement is fairly fluid (on some other carriers they’re stiff to the point of inducing arm fatigue).

The walls are high enough so that you won’t be able to see anyone else when you’re seated. On the other hand, passengers walking by your suite will still be able to glance in if they’re reasonably tall, though I have yet to see a Business Class seat providing floor to ceiling walls.

The door does not close completely, and you will notice a small gap at the edge that allows some light to eke through. Doors are locked by default during boarding, but the cabin crew come by after take-off to unlock them. Doors will be locked again before landing. 

By the way, one funny thing I read online is that Cathay is having problems with passengers accidentally using the red emergency handle to open the suite door. They’ve attempted to address this by putting some “emergency use only” tape over it, so please don’t be one of those people!

Then there’s the inflight entertainment screen, and oh, what a screen it is. At 24 inches, it simply dwarves the competition (this is the same size as the screen in Singapore Airlines First Class!). I’ve actually heard some people saying that the screen is too big, because when you’re seated and looking straight at it, the seat feels smaller than it really is.

Those familiar with Cathay Pacific’s old Business Class will also appreciate that the screens are fixed into the seating module, rather than swinging out from the wall, removing the need to stow and latch them during take-off and landing.

Content is displayed in stunning 4K resolution, which makes graphics and text really pop. The best way of appreciating this is to switch to one of the two external cameras. Trust me; watch this during take-off and landing. It’s better than any TV series. 

Each seat has a universal power outlet, a Type-A USB port, and 2x Type-C USB ports. It’s worth noting that the USB-C port here is rated at 60W, versus 45W in Premium Economy. This means it’s powerful enough to charge most laptops without the need for an additional power brick; simply pack a USB-C cable that supports PD.

The Aria Business Class seat features wireless charging as well. In theory this should be a great convenience, allowing you to juice up devices without unsightly wires running all over your seat (which can also topple drinking glasses if you’re not careful).

In practice, however, I’m not a fan of Cathay’s execution. First of all, it’s impossible to spot where to place your phone, because the wireless charging indicators are so faint they’re practically invisible.

Did you spot the markings in the photo above? If not, I’ve positioned my passport in the space where your phone is supposed to go.

Second, the magnetic feedback is so subtle that it’s difficult to know when your phone is positioned correctly over the charging pad. I was tracing my phone over the area for minutes on end, just trying to find the sweet spot where charging would trigger. 

Third, even when you do manage to activate it, wireless charging speeds are extremely slow. I would be surprised if it’s greater than 5W, and in any case, the connection was so weak that it frequently dropped (I was using a Pixel 9 Pro without a case, for those curious).

So in short, I don’t think this is a good example of wireless charging implementation. Qatar Airways did it much better on its B787-9, where there’s a slot that anchors your phone in place, removing ambiguity and preventing the charging process from being interrupted by any unexpected bumps.

Seat controls can be found on a touch-sensitive display panel by the armrest, and go far beyond mere seat adjustments. This panel also allows you to control the suite’s lighting, or select from preset seat and lighting configurations for dining, working, relaxing, watching a movie, or sleeping. 

These can also be activated through the inflight entertainment system. The flight was too short to fully appreciate all these different modes, but apparently the innovation was impressive enough to win a Red Dot Design Award in 2024.

But that’s not all. This display also doubles up as an information panel, showing the time left on the flight. It’s such a simple thing, and yet so useful. Imagine you’re on a long-haul flight. You awake in the middle of the night and want to know the time left till landing. On most airlines, you’ll need to turn on the main screen, or at very least the IFE handset, bathing yourself in sleep-wrecking blue light. With Aria Suites, this dimly-lit panel provides the answer at a glance.

The tray table slides out from beneath the IFE screen, and can be used as a half or full table. It can also be pushed away while remaining fully open, allowing you to enter or exit your seat without having to stow it altogether.

I always perform a “bounce test” with every tray table, where I attempt to type vigorously at my laptop and see whether the table can withstand the force. In this case, it remained stable, with minimal flexing. 

On the side table is a cupboard, with space to hang headphones and a fold-out personal mirror for last-minute touch ups. This is also where the seat’s remote is located, though I didn’t use it at all since the main screen is touch-sensitive.

As an aside, there was a weird piece of foam stuck beneath the cupboard that was already peeling off. At first I thought it was one of those things they were supposed to remove before putting the aircraft into service, but I see the same foam in other reviews so I’m not sure. 

My favourite storage spot, however, is found beneath the surface of the side table. This is perfect for storing items like wallets, rings and spectacles, and Cathay has thoughtfully installed a layer of quilted foam in this nook, which deadens the sound of any jingling coins or jewellery. Unlike the storage cupboard, which door opens outwards, this space is accessed by sliding the side table forward. This allows you to keep it open even if you have drinks or other items on the surface. 

The only thing that would improve this is if they added a combination lock, as Qatar has done with its Qsuites 2.0.

Finally, there’s a triangular bin at foot level for odds and ends. It’s not big enough to store shoes though, and that’s perhaps one thing missing from this seat. I just kept my shoes underneath the ottoman.

Dining

Pre-departure drinks were served on the ground in Hong Kong. I had a glass of Piper-Heidsieck Essentiel NV Brut, together with a Cathay Delight. The latter is one of my favourite drinks on Cathay Pacific, an non-alcoholic mix of kiwi fruit juice, coconut milk and fresh mint. 

Physical menus are provided in Business Class, with a separate booklet for dining and beverages. 

During the boarding process, the crew took orders for post-takeoff drinks. I went with a Cloud Nine, another signature Cathay creation featuring a mix of vodka, cointreau, Sprite and lemon juice. This was served with a small ramekin of nuts. 

