Learn about one of the best airlines you've probably never heard of in this Hong Kong Airlines review. 

If you are a regular Trekbible reader, then you know we love to fill in our audience on airlines reviews and updates as much as possible. So if you don't know what Hong Kong Airlines is, you're not alone. But if you are a frequently traveler like we are, then it is absolutely something to put on your radar. Hong Kong Airlines is a young carrier in Hong Kong that is quickly becoming one of the best airlines in the world. The airline is best known for its “affordable luxury,” one of the many reasons we think you will like it so much. 

In this Hong Kong Airlines review, you will learn all the great things that this airline has to offer. And after reading this review, we have a feeling you will never want to fly on another airline ever again. 

Ready? Let's get started. 

A Little Bit About Hong Kong Airlines

Credit: Hong Kong Airlines

First thing's first: lets tell you a little bit about Hong Kong Airlines. Since 2006 Hong Kong Airlines has been functioning as a full-service airline out of Hong Kong. From “ground operation to inflight service,” Hong Kong Airlines commits to “delivering an exception customer experience with a unique flair of its home base.” 

And we are not the only ones noticing how great Hong Kong Airlines is. The airline is the winner of the 2011 of the internationally acclaimed four-star rating from Skytrax, a United Kingdom company that writes airline and airport reviews. 

Hong Kong Airlines has flights covering nearly 40 destinations in the Asia Pacific and North America. The airline is currently transitioning from being a regional carrier to a global carrier. But during this transition that are continuing on with their promise to embrace their “strong roots in Hong Kong.” 

We have a feeling you are going to love what you read in this Hong Kong Airlines review. 

The Perks Of Hong Kong Airlines

Credit: Hong Kong Airlines

1. Inexpensive Flights

There is a reason why WOW Air is one of the most popular airlines for travelers on a budget to book with. And that is because the airline is cheap and gets you to where you want to go, without being miserable on you're way there. In this Hong Kong Airlines review, you will learn how this airline has taken a similar route to attract customers. And to keep them coming back for more. 

Hong Kong Airlines offers daily service between Log Angeles and Hong Kong. Add these fares are often available for as low as $550 for economy seats. But no, we do not mean for a one way ticket. We mean for a roundtrip flight. Have you ever heard of such a thing?! 

But if you want to spend a little bit more – without still spending that much at all – you can also book a seat in Business Class starting under $5,000 round trip. And this isn't too bad of a deal, considering Business Class seats have fully reclining flat bed seats for flyers. 

But if this Los Angeles flight option does not appeal to you, there are more options yet! You can also opt to fly out of the airline's non-stop service out of Vancouver, British Columbia. And from there you can book Economy Seats for as low as $541 – again, round trip. Or you can book Business Class seats for as low as $3,091 round trip. 

2. Always Adding More Flights

We know, we know – the deals we mentioned above are already pretty incredible. But that is only the beginning of this Hong Kong Airlines review. Another thing we long about Hong Kong Airlines is that the company is always working to add more and more flight options to help customers get to where they need to go. And do so without breaking the bank. 

Just last year Hong Kong Airlines began offering service out of San Francisco. And they also began offering services at New York's JFK airport. But that is also in addition to flight services out of London's Heathrow Airport. 

Pretty soon, North American travelers will have access to Hong Kong Airlines’ network of more than 30 destinations in the Asia Pacific region.

And this airline is just getting started. 

3. Committed To Customer Service

As you already know, Hong Kong Airlines defines their service as “affordable luxury.” And that is one of the reasons we are so eager to share this Hong Kong Airlines review. It's not everyday you find an airline that wants you to save money and have an enjoyable travel experience. As George Liu, Chief Marketing Officer at Hong Kong Airlines, stated: ““We provide good service for people both sitting in the front and people sitting in the back in economy class.”

So whether you can afford first class tickets or not, you are still likely to have an easy and relaxing travel experience. But there are other ways Hong Kong Airlines works to accomplish their goal of “affordable luxury.” In addition to affordable prices, the airline relocated to a new concourse at the Hong Kong Airport that now allows the airline to get rid of the ferry busses the previously would transport passengers from one terminal to the other. 

