Asian premium airline Cathay Pacific Airways announced today that flights between Hong Kong, the economic metropolis, and the Bavarian state capital will be introduced in mid-June 2025.
As of then, it will be possible to fly four times a week to the city of over seven million inhabitants in southeastern China, at around lunchtime on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, on a modern and fuel-efficient Airbus A350-900.
Cathay Pacific, a fourth Asian airline, has decided to start flying to Munich in the last three years. With a total of eight Asian airlines, the Bavarian premium hub confirms its enormous significance as an economic and tourist hub joining Europe and Asia.
The international airport in Hong Kong is also a well-connected hub for flights to the Asian region as well as to Australia and New Zealand.
“The fact that Cathay Pacific has chosen Munich Airport shows both the appreciation of our airport and the attractiveness and pulling power of the state of Bavaria. The reconnection with the economic metropolis of Hong Kong via the home carrier Cathay Pacific is a great success,” says Jost Lammers, CEO of Munich Airport.
Cathay Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau said: “We are very excited to be adding Munich to our network for the very first time next year, marking our second port in Germany and 10th in Europe. Hong Kong is a world-class international financial, commercial and aviation hub, and these flights will provide our customers with a direct connection between our home city and one of Europe’s most important economic, tourism and transportation centers.”
Expanding Asia Connections: Vietnam Airlines’ Premiere in Munich
This announcement by Cathay Pacific adds to the growing prominence of Munich Airport as a gateway to Asia, following Vietnam Airlines’ debut just two months earlier. On October 8, 2024, Vietnam Airlines launched its first flights connecting Munich to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, offering twice-weekly service to each destination.
The airline deploys its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on these routes, featuring a three-class configuration with Business Class, Premium Economy, and Economy Class. Initially operating flights to Hanoi on Mondays and Saturdays and Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesdays, Vietnam Airlines plans to increase frequency starting December 2024, adding additional flights on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“These new connections are a significant expansion of our Asia services and strengthen Munich Airport’s position as one of the leading aviation hubs in Europe,” Jost Lammers remarked during the airline’s inaugural flight celebration. “We are confident that these direct flights will enhance economic ties and cultural exchange between Bavaria and Vietnam.”
Vietnam’s growing popularity as a travel destination, combined with substantial Bavarian investments and active scientific and educational relationships, highlights the strategic importance of this partnership. Munich is now Vietnam Airlines’ fourth European destination, alongside Frankfurt, London Heathrow, and Paris Charles de Gaulle.
With both Cathay Pacific and Vietnam Airlines expanding their presence, Munich Airport solidifies its reputation as a premier hub connecting Europe with Asia’s thriving economic and cultural centers.
