China Eastern Airlines vs Cathay Pacific
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Researched and checked: 11 Oct 2026
China Eastern Airlines is one of mainland China's big three carriers, based in Shanghai and a SkyTeam member. Cathay Pacific is Hong Kong's flag carrier and a founding member of oneworld. Travellers compare them on trips between Hong Kong, mainland China and onward to Asia and beyond, since both are full-service airlines.
Quick verdict
Cathay Pacific suits travellers who want a Hong Kong hub, a long-haul network and a choice of First, Business and Premium Economy cabins on selected aircraft. China Eastern suits those heading to or within mainland China, where its network of 232 destinations and Shanghai, Kunming and Xi'an hubs give strong options. Both are full-service, so choose by where you are going and which alliance you collect miles in.
Choose China Eastern Airlines if…
- You are flying to or within mainland China and want its wide domestic network via Shanghai, Kunming or Xi'an.
- You collect SkyTeam miles, for example with Delta, through Eastern Miles.
- You want free Wi-Fi in all classes on widebody flights (reported July 2026) and a meal included in Economy.
Choose Cathay Pacific if…
- You want to connect through Hong Kong, its sole hub, with a large long-haul network.
- You want a First class option (on some 777-300ERs) or the new Aria Suites on refurbished 777-300ERs.
- You are a oneworld traveller who values Marco Polo Club lounge access and the Hong Kong lounges The Wing, The Pier and The Deck.
At a glance
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Key differences
Network and hubs
China Eastern's main hubs are Shanghai Pudong, Shanghai Hongqiao, Kunming and Xi'an, with secondary hubs including Beijing Daxing, Chengdu Tianfu and Hangzhou. It lists 232 destinations, which makes it strong for mainland connections. Cathay Pacific runs everything through Hong Kong International Airport and, with its subsidiaries, serves more than 190 destinations in over 60 countries, including via codeshares and joint ventures.
Cabins and seats
Cathay Pacific offers Business, Premium Economy and Economy, with First on some Boeing 777-300ERs. Refurbished 777-300ERs have Aria Suites, and A330s are due to be refitted with Aria Studio. China Eastern has no First class. Its Business class varies: narrow-bodies have 2-2 recliners, while some A330s have 1-2-1 or lie-flat 2-2-2 layouts. Its Premium Economy is fitted on all A320neos, A350s, 737 MAXs and 787s. Check the aircraft for your flight.
Fleet
China Eastern had 685 aircraft in service as of December 2025, with 291 on order, including Comac C919s, for which it was launch customer. Cathay Pacific had 159 passenger aircraft plus 20 Boeing 747 freighters, built around A330s, A350s and 777s. It has 35 Boeing 777-9s on order, with deliveries due from 2027. China Eastern's scale suits dense domestic flying, while Cathay's smaller, widebody-heavy fleet suits long-haul.
Food, entertainment and Wi-Fi
China Eastern includes a complimentary meal in Economy. Selected widebody aircraft have seatback entertainment, and a July 2026 report says widebody flights now offer free Wi-Fi in all classes. Cathay Pacific's meal and entertainment details vary by aircraft and route, so check the airline's website for your flight.
Lounges and loyalty
Cathay's Hong Kong business lounges are The Wing, The Pier and The Deck, and it announced a redesigned The Wing in April 2026. Marco Polo Club Diamond members may bring two guests, Gold one and Silver none. China Eastern's Eastern Miles has Silver, Gold and Platinum tiers, with lounges at its hubs and SkyTeam lounge access for eligible passengers.
Punctuality and safety
Cathay Pacific recorded a 78.13% on-time arrival rate in April 2025 per Cirium, reported by the South China Morning Post, ninth in Asia-Pacific. For China Eastern, flight MU5735, operated by subsidiary China Eastern Yunnan, crashed on 21 March 2022 on a Kunming–Guangzhou service.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cathay Pacific better than China Eastern?
Neither is better for every trip. Cathay Pacific offers First class on some aircraft and Hong Kong lounges, while China Eastern has the stronger mainland China network. Pick by route, cabin and alliance.
Do China Eastern and Cathay Pacific include checked baggage?
Allowances on both depend on route, cabin and fare. Check your booking on ceair.com or cathaypacific.com before you travel.
Which airline is in which alliance?
China Eastern is in SkyTeam, alongside Delta Air Lines. Cathay Pacific is a founding member of oneworld.