As Liu puts it: “Since we moved, 99.5% of our flights are at gates connected to the terminal… It is much easier now.” And unlike other airlines that mostly cater to passengers who are in close proximity with their home market, Hong Kong Airlines strives to reach customers in other destinations far and wide. “We try to deliver a product that is more personal and fun,” says Liu. 

And in our opinion, it's working. 

4. They Serve Pretty Great Food

We all know that airline food usually isn't the best. But Hong Kong Airlines is here to change that stereotype. Every time Hong Kong Airlines launches flights out of a new destination, the company partners with a local restaurant to work with their catering staff. And as a result, the airline food features local favorite dishes for that flight.

For example, In Vancouver, Hong Kong Airlines became partners with Dynasty Seafood Restaurant. According to Forbes magazine, Dynasty's Executive Chef and Head Dim Sum Chef came together to custom-design dishes for Hong Kong Airline's catering company. So the menu featured dishes like baked minced pork pie and hand-shredded smoked chicken. 

If you are a foodie like most of us here at Trekbible are, then we're sure you can appreciate Hong Kong Arline's commitment to serving satisfying food to its customers! 

5. The Airline Is Full Of Surprises

Another reason we love this airline – if you can't already tell from all the gushing we're doing in this Hong Kong Airlines review – is that the company is constantly full of surprises. In other words, they are always trying to treat their passengers in new ways. For example, on Vancouver flights the airline provides Economy passengers with a free loaner iPad mini. And what's more, the device is pre-loaded with hours of movies and television shows. Talk about getting the royal treatment. 

But the iPad mini has nothing on Hong Kong Airline's “Above and Beyond” program. Through this program, Hong Kong Airlines arranges a special inflight surprise for its passengers. But, of course, there is a catch: passengers must request the inflight surprise in advance. And pay a fee for it. 

“If someone will be experiencing a special event, such as a birthday, we can arrange to have a cake served to them in the air,” says Tracey Kwong, Hong Kong Airlines' Communications Manager. “Or if a passenger wants to plan a marriage proposal mid-air, we can help them do that.” 

But if you don't want to purchase the inflight surprise – or if you are not given an iPad mini – you can still enjoy the WiFi available on all Hong Kong Airlines flights. 

6. Flights Are On Time

We all know how rare it is for a flight to actually arrive (and depart) on time. And we all know how frustrating this can be when coordinating getting a friend or family member to pick you up from the airport. Plus, once you tack on waiting around for you luggage at baggage claim, your ride could have been waiting for more than an hour after the flight was scheduled to get in. 

But – as with many other grievances of air travel – Hong Kong Airlines is steadily working to change this problem. Hong Kong Airlines is proud to share with passengers its on-time performance records. And they have the data to back their claims up. Hong Kong Airlines has a department that watches every flight and custom-designs flights times. And while doing this they take into consideration other bits of data, like air traffic control, connecting flights, weather conditions, etc. 

This can be adjusted dynamically,” says Liu, explaining that Hong Kong Airlines adds time into the schedule of each flight so that it achieves better on-time results. “This creates a better customer experience.”

According to OAG Aviation, a company that tracks flight data, in October 2018, 94.8% of Hong Kong Air flights were on-time. Compare this to the 89.4% on-time performance record of Delta Airlines in October 2017. Or the 85.9% on-time performance record for United Airlines. 

Tips On Finding The Airline For You

If we have yet to convince you that Hong Kong Airlines is a great company to look into, don't sweat it. Just because Hong Kong Airlines is right for us, that doesn't mean it's right for everyone!

But still, we are determined to help readers find an easy, stress-free airline to try out. So to help you do that, we put together a list of tips and tricks on how to find the perfect airline for you. 

