Cathay Pacific announces nonstop service from Dulles International Airport to Hong Kong

SAN FRANCISCO - Cathay Pacific Airways announced that it will begin a four-times-weekly nonstop service from Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. to Hong Kong on September 16, 2018. It will be the longest nonstop air route to both Hong Kong and the Washington, D.C. region, and the longest flight in Cathay Pacific's global network, at 7,085 nautical miles (8,153 miles). This service will bring Cathay Pacific's first Airbus A350-1000 to the region (the airline's A350-900 began service to San Francisco and Newark on October 28, 2017).

Washington, D.C. will become Cathay Pacific's seventh passenger service gateway in the U.S. and ninth in North America. The airline, which launched nonstop service from North America in 1983, flies to Hong Kong and beyond over 100 times per week from Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Newark, New York (JFK), San Francisco, Toronto and Vancouver. This is the latest gateway for Cathay Pacific in the Americas since its launch of nonstop service from Boston to Hong Kong in 2015 - upgraded from a four-times-weekly to a daily operation in March 2017.

"Dulles International is an ideal destination for our next US gateway, with its ease of access to the D.C. Metropolitan area. Cathay Pacific is pleased to be the first air carrier offering nonstop flights from Washington, D.C. to Hong Kong," said Philippe Lacamp, Senior Vice President, Americas, Cathay Pacific. "Washington, D.C. has special meaning for Cathay Pacific. When the airline was co-founded over 71 years ago by American Roy Farrell and his Australian partner, Sydney de Kantzow, they had dreams of growing beyond a regional Asian airline, even including 'Pacific' in the name in the hopes that one day it would expand across the ocean. Farrell would have been proud to see the airline serve his country's capital."

"Today we celebrate a new bridge between Asia and Virginia, and we look forward to welcoming all of the international travelers this new air service will bring to the Commonwealth," said Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe. "Virginia has made a significant commitment to growing our relationship with Asia in recent years and we are proud to be a new United States market with nonstop service from Hong Kong. With its convenient schedule, this new Cathay Pacific air service provides connections to destinations around the globe and will help us continue to grow the new Virginia economy."

"In Washington, D.C., we are happy to host millions of tourists every year, and with the addition of these nonstop flights, we look forward to welcoming more travelers and business from Hong Kong and across Asia," said Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. "Tourism plays a vital role in supporting local businesses and creating jobs for our residents, and it has helped make D.C.'s economy one of the strongest local economies in the country. These flights are a tremendous opportunity to build on our progress and expand our reputation as the greatest city in the world."

According to Destination DC, the official marketing organization for Washington, D.C., Asian visitation to the District increased six percent in 2016 over the previous year, accounting for 32 percent of the District's overseas visitors (source: Travel Market Insights Inc).

"As the international gateway to Washington, D.C., Dulles International Airport is excited to welcome Cathay Pacific and its passengers to the capital," said Jerome L. Davis, executive vice president and Chief Revenue Officer for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. "Cathay Pacific's reputation for quality service and an exceptional passenger experience offer travelers through Dulles International a valuable, new nonstop link to Hong Kong and the growing Asia-Pacific region."

CX861 will depart Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings at 1:15 a.m., arriving in Hong Kong the following day at 5:10 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 22 gateways in mainland China - without a lengthy layover in Hong Kong. The return flight, CX860, will depart Hong Kong at 6:35 p.m. (local time) on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, arriving in Washington, D.C. at 10:20 p.m. (same day).

The wide body, twin-aisle Airbus A350-1000 brings together the very latest in aerodynamics, design and advanced technologies to provide improved fuel efficiency and a state-of-the-art travel experience for customers. Quietest among the aircraft types in its class, Cathay Pacific has taken this environmentally-friendly aircraft a step further, with its in-flight carpets and passengers' blankets made from recycled plastic, including salvaged fishing nets and plastic bottles.

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