About China Eastern Airlines Read more
Overview
China Eastern Airlines is one of China's three major airlines, alongside Air China and China Southern. According to Wikipedia, it was founded on 25 June 1988 and is headquartered in Minhang, Shanghai. It is listed in Shanghai and Hong Kong, and its parent is China Eastern Air Holding Company; Delta Air Lines holds 3.55%. The airline is a member of SkyTeam, whose fact sheet (updated August 2026) describes it as one of China's three major aviation groups. Its subsidiaries include Shanghai Airlines, China United Airlines, China Eastern Yunnan Airlines and China Cargo Airlines.
Network and hubs
Main hubs are Shanghai Pudong, Shanghai Hongqiao, Kunming and Xi'an. Secondary hubs include Beijing Daxing, Chengdu Tianfu, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Qingdao and Wuhan. Wikipedia lists 232 destinations. The SkyTeam fact sheet cites a fleet of over 800 aircraft for the wider group and about 150 million annual passengers.
Fleet
Wikipedia's fleet table, dated December 2025, shows 685 aircraft in service with a further 291 on order. Types include:
- Airbus A320 family, including A321neo
- Airbus A330-200 and A330-300, with A330-900 deliveries planned from 2029
- Airbus A350-900
- Boeing 737-700, 737-800 and 737 MAX 8
- Boeing 777-300ER and 787-9
- Comac C909 and C919, with China Eastern the launch customer of the C919
On board
Business class varies by aircraft. Narrow-body aircraft have 2-2 recliner seats, while some A330s have 1-2-1 or lie-flat 2-2-2 layouts. Premium Economy is fitted on all A320neos, A350s, 737 MAXs and 787s, and on selected A330-300s and 737-800s. Economy includes a complimentary meal, and selected widebody aircraft have seatback entertainment. A July 2026 report cited by Wikipedia says widebody flights now offer free Wi-Fi in all classes.
Good to know
- Baggage allowances and change fees vary by route and fare. Check the official website before travelling.
- The loyalty programme is Eastern Miles, with Silver, Gold and Platinum tiers. Shanghai Airlines and China United Airlines also take part.
- As a SkyTeam member, it offers connections and lounge access with partners such as Delta Air Lines.
- Safety: Flight MU5735, operated by subsidiary China Eastern Yunnan, crashed on 21 March 2022.
- Published on-time performance and typical fare data were not found for this profile.
About Cathay Pacific Read more
Overview
Cathay Pacific is the flag carrier of Hong Kong. According to Wikipedia, it was founded in 1946 by Roy Farrell and Sydney de Kantzow, and its head office is Cathay City at Hong Kong International Airport. As of May 2026 its major shareholders are Swire Pacific and Air China. It is a founding member of the oneworld alliance. The wider Cathay Group also includes HK Express and Cathay Cargo.
Network and hubs
The sole hub is Hong Kong International Airport. The airline and its subsidiaries serve more than 190 destinations in over 60 countries, including through codeshares and joint ventures. Cathay Pacific's January 2026 traffic release reported 11% more passengers than January 2025, and a single-day record of 100,747 passengers on 14 February 2026.
Fleet
According to the Cathay Pacific fleet page on Wikipedia, as of December 2025 the airline operates 159 passenger aircraft and 20 Boeing 747 freighters:
- 16 Airbus A321neo
- 43 Airbus A330-300
- 30 Airbus A350-900 and 18 A350-1000
- 52 Boeing 777-300 and 777-300ER
Orders include more A321neo, 30 A330-900, 8 A350F freighters and 35 Boeing 777-9, with 777-9 deliveries due from 2027.
On board
Cabins vary by aircraft. Business, Premium Economy and Economy are widely offered, and some Boeing 777-300ER aircraft have First class. Refurbished 777-300ERs have the new Aria Suites and Premium Economy, and A330s are due to be refitted with Aria Studio and new Economy seats. Seat pitch, meal and entertainment details vary by aircraft and route, so check the airline's website for your flight.
Good to know
- Punctuality: Cirium data reported by the South China Morning Post gave a 78.13% on-time arrival rate for April 2025, ninth among Asia-Pacific airlines.
- Lounges: In Hong Kong the business lounges are The Wing, The Pier and The Deck. Cathay Pacific announced a redesigned The Wing in April 2026.
- Loyalty: The Marco Polo Club programme gives lounge access by tier. Diamond members may bring two guests, Gold one guest, and Silver members enter alone.
- Baggage: Allowances depend on route, cabin and fare, so check the booking before travelling.
Sources (4)
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