Cathay Pacific has sweetened its loyalty offer: as of 15 November 2025, Wi-Fi is complimentary for all passengers flying First or Business Class and for Marco Polo Club Gold and Diamond members in any cabin. The airline quietly confirmed the change in an industry round-up published on 18 November.
The perk puts Cathay on par with carriers such as Emirates and Singapore Airlines, both of which rolled out free connectivity for premium customers this year. For business travellers, the ability to stay online without purchasing data passes removes a persistent pain point on long-haul flights between Hong Kong and Europe or North America.
![Cathay Pacific Makes In-Flight Wi-Fi Free for First, Business and Gold Members]()
Operationally, Cathay says it has retro-fitted high-throughput satellite (HTS) antennas on 90% of its wide-body fleet and will complete the rollout by Q2 2026. Economy-class passengers can still buy plans starting at US$9.99 for messaging or US$19.99 for full browsing. The airline is also piloting an “Earn Miles in the Sky” scheme that credits flyers 5 Asia Miles for every US$1 spent on premium broadband packages.
Mobility managers should update company travel policies to reflect the cost savings and inform travellers that VPN traffic may still be restricted over certain airspace due to regulatory requirements. From a duty-of-care perspective, free connectivity also enables better real-time tracking of assignees during flight disruptions.
Cathay plans further digital enhancements, including biometric boarding on selected North American routes in 2026, reinforcing Hong Kong’s positioning as a tech-forward aviation hub.
The perk puts Cathay on par with carriers such as Emirates and Singapore Airlines, both of which rolled out free connectivity for premium customers this year. For business travellers, the ability to stay online without purchasing data passes removes a persistent pain point on long-haul flights between Hong Kong and Europe or North America.
Operationally, Cathay says it has retro-fitted high-throughput satellite (HTS) antennas on 90% of its wide-body fleet and will complete the rollout by Q2 2026. Economy-class passengers can still buy plans starting at US$9.99 for messaging or US$19.99 for full browsing. The airline is also piloting an “Earn Miles in the Sky” scheme that credits flyers 5 Asia Miles for every US$1 spent on premium broadband packages.
Mobility managers should update company travel policies to reflect the cost savings and inform travellers that VPN traffic may still be restricted over certain airspace due to regulatory requirements. From a duty-of-care perspective, free connectivity also enables better real-time tracking of assignees during flight disruptions.
Cathay plans further digital enhancements, including biometric boarding on selected North American routes in 2026, reinforcing Hong Kong’s positioning as a tech-forward aviation hub.