Since February 2023, Cathay Pacific has had a special tie-up with Duddell’s, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Hong Kong that focuses on refined Cantonese cuisine. This menu is available in First and Business Class on selected flights out of Hong Kong, and has just been renewed beyond its initial two-year period.

The meal started with a duo of salads. There was a small, forgettable “seasonal salad” with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Then there was the main event, seared scallops with saffron aioli, pickled Granny Smith apple and pomegranate seeds. The scallops were excellent, so much so I wish the bean counters had allowed for a trio instead of just two. In fact, I think the best way to re-engineer this dish would be to combine the two salads into one, because the big plate looked rather scanty with just a few token leaves by the side. 

For the main course, I of course chose the Duddell’s option of red braised pork belly with radish. This came with bean sprouts, wood ear fungus, cordyceps flower and shimeji brown mushrooms, and a bowl of Shanghainese vegetable rice. The pork wasn’t bad, but it was the rice that was the hero, a comforting dish with a bewitching aroma that made me keep saying “just one more bite”.

The meal then concluded with Haagen-Dazs  ice cream (mango and cream) and a selection of fresh fruits. A cheese course was also available for those who wanted it.

In terms of wines, the selection was rather brief, consisting entirely of French varietals with a single choice of red and white (most carriers would offer two in Business Class). 

Inflight Entertainment

Business Class passengers enjoy massive 24-inch 4K personal TV screens, with more than 3,000 hours of entertainment.

One concern I had with the 4K screens was that the content library would lag behind. There’s no point having 4K screens with low quality media; if anything, higher resolution screens would make low resolution media all the more obvious. 

When I first experienced an inflight 4K screen with ANA in 2019, the only content to watch was a tech demo. But content providers have finally caught up, and Cathay has a special section dedicated to 4K movies. 

I did a Joker: Folie à Deux challenge, where you start the movie and see how long you can sit through before you give up. I lasted a commendable 20 minutes. 

Another great feature of the upgraded inflight entertainment system is the ability to pair your personal Bluetooth headphones.

Bluetooth connectivity just makes so much sense. Unless you’re flying in First Class, odds are your personal headphones are of better quality than what the airline has to offer, plus they’re in a form factor you’re already comfortable with (e.g. earbuds, over ear, on-ear, bone-conducting). Wireless connectivity also keeps your area free of pesky wires, and when more passengers start bringing their own headsets, airlines can cut back on the number they stock, reducing weight and cleaning/replacement costs.

This worked so well that I didn’t even bother using the provided noise-cancelling headset.

Wi-Fi

Cathay Pacific offers inflight connectivity on all its Airbus A350 and A321neo aircraft, and most of its Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 aircraft. 

Access is free for Cathay Diamond members, as well as First and Business Class passengers. Everyone else will need to buy a Wi-Fi package. 

Speedtest was not working properly on this flight, so I wasn’t able to get a reading. However, on my outbound flight from Singapore, I managed to get respectable speeds of 8 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up during my flight. It can’t beat Starlink, of course, but this was more than sufficient for getting work done and replying to emails. 

Sleep Experience

I should caveat that since this was a relatively short flight to Hong Kong, I wasn’t able to properly gauge the sleep experience offered by the Aria Suite. 

That said, I did manage to get a quick power nap, and found the sleeping surface to be very comfortable, even without a mattress pad (Cathay provides mattress pads and 400-thread count cotton bedlinen on long-haul flights). The seat is clad in a wool liner that breathes well, preventing pockets of heat from building up, and it’s actually quite spacious around the knees. This allows you to switch sleeping sides without banging your knee on a tray table or some other protrusion. 

Here’s a close up shot that gives you an idea of how much legroom there is, when the seat is fully reclined. 

As a back sleeper, I found the footwell spacious enough to fit both my feet. However, I may be the outlier here, because I’ve read some complaints from passengers who felt the footwell was too small, so YMMV. I guess it boils down to how big you are; I’m 1.8m and shoe size US 10.5 in case you needed a benchmark.

When the seat is fully reclined, a separate set of controls becomes visible, with convenient presets for full flat, full upright, and to kill all the lights. 

Lavatories

Business Class has a total of three lavatories for 45 passengers, or a 1:15 ratio. Two of these are in the front of the aircraft and the third (larger and accessible) is between the two Business Class cabins.

One new feature that Cathay Pacific has introduced with these aircraft is a “lavatory occupancy checker” (available in all cabins) that allows passengers to see which lavatories are in use. It’s a fun little gimmick, though in practice I didn’t refer to it all that often because I’m so used to looking at the overhead display in the cabin. 

During the retrofit, Cathay Pacific also upgraded the lavatories in Business Class with new interiors. The walls are clad in a soothing travertine-style laminate, and the circular integrated sink has been replaced with a larger, rectangular top-mounted version. Latches have been given an attractive brushed bronze finish. 

Visually speaking, these are so much nicer than the old, sterile hospital-style interiors.

Taps and flushes can be operated without touch, and Bamford body lotion, face mist and hand wash are stocked in the lavatories. 

Conclusion

Cathay Pacific has a winner on its hands with the new Aria Suite, which sets a high standard for comfort, storage and technology. The trims and finishes give a luxury vibe, and you can tell that a lot of thought was put into designing it.

It’s not the best seat for couples, truth be told, but the same could be said about any reverse herringbone seat out there. Those who are bigger-sized may also find the shoulder width and foot space restrictive, though I personally was fine with both. There’s also some work to be done with the wireless charging implementation, perhaps in the form of clearer markings.

I do hope to be able to try the seat again sometime soon, preferably on a long-haul route where we can really see how the comfort and sleep experience hold up. But I came away very impressed with what I saw, and I think it’s a worthy flagship product for the carrier.