Four-times-weekly services from The Emerald City launching in April 2019

SAN FRANCISCO - Cathay Pacific will commence a new nonstop service from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on April 1, 2019, becoming the only airline that will directly link Hong Kong with the fastest-growing city on the West Coast.

The four-times-weekly service will see Seattle become the airline's eighth passenger gateway in the United States, and its 10th in North America. Cathay Pacific currently serves Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York (JFK), New York (Newark), San Francisco, Toronto and Vancouver. A new Cathay Pacific service to Washington, DC will commence on September 16, 2018.

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Officer Rupert Hogg said the Seattle route, which will be operated by the airline's state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900 aircraft, underscores the airline's expansion strategy to connect new destinations not otherwise served from Hong Kong–and to link its home, one of the most innovative cities in Asia, with tech hubs the world over.

The Cathay Pacific Group is undergoing a period of unprecedented growth, with nine new destinations having already been announced for launch this year.

Mr Hogg added: "We are very pleased to be introducing Seattle and to provide more convenience and choice to our customers. There are strong business, trade and cultural ties between Hong Kong and Seattle and we believe there will be considerable demand for both business and leisure travel on this new route.

"We have developed a significant presence in the United States and the launch of Seattle not only reaffirms our commitment to the important North American market but also to strengthening Hong Kong's status as Asia's largest international aviation hub."

"We are thrilled to welcome Cathay Pacific, a well-known name that many of our travelers have wanted to see at Sea-Tac Airport," said Port of Seattle Commissioner Stephanie Bowman. "As the airport serving a dynamic and globally-savvy region, Sea-Tac Airport is proud to expand our international offerings."

CX 857 will depart Seattle on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings at 1:05 a.m., arriving in Hong Kong the following day at 5:25 a.m. This early morning arrival allows passengers to connect with every Cathay Pacific flight across Asia—including Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and over 20 gateways in mainland China—without a lengthy layover in Hong Kong. The return flight, CX 858, will depart Hong Kong at 11:55 p.m. (local time) on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, arriving in Seattle at 9:00 p.m. (same day).

The airline's customers will enjoy a superior experience when they fly between Hong Kong and Seattle. Cathay Pacific's A350-900s are amongst the quietest and most environmentally-friendly aircraft in the sky and are equipped with comfortable seating, an enhanced inflight entertainment system and Wi-Fi connectivity across Business, Premium Economy and Economy classes.

Details of the new Seattle service from April 1, 2019 are as follows (all times local):

Flight no
From
To
Departure/Arrival
Days of operation
CX 857
SEA
HKG
0105/0525+1
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday
CX 858
HKG
SEA
2355/2100
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday