Cathay Pacific is officially on its way back to Seattle, with nonstop service to Hong Kong set to return on March 30, 2026. The carrier plans five roundtrips a week on its Airbus A350-900, restoring a key transpacific route that has been on ice since the pandemic.
Flight schedule and what to expect
According to Cathay Pacific, the airline will operate the route on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in the spring schedule. Flight CX853 is slated to depart Seattle at 11:50 a.m., while inbound CX852 from Hong Kong is scheduled to touch down at about 10:10 a.m. local time.
The service will be flown on the A350-900 and will feature business, premium economy and economy cabins, along with added belly cargo capacity for freight.
What it means for Sea-Tac
The Port of Seattle is treating the relaunch as a major reconnection to one of Asia’s key gateways, positioning the route as a boost to Sea-Tac’s international lineup ahead of a busy travel season. In a port news release, Commissioner Sam Cho said, “We’re thrilled to welcome Cathay Pacific back to the Seattle market,” while the port also underscored the flight’s potential to grow both passenger connections and freight options, according to Port of Seattle.
Backstory and local context
Cathay initially launched nonstop Seattle–Hong Kong service in 2019, only to suspend the route during the pandemic. The Puget Sound Business Journal reports the airline canceled its Sea-Tac service in November 2020. The 2026 relaunch closes what the carrier describes as nearly a six-year gap for a nonstop link to Hong Kong and fits into a broader pattern of long-haul growth at Sea-Tac highlighted by local reporting.
Tickets, partners and what to watch
Cathay is rolling out promotional launch fares and says tickets are now available through its website. The airline is also pitching Hong Kong as a connection point for onward travel to more than 100 destinations worldwide, according to Cathay Pacific.
Travelers should keep an eye on potential seasonal tweaks to the schedule. Port officials also note that the additional cargo space on these passenger flights could prove significant for Northwest exporters and importers looking for more lift to and from Asia, per Port of Seattle.
