Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) is one of Asia’s busiest aviation hubs, connecting the world not only to the city of Hong Kong, but to China and the rest of the Far East as well. Passengers can travel nonstop between HKG and more than 100 destinations on five continents, on both home carrier Cathay Pacific and dozens of international airlines. Having flown to and through HKG dozens of times over the years, I’m excited to share my insider tips with you.
How to get to and from HKG and Hong Kong
It’s easy to get from HKG to central Hong Kong, whether you travel by bus, private car or train. In most cases, the train (branded as the Airport Express) is the fastest and most convenient option.
I prefer the Airport Express for several reasons, first and foremost because you don’t have to think much about it. It departs once every 10 minutes, so there’s no need to time things out too specifically. I also love how clean, comfortable and spacious the interior of the coaches are. The experience feels upscale, in spite of being public transportation.
Remaining mindful of a few things before and during your journey will make your arrival into Hong Kong a lot smoother. First, having an Octopus card (be it a physical one, or a digital one installed via a mobile wallet) allows you to pay for your fare using a simple tap. I recommend installing this before your trip, or if you get a physical card, buying it in the airport before you board the Airport Express.
Secondly, realize that although a “Kowloon” stop exists, it is quite a distance northward and westward of many of the top hotels in Kowloon. A free shuttle bus does run between the station and popular areas of Kowloon such as Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui (TST), but I typically employ a different strategy. Namely, I ride the Airport Express to Hong Kong Station, then make the short walk to MTR Central Station and travel to TST, Jordan or Mong Kong via the MTR Tsuen Wan Line.
In most cases, I don’t recommend travelling between HKG and central Hong Kong via bus or private car, be that taxi or Uber. Taking any road vehicle subjects you to traffic, which can delay both your departure and arrival. The only time I personally take a taxi or Uber is if I have extremely heavy or bulky luggage and don’t want to carry it.
Navigating security lines at HKG
All passengers at Hong Kong International Airport need to pass through thorough but efficient security checks and then through passport control. There are no “Priority” queues per se, but there are situations where you may be able to bypass the main waiting area.
Once you clear security, you’ll need to pass through passport control. Here, there are a couple options for bypassing the main queue. First, if you’ve registered for the Frequent Visitor Channel, you can use an automated kiosk. Secondly, if you hold an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC), you can wait in the designated line, which is often slightly shorter than the ordinary ones.
I will say, in general, that both security and passport control in Hong Kong tends to move quickly and efficiently. While I love feeling like a VIP as much as any professional traveller, general processing at HKG tends to be so fast that you don’t save much time using an automated kiosk or the ABTC lane.
Transfers at HKG
Hong Kong doesn’t have any domestic flights, so all transfers at the airport are international-to-international. This is even the case for flights to and from mainland China, which has a separate immigration system from Hong Kong, in spite of the city technically being part of China.
After your first flight arrives at Hong Kong, you’ll need to follow signs to the nearest Transit Desk if you don’t have your boarding pass for your next flight. If you do, you can instead proceed directly to the security checkpoint, by following signs to “International Transfer.” Like the security areas in the main part of the airport, these lines move quickly and efficiently.
Once you’ve cleared security, you can proceed into the main part of the airport, where you can shop, dine or visit airport lounges. If you’re an #avgeek like me, you could simply watch airplanes take off and land! One of the reasons I love transiting via HKG so much is that there’s never a dull moment, and there’s always something to do.
Airline lounges and alternatives at HKG
Hong Kong International Airport is home to some of the highest-rated airport lounges in the world, particularly those of home carrier Cathay Pacific. However, first and business class passengers on other airlines and holders of certain lounge credentials may still be able to enjoy the airport’s exclusive lounges.
Cathay’s five lounges are accessible to premium passengers on Cathay Pacific and oneworld carriers like British Airways and Qantas, plus elite flyers holding top-tier status with Cathay or oneworld carriers.
If you have access to the first class lounges, I personally prefer The Wing. Both lounges feature chef-cooked food, craft cocktails and full-service spas, but I find the private Cabana rooms at The Wing to have a more exclusive feel than the Day Suites at The Pier. Have a long layover? Split your time between both of these exclusive spots!
Other airlines operating their own lounges include Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Qantas. Of these, the Singapore Airlines SilverKris lounge is the most useful, as it’s the designated HKG lounge for premium passengers on Star Alliance carriers like Air Canada and Air China.
If you hold a Priority Pass card, you have a few lounge options at Hong Kong International Airport. My personal favourite of these is the Chase Sapphire Lounge, which is stylish and feels intimate, in spite of being relatively large. HKG is also home to three locations of the Plaza Premium Lounge, a global brand that frequent international travellers will recognize.
Should you explore Hong Kong on a long layover?
If you have a layover of more than about 6–8 hours and aren’t totally wiped out from your flight, I do recommend going into Hong Kong to explore. Certain companies offer “transfer tours” that include transport to, from and within the city, though I usually just hop on the Airport Express to Hong Kong Station and hit the ground running from there.
If I do take a quick trip into the city, I typically visit the Luggage Storage area in Arrivals Hall A to drop my bags prior to heading into the city. Luggage storage is also available within Hong Kong and Kowloon Airport Express Stations, though I prefer taking care of all of this before leaving the airport.
Coming back to HKG, I suggest stepping onto the airport express no less than three full hours before your flight’s departure time. Taking into account the ~24 minutes it will take you to reach the airport, this leaves you 90 minutes to check in and clear security and immigration, allowing you to reach the gate the recommended one hour before departure.
Transport to Macau and Mainland China from HKG
HKG is a hub not only for the city of Hong Kong, but for the nearby Special Administrative Region of Macau, and for outlying parts of China’s Guangdong province, namely the city of Zhuhai. It’s possible to travel directly from Hong Kong International Airport to these destinations.
Before passing through immigration at HKG, you will see signs for “Ferries to Macau and Mainland.” Going this route will allow you to travel onward to these destinations without clearing Hong Kong immigration or customs. Note that these ferries don’t come especially often, so you should look up timetables and see if departures correspond with your arrival time.
Alternatively, if you do clear immigration in Hong Kong, frequent Cityflyer bus services can take you to Macau and Zhuhai without having to go to central Hong Kong first. These buses come much more often than the ferries.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
