Cathay's redesigned The Wing, First is now the world's best first-class lounge, according to Skytrax

Cathay Pacific's flagship lounge in Hong Kong has a new look and a new trophy. At the 2026 Skytrax World Airline Awards on Sept. 18, The Wing, First was named the World's Best First Class Airline Lounge, Cathay announced. The airline also finished among the top three airlines overall and won World's Best Cabin Crew.

The timing is no accident. The Wing, First reopened on April 22 after a long closure and a complete redesign, so the judges were looking at a lounge that had been open for only a few months.

What the redesign changed

London design firm StudioIlse led the rebuild. Cathay describes the result as a residential space with more privacy than before. The signature material is green onyx, which shows up most prominently at the central bar. Walnut in several finishes and granite floors run through the rest of the lounge, and the furniture and lighting were designed for it, according to Cathay's announcement of the reopening.

The lounge is organized into named areas:

• The Atrium is the light-filled center of the lounge, with the onyx bar and a self-serve Pantry. Its menu changes through the day, from breakfast to afternoon tea to evening bistro dishes.
• The Dining Room does à la carte table service. The menu mixes international dishes with Asian ones, and the regional Chinese dishes come from a partnership with Hong Kong restaurant Mott 32.
• The Retreat has seven private massage booths for foot, neck and shoulder treatments.
• The Alcove holds five enclosed booths with tables and charging, for a meal, a book or a laptop.
• The Bureau is a fully closed-off workspace with two lighting settings, one for calls and meetings and one for quiet work.
• The Shower Suite was redone with new water and lighting systems, each with modes for waking up, refreshing or winding down.

Cathay hasn't published the lounge's size. Our directory lists 12 showers.

Who gets in

The Wing, First is for Cathay Pacific First Class passengers and eligible members of the airline's lounge programs. In practice that means Cathay Diamond members, the top tier of the Cathay membership program. Cathay has not said whether oneworld Emerald members flying other airlines are admitted, and travelers reported after the reopening that the lounge was limited to Cathay's own First passengers and Diamond members. If you hold Emerald status through another oneworld airline, confirm before you walk over. The alternative is The Pier (First), which our directory shows accepting oneworld Emerald.

Where it sits

The Wing is on the east side of Terminal 1 at Hong Kong International, near the departure gates closest to immigration. That makes it the natural first stop after security, while The Pier and The Deck sit farther out along the concourse.

The business side of The Wing is a different story. Our directory lists The Wing (Business) as temporarily closed, and Cathay's announcement doesn't give a reopening date. Business passengers at Hong Kong currently split between The Pier and The Deck, both of which have showers and full bars.

The bigger picture

Cathay says it has committed about HK$150 billion to new aircraft, cabins, lounges and digital systems. The Wing, First is the showpiece of the lounge portion of that spending. The airline marked its 80th anniversary this year, and chief executive Ronald Lam said the lounge "has long held a special place in our hearts and our customers'."

The Skytrax first-class lounge award has a short list of regular winners, and it tends to recognize lounges with real dining rooms and spa treatments rather than buffet-and-armchair spaces. Cathay's win puts The Wing, First back in the same conversation as Air France's La Première lounge at Paris-CDG, which Skytrax recognized for its dining in 2025, and Lufthansa's First Class Terminal in Frankfurt.

Should you plan around it?

If you're flying Cathay First out of Hong Kong, yes. The combination of table service, massage booths and private showers is hard to match, and the reopened lounge is new enough that the fittings are still pristine. Arrive with at least two hours to use the dining room and The Retreat properly.

If you're in business class, the award doesn't change your options. The Pier (Business) remains Cathay's largest and best-equipped business lounge in Hong Kong, with 14 showers. We'll update our listings for The Wing when Cathay confirms the business side's reopening.