Cathay Pacific’s Lounge Shuffle: The Bridge Returns, The Wing Pauses, and The Deck Steps Up

Cathay Pacific has flipped the sign to “open” at The Bridge lounge in Hong Kong, capping a multi-year hiatus and setting the stage for a wider refresh of its home-hub lounge network.

The move comes just weeks before The Wing First Class lounge closes for a long-planned makeover, with The Deck pressed into service as a temporary first-class haven during the works.

Refined Points is conscious that several bloggers have reported on this, and this article merely seeks to further inform Enrich Platinum and Sapphire holders, given that Hong Kong International Airport is a substantial hub for Malaysians flying into China, and North Asia.

Here’s a close look at what’s new—and what’s changing—across all three lounges.

The Bridge Is Back

After being mothballed since 2020, The Bridge swung its doors open again on 7 May 2025.

Still perched at Gate 35 in Terminal 1, the 27,000-plus-square-foot space now sports Cathay’s latest “living room” design language, complete with refreshed dining concepts such as a revamped Noodle Bar, a new Chinese small-plates corner called The Nook, and a Food Hall with oven-to-plate comfort dishes.

Operating hours run from 5:30 a.m. to past midnight, giving Hong Kong-bound flyers and transitting passengers an all-day retreat once more.

A New First-Class & Diamond-Only Retreat

The headline change is a walled-off enclave inside The Bridge reserved strictly for Cathay Pacific First Class passengers and Cathay Diamond members.

Oneworld Emerald elites travelling on partner airlines are no longer welcome in this inner sanctum—a notable departure from Cathay’s historically generous stance toward alliance elites and a sign the carrier is sharpening differentiation between true First Class customers, its own top tier, and everyone else.

While there has been some concern about a lasting impact onto Cathay Pacific's lounge rules in the future, I'm personally not too worried by this implementation, given that Cathay Pacific has been consistently generous with it's treatment of Oneworld Emeralds in the past.

Not to mention, with the constant bombardment of Enrich Platinum frequent flyers thanks to Malaysia Airlines' ridiculous easygoing policies, I won't be surprised this decision was made considering that in mind. Thankfully, with BA Executive Club undergoing a significant overhaul, let's hope that it balances out, and access to The Pier First continues to remain a well-deserved perk for Oneworld Emeralds.

The Wing First Class Takes a Breather

Cathay’s flagship First Class lounge, The Wing, will close its doors on 23 May 2025 for a floor-to-ceiling renovation.

The Business Class side follows later in the year, and both wings are slated to remain offline until 2027. The overhaul is part of a HKD$100 billion investment that also promises new flagship lounges in Beijing and— for the first time—New York.

I've visited The Wing First several times in 2024, and I do think the temporary closure will be a sad hit, especially for those seeking out the Cabanas.

The Deck Moves to Centre Stage

With The Wing out of action, The Deck near Gate 6 will be upgraded to “First Class mode” from 21 May 2025 and is expected to retain that role until at least mid-2026.

Open daily from 5:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m., The Deck features Cathay’s terrace-style balcony overlooking the apron, a Noodle Bar, eight shower suites, and plenty of residential-style seating.

Final Thoughts

Re-launching The Bridge just before shuttering The Wing is a neat bit of chess from Cathay Pacific: capacity stays high, First Class flyers get a refreshed space, and the airline tests a tighter access model that nudges partners’ Emeralds sideways without fully locking them out.

For travellers, the practical advice is simple—check your flight’s gate and your status carefully, because lounge eligibility in Hong Kong now feels more like musical chairs than ever.

For Enrich Platinum frequent flyers travelling to North Asia destinations such as Japan or South Korea via Cathay Pacific, The Bridge’s new-look noodle bowls and The Deck’s open-air terrace are both worth a detour; otherwise, The Pier First remains your trusty fallback until The Wing emerges from its facelift in 2027.