Layover timing in Hong Kong?

[phabric]

Planning for March.

Toronto (YYZ) to Sydney (SYD) and Vancouver (YVR) to Toronto (YYZ)

EzAir shows best price is with -

Cathy Pacific with layover in Hong Kong.  
Since I have never been to Hong Kong airport, what is the best layover time - 

1) layover - 3 hrs 20 min - duration 28 hrs 15 min

2) layover -  5 hr 10 minutes - duration 30 hrs 5 min

3) layover -  2 hrs 35 mins - durations 27 hrs 40 min

 

All on one ticket,  I can get for departure business at a good price YYZ to SYD  and return economy YVR to YYZ on Air Canada.

 

On busines, I think  have 2  luggage free for YYZ to SYD.  Since YVR to YYZ is economy is it only 1 bag will I have to pay for luggage since it is all on one ticket?

 

For Hong Kong - any help will be useful.

- Do we have to go through any immigration, change terminals, 

- signs in English

 

 

[Globaliser]

15 minutes ago, phabric said:

1) layover - 3 hrs 20 min - duration 28 hrs 15 min

 

I'd take this one. The 0135 departure from YYZ gives you a better chance of some decent sleep on board the first flight (although I would ignore the first meal service to do this). A 2:35 connection time would be fine in itself, but it obviously gives you less margin for delays on your first flight.

 

17 minutes ago, phabric said:

For Hong Kong - any help will be useful.

- Do we have to go through any immigration, change terminals, 

- signs in English

 

Um, Hong Kong is one of the foremost international airline hubs in the whole world. Why wouldn't there be signs in English?

 

You will only have to clear security. If your first flight is on time, you'd have enough time to take a shower in the lounge (Cathay Pacific has a selection of good lounges in Hong Kong) so that you're feeling fresher and more relaxed for the second flight.

[CDNPolar]

Personally I would go for the 3 or 5 hour layover.

 

 

[phabric]

Thank you for the helpful information 

[AveSaloon]

Take the five hour.  Cathay lounges are worth spending time.

 

 

[Hezu]

On 10/1/2024 at 9:14 PM, Globaliser said:

Um, Hong Kong is one of the foremost international airline hubs in the whole world. Why wouldn't there be signs in English?

Especially as English is still one of the official languages of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as heritage from the days it was a colony of the British Empire.

[CruiserBruce]

3 hours ago, Hezu said:

Especially as English is still one of the official languages of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as heritage from the days it was a colony of the British Empire.

Also as English is the official,  worldwide language of air travel....

 

Plus, there should be easily recognized symbols for most informational signs.

[6rugrats]

I have never been to any airport that did not have signs in English. I would never extend a trip to sit in a lounge; to each his/her own.

Edited October 4 by 6rugrats

[SelectSys]

9 hours ago, 6rugrats said:

I have never been to any airport that did not have signs in English. I would never extend a trip to sit in a lounge; to each his/her own.

It’s definitely a balancing act between too short or too long a connection.  Like you, I have no interest in excessively long connections just to hang out in the lounge.

 

What’s interesting is that sometimes ticket prices can be a lot cheaper if you’re willing to withstand longer connection times.  In these cases, I am more willing to endure a longer connection time.

[GeezerCouple]

20 minutes ago, SelectSys said:

It’s definitely a balancing act between too short or too long a connection.  Like you, I have no interest in excessively long connections just to hang out in the lounge.

 

What’s interesting is that sometimes ticket prices can be a lot cheaper if you’re willing to withstand longer connection times.  In these cases, I am more willing to endure a longer connection time.

 

We often select a longer connection time if there's not a good alternate flight if we miss the planned connecting flight.  MUCH better to spend extra time rather than risk an overnight or waiting for space available "whenever"... and IF it's a wonderful lounge, all the better.

Cathay Pacific F lounges in Hong Kong are amazing.  Full stop. 🙂 

 

There are times when we have awards tickets and there's unlikely to be any space available on the "next flight", which might be the next day anyway.  We try to allow lots of extra time in those situations.  (If we had to sit in an airport boarding area... well... I don't know about that...!)

 

GC

[SelectSys]

1 minute ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

There are times when we have awards tickets and there's unlikely to be any space available on the "next flight", which might be the next day anyway.  We try to allow lots of extra time in those situations.  (If we had to sit in an airport boarding area... well... I don't know about that...!)

I totally get what you’re saying regarding managing contingencies.  I will change my behavior too based on the type of ticket I have and what type of flight I have scheduled.

 

I agree that some lounges are very nice and comfortable.  My challenge with these are to not eat or drink too much while waiting.  Regardless, I would not extend my connection time beyond what I view provides a reasonable contingency simply to enjoy a lounge longer.

[Globaliser]

On 10/5/2024 at 5:30 AM, SelectSys said:

Regardless, I would not extend my connection time beyond what I view provides a reasonable contingency simply to enjoy a lounge longer.

 

And I have never understood wild enthusiasm for the Cathay Pacific lounges in Hong Kong. They're good, and they're better than many other airport lounges, but they're not so extraordinary that I would be keen allocate a chunk of holiday time to sitting in a public transport waiting room, which is fundamentally what they too are.

 

The only time that I've deliberately chosen to spend a long time in a nice lounge was when I had a choice between waiting in Sydney for my companion to arrive and taking an onward flight to New Zealand together, or travelling ahead on my own about 9 hours earlier. And even then, the choice was partly prompted by the chance to go landside to catch up with some Sydney friends.