1. Take Note Of Airline Fees

One of the worst parts about traveling with a lot of luggage is all the fees you have to pay. And if you are an avid traveler who has tried out multiple different airlines, then you probably already know that smaller airlines often have different bagging fees. Some of those fees can be pretty hefty. So if you are planning a trip with a multi-airline itinerary, it is very important that you pay attention to those fees for each leg of the trip! They can really add up. 

Another way to help avoid fees it simply by planning ahead. Do your research, read reviews, know what luggage sizes are accepted. Sure, reading and taking notes of airline fees can be time consuming. And it sure isn't the most fun part of traveling. But in the long run, it is so worth the effort. 

2. Be Flexible

One of the best ways to find a great airline for your trip is to stay flexible about your travel dates. In many cases, being flexible can score you some extra perks and discounts! But overall, if you keep your days of departure, arrival, and return flexible, then you may be able to get a price reduction. 

Don't know what we mean exactly by flexible travel dates? By being “flexible” we mean if you can opt to fly before or after your “goal date” to travel, then you may be able to find less expensive flights. For example, a Wednesday flight is almost always less expensive than a Saturday flight. Just another tip to keep in mind!

3. Don't Read Those Forums

We wholeheartedly believe that one of the last places you should go to find advice on picking an airline is an airline forum. In other words, a place like Reddit where passengers hop on to share their reviews of an airlines. And we advise you don't go looking at these forums for good reason!

People on forums often over-exaggerate an experience. Or, in some cases, have been paid to write a positive review. But they could have also been paid to write a negative review. Regardless, many reviews on airline forums are flown out of proportion. 

So we suggest you do a different kind of research when looking for an airline to travel with. At the end of the day, a forum won't be helpful. It will just stress you out. 

4. Compare Flights On Different Travel Sites

Never, ever look at only one travel site when searching for airlines and flights! Just because one travel site says that they have the best travel deals available doesn't mean it's true. Because when reading something like this, you often have to consider if the site is referring to just the cost of the flight, or the entire travel package. 

And on top of that, many travel sites will write in phrases like “best travel deals!” as a marketing tactic. But there are so many different travel web sites out there to look at. There is Google Flights, Kayak, Wow Air, and so much more. Do us – and yourself – a huge favor and search around a few sites before choosing your airline. 

And on that note…

5. Compare Seats

This travel tip goes hand in hand with the one above. So let's say you are trying to decide between flights on two different airlines. And both of the airlines are offering prices that you are comfortable with settling on. But that does not mean that they will be the same quality flight experience!One of those airlines may have less leg room. Or they may have gross airplane for. They could also have in-flight entertainment options, or not. So a great way to figure out which airline is better is simply by looking at the web sites of both airlines and comparing the two.

This is such a simple step, but too many travelers forget to do it. But as you can tell by now, research goes a long way in finding the best airline for you. That's why we did so much research when typing up this Hong Kong Airlines review. 

6. Know The Best Time To Buy

Just as there are some days of the week that are better to buy a ticket on, there are certain times of day to be aware of. In most cases, the best time to purchase a ticket on most airlines, including Hong Kong Airlines, is between Monday night and Wednesday afternoon. The reason for this is because flight sales come out on Mondays and are then matched by early Tuesday morning. And then they usually will disappear by Thursday morning or afternoon. 

Also, do not purchase a ticket more than 3 1/2 months prior to the day you want to leave. And definitely not after seven to ten days prior to your trip! If you choose to buy your ticket at this time, you will be spending way more money that you want to. Statistically the absolute best time to purchase airline tickets is six to eight weeks in advance of when you want to fly.

In Conclusion: If you want an affordable airplane that will treat you right, Hong Kong Airlines is a good way to. 

Again, not every single airline will be right for you. But some will be more right than others. And we truly believe that Hong Kong Airlines is able to please just about every traveler. A flight with Hong Kong Airlines won't break the bank and you will still be treated to excellent customer service. What more can you really ask for?

Have you flown with Hong Kong Airlines? And did you enjoy your experience? If not, do you have another airline that you love to travel with? Anything you would recommend? Leave us a comment and let us know!

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