Review: Cathay Pacific Lounge at Vancouver International Airport

Cathay Pacific operates a number of great lounges both at its base in Hong Kong as well as at some of its destinations like Bangkok. In 2006, it also opened a new lounge at Vancouver airport where it operates multiple flights a day.

I visited the Cathay Pacific Vancouver lounge back in September when making my way to New York. In the review below, you can see what it was like.

Review: Cathay Pacific Lounge at Vancouver International Airport
The Cathay Pacific Lounge in Vancouver offered nice apron views.

Location, Opening Hours & Access

The lounge is, like most international lounges, located after immigration and security. Its located near gates 66 and 67 the latter of which was used by my flight when I visited the lounge.

Location of the Vancouver Cathay Pacific Lounge
The lounge was just a minute away from gate 67.

The Cathay Pacific Lounge is open daily from 6:00AM to 3:00PM and from 8:00PM to 2:00AM. Its opening hours are, understandably, mainly timed to suit the airline’s own passengers.

The airline’s first and business class passengers, as well as Marco Polo Club status holders are welcome in the lounge. First and business class passengers traveling on other oneworld airlines as well as status holders in other oneworld frequent flyer programs get access as well.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Entrance
Entrance.

In case you are not eligible for access, but are a Priority Pass member, you can visit the nearby SkyTeam Lounge instead.

Lounge Tour

Taking a dedicated elevator from the departures level, I found myself in front of the reception desk.

After presenting my boarding pass, which interestingly had Hong Kong as its origin and New York as its destination since I was on a direct but one-stop flight, I was let into the lounge.

Right past the entrance, there was a seating area with space for about a dozen passengers. Besides individual sofa chairs, it also featured a large sofa and some coffee tables.

While the seats in this area were comfortable, they lacked access to power outlets.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Seating
Overview of the large seating area right past the lounge’s reception.
Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Seating
Sofa chairs.

Besides that, there was also a row of large “bench-like” seats.

Each of those was equipped – besides a small table – with a reading light and a power outlet. As such, these seats were ideal for getting some work done.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Work Chairs
Chairs equipped with power outlets.

Behind a panel consisting of a wooden frame and windows, there was another large seating area.

Separately from that, there was a row of leather lounging chairs with ottomans along the whole apron-facing side of the lounge. I settled in one of those since they were not only comfortable and equipped with power outlets, but also offered good views of aircraft.

Seating in the CX Lounge Vancouver
Lounging chairs along the windows.

As for the second large seating area, had another dozen or so sofa chairs as well as a large sofa. It also featured a pair of round coffee tables, each surrounded by four lounging chairs.

This area was also the home of the lounge’s buffet spread. I will talk more about that in the next section of this review, though.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Sofas
The second large seating area.
Lounging Chairs
Lounging chairs around a coffee table.
Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Buffet
Buffet.

The last major area of the lounge was its dining area.

It featured several booths for one, two, and four people, as well as a pair of community tables seating about a dozen people in total. There was also a drinks corner with both soft and alcoholic drinks.

The dining area was also home to the Noodle Bar, a signature feature of many recently opened or renovated Cathay Pacific lounges.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Dining Area
Dining area.
Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Dining Room
Communal tables.
Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Noodle Bar
The Noodle Bar.

Finally, the lounge was also equipped with a small business center containing a pair of iMacs, as well as with showers.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Business Center
Business center.

Food and Drinks

The refreshments in the Cathay Pacific Lounge in Vancouver could be found in a few different spots.

Soft drinks drinks including cans of soda and juices in pitchers were available both in the main buffet area as well as in the drink corner in the dining area. The latter is canned beer as well as about a dozen different kinds of liquor were available as well.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Soft Drinks
Soft drinks and beer.
Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Alcohol
Liquor.

Hot drinks including coffee and tea were available in both of the areas above as well.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Hot Drinks
Coffee.

Wines could be found on a counter next to the Noodle Bar.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Wine
Wine.

As for food, there was a selection of snacks, fruits, and cold items in the buffet area.

There were some yogurts, sandwiches and wraps, cakes, as well as salads and cold cuts.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Snacks
Snacks.
Fruits
Fruits.
Wraps
Wraps.
Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Light Meal
Sandwiches and chocolate cakes.
Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Buffet
Salads, cold cuts, and tiramisu cakes.

Finally, hot dishes could be had at the Noodle Bar.

The menu, of course, included Cathay Pacific’s signature dan dan noodles and wonton noodle soup. Some dumplings and buns were available as well.

On top of the above, three Western dishes were offered. Those included lasagna, zucchini with Parmesan cheese, and beef burgers.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Dan Dan Noodles
Part of the Noodle Bar menu.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver Summary

The Cathay Pacific Lounge in Vancouver has a similar, “living room-like” feel to its other relatively recently opened lounges including the one in Bangkok.

With plenty of comfortable seating both for relaxing as well as getting some work done, and with the airline’s signature Noodle Bar, it’s well-worth a visit before catching a oneworld flight out of Vancouver.

The one feature it lacks, though, is a staffed bar like some of the other Cathay Pacific lounges have. While that’s just a very minor and unimportant thing, it certainly would have been nice to have a chance to get a glass of Cathay Delight – the airline’s signature mocktail – before boarding my flight to New York.

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