This airline is giving away (almost) free return flights to Hong Kong

If you’ve always wanted to go to Hong Kong, but don’t have the bank to cop the airfare, your day has officially arrived. The good people over at Cathay Pacific are giving away a huge 6,020 adult economy round-trip tickets for Cathay members (there’s always a kicker) to fly from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane to Hong Kong. At least you can sign up to become a member for free (more on that in a sec). 

The tickets themselves are being described as ‘discounted’ – the idea is that the flight tickets themselves will be free, but the related taxes, surcharges and re-booking fees are not. To put it plainly: it’s cheap – but you won’t be paying zero dollars. 

This initiative is part of a massive Hong Kong tourism campaign called ‘Hello Hong Kong’, which is all about welcoming in a new wave of global travellers, post-pandemic. The Airport Authority Hong Kong have been staggering the release of a hefty 500,000 free plane tickets worldwide, but for all of us in Down Under, there are just over 6,000 up for grabs – so if you’re keen, you better act quick. 

How does this actually work? 

First of all, you need to be a Cathay Pacific member, and you’ll have to be logged in to buy the ticket. You can sign up (for free) to be a member here. 

Secondly, the tickets will be released to Aussies who are aged 18 and over (so no kids, sorry) on Monday, May 29 at 12 noon AEST and will operate on a first-come, first-served basis. And a reminder: you will have to pay for all taxes, surcharges and any rebooking or no-show fees associated with your ticket. 

Thirdly, the travel period is between May 29, 2023, and February 28, 2024 (though a blackout period will apply). The minimum amount of time you can stay in Hong Kong with this deal is two days, and the max. is one month. Plus, it should be noted that you’re only able to purchase one ticket per person, so if you’re keen to go with mates – fire up the group chat. 

Finally, all tickets are non-refundable, can't be re-routed and are non-exchangeable. You'll only be able to get a refund on the surcharges and taxes. 

Find out more about the offer, here. If you want to dive in deeper on the ins and outs of the terms and conditions, you can do that over here. 

So, if this sings to you, sign up now. You could go international for a very pretty price. 

In Hong Kong? Consult our guide to 48 hours in HK's hottest cultural hub.