Following up on my previous trip report featuring Cathay Pacific’s new Aria Suite, I had the chance to fly it again on the return leg from London Heathrow to Hong Kong. Spoiler: it was just as impressive the second time around.
A Long Layover
After a week split between London and Geneva, I found myself flying back to Heathrow on a packed travel day. Flights between Geneva and London were unusually full, so I ended up on British Airways 727, departing Geneva at 11:50am and landing at Heathrow Terminal 5 by 12:35pm.
While Cathay’s earlier flight, CX238, was available, it featured the A350 instead of the new Aria-equipped Boeing 777-300ER. I opted instead for CX250, which was scheduled to depart at 6:20pm — giving me nearly six hours to kill in London. I took the Heathrow Express into the city, had a late lunch, and wandered around before heading back to Terminal 3 to make full use of the Cathay Pacific lounge.
A late lunch at Cecconi’s in Mayfair in London
Lounge at Heathrow T3
Cathay’s business class lounge at Heathrow is among the best in the network. There are showers, Cathay’s signature noodle bar, a cocktail bar, and well-stocked hot food counters. First Class and oneworld Emerald passengers are also granted access to a quieter, more refined First Class section (which I, sadly, did not have access to).
After an early flight and a fair bit of walking, I headed straight for the showers — no waiting required, which is a welcome change from the typical 20–30 minute queue in Hong Kong. As always, the facilities were immaculate, stocked with Aesop amenities, and made for the perfect reset before a long-haul night flight.
Feeling refreshed, I sampled a spicy Thai coconut soup that was new to me — and possibly unique to this lounge, as I’ve never spotted it even in Cathay’s Bangkok lounge. Soon enough, boarding time approached. Worth noting: Cathay’s gates are a good 10–15 minute walk from the lounge, so plan accordingly.
Flight Overview
Flight: CX250 London Heathrow (LHR) – Hong Kong International (HKG)
Date: Saturday, 12 April 2025
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER (B-KPA)
Seat: 20K (Aria Suite, Business Class)
Duration: 12h 5m
Departure: 18:30 (scheduled 18:20)
Arrival: 13:34 the next day (scheduled 14:20)
B-KPA Boeing 777-300ER
Onboard: First Impressions of the Aria Suite (Take Two)
Boarding in daylight gave me a fresh perspective on the Aria Suite. Experiencing it the first time on CX255 late at night made the cabin feel very dark and intimate. The subtle textures, tonal contrasts, and material finishes really shine when viewed under natural light. I chose seat 20K this time, giving me a glimpse of the "Gallery in the Skies" artwork — a feature only visible from the K-side aisle when boarding.
While 20K is in the second section of the business cabin, the new 77J layout doesn’t include a mini-cabin like the older 777s. That said, privacy remains a strong point, thanks to high partitions and sliding doors.
The suite layout is intuitive: a generous side table for personal items, a hidden compartment for passports and small essentials, and thoughtful amenities waiting at your seat — slippers, bedding, a bottle of water, and Cathay’s signature amenity kit. Menus were also provided, including a breakfast card you can fill out in advance. That said, pens are never available (a small but consistent oversight), so bring your own or wait for a crew member to take your full order via tablet.
Settling into Cathay Pacific’s new Business Class Aria Suite 20K
There’s now a shoulder strap for the seatbelt — required only during takeoff and landing — with a leather flap to ensure comfort when lying flat.
The business class cabin was full. I did overhear a fellow passenger in 20G mention being advised upon boarding that his seat’s headset was INOP (wasn’t working) — and he felt frustrating to experience this on a newly refitted aircraft. The crew offered to assist with Bluetooth pairing to his own device and advised him to follow up with customer service for compensation.
The cabin feels both spacious and secluded. Unlike the older generation seats, where a quick glance could reveal your neighbor’s shoulders or elbows, the Aria Suite offers true isolation — even with the door open.
Photo from earlier CX255 flight: Preset seat modes
Most underrated feature: Lavatory occupancy map — it comes in handy
I particularly appreciated the intuitive lighting presets and lounge modes, along with features like wireless charging and that not-so-obvious side table compartment (on this flight, the crew didn’t pre-open the side table compartment for passengers like they did on my outbound leg on CX255).
For the less intuitive features, luckily there’s a helpful video shown before takeoff after the safety video.
Aria Suite introduction video
Dining at 35,000ft
One of the key advantages of flying an evening flight versus a red-eye is the enhanced meal service. Unlike abbreviated meals on late night flights, CX250 offered a full dining experience: amuse bouche, appetiser, main course, and dessert served from a trolley.
Dining options menu on CX250
My choices for the evening:
Starter: Pea soup
Main: Braised pork belly with jasmine rice and pork soup with yam, carrot and corns
Dessert: Cheesecake and ice cream
Drinks: Negroni post-takeoff and a Coke Zero with dinner
The entire service was efficient and polished, wrapped up within an hour. Catering out of London seemed notably better than what I had out of Hong Kong on the previous flight.
Sleep Quality and Suite Design
After dinner, I changed into comfortable clothes and prepared the bed. The manual sliding door — while not motorized — does the job well enough. There's a small gap, so it’s not a fully enclosed suite, but the sense of privacy is unmatched. I managed a solid seven hours of uninterrupted sleep, which speaks volumes about the comfort and design of the Aria Suite.
Some reviewers have complained about the tighter footwell. I can say this is true, but for myself at about 5’8” with an average build, it didn’t affect me too much. If you are a heavier build, or taller, you may find it a bit tight.
Photo from earlier CX255 flight: Aria Suite turned down into lie flat bed with provided bedding (mattress topper and quilt)
Aria Suite: Mind the (small) gap
Having slept a majority of this return flight, I didn’t make much use of the IFE this time around, but for the short periods where it accompanied me over meals, it was excellent as well. Cathay’s IFE system with the Aria Suites is responsive and bright with tons of movies and television shows including HBO, Paramount and Disney+, and business class passengers (as well as Cathay Diamond members) also enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi for the duration of the flight.
Breakfast & Arrival
Breakfast menu on CX250
Wellness breakfast on CX250
About 90 minutes before landing, breakfast was served. I had pre-selected the wellness option, which included:
Seasonal fruit and warm pastries
Cacao chia seed pudding with coconut yoghurt and blackberries
Latte and orange juice
We touched down at 13:34 on the new third runway, with a brief 11-minute taxi to the gate — a smooth end to a polished journey.
Verdict: Is the Aria Suite Worth It?
Without a doubt, yes. The Aria Suite delivers on what modern business class should be: private, stylish, and supremely comfortable. The massive IFE, well-thought-out seat features, and sleep-friendly cabin make it a compelling upgrade — especially when compared to Cathay’s older 777-300ERs and A350 configurations.
If you have the opportunity to fly a route featuring the 77J with Aria Suites — such as the upcoming Hong Kong to Vancouver service from June — take it. Your sleep, comfort, and overall flight experience will thank you.
Cathay Pacific
Boeing 777-300ER (77J) Aria Suite
Flights: CX250
Instagram: @cathaypacific