Side by side
China Airlines vs Cathay Pacific
China Airlines
12 positive (80%) · 3 mixed (20%) · 0 negative (0%)
Trust + time weighted: +77%
AI summary — not a quote
China Airlines is highly regarded by travelers as a reliable, Taiwan-based full-service carrier. It is frequently praised for its high standards of service, quality food, and efficient operations through its Taipei (TPE) hub. A recurring theme in user discussions is the need to distinguish it from Mainland Chinese carriers, as it is the flag carrier of Taiwan and operates under different regulations and routes.
Pros
- Excellent onboard service and food quality
- Efficient connections at Taipei (TPE) Terminal 1 with manageable walking distances
- Generally perceived as having better employee relations compared to regional competitors
- Reliable flight schedules, particularly for routes to Japan and Europe
Cons
- Strict adherence to linear dimension limits (158cm) for checked luggage can be an issue for trunk-style suitcases
- Brand name frequently causes confusion with PRC-based airlines
Top excerpts
Given the current events in the Middle East, I booked new flights from Asia to Europe through China Airlines. The checked baggage allowance is 2 x 23kg but the sum of all sides of each bag must be 158cm. My luggage (trunk-style) is 160cm if I’m not mistaken. It’s such a small difference.
China airlines is pretty good and also based in a whole different country so the post is pretty misleading.
In my experience Chibese carriers are ten years "behind" Western airlines i.e. they don't fuss nearly as much about baggage. You should be good.
China Airlines is a Taiwanese airline so they won't cancel flights to Japan. They are not controlled by the Chinese government.
China Airlines is the flag carrier of Taiwan and has nothing to do with the PRC. Will be fine.
Cathay Pacific
36 positive (56%) · 12 mixed (19%) · 16 negative (25%)
Trust + time weighted: +36%
AI summary — not a quote
Cathay Pacific is widely regarded as a premier full-service carrier, frequently praised for its professional crew, superior seat comfort, and high-quality in-flight experience compared to Western competitors. While it is a top choice for transpacific travel and award bookings, passengers with severe nut allergies and those sensitive to high award taxes should exercise caution.
Pros
- Professional, calm, and kind cabin crew even in stressful situations.
- Superior seat recline and legroom on long-haul flights compared to many competitors.
- Generally lenient enforcement of carry-on weight for backpacks and small bags.
- High availability for award travel bookings.
Cons
- Peanuts are a standard snack on most long-haul routes, posing risks for severe allergy sufferers.
- High taxes and fees associated with award flight redemptions.
- Mobile app is reportedly unreliable for generating boarding passes on certain sectors like US-to-India.
Top excerpts
I've flown with Cathay 8 times and they've served peanuts as a snack every long haul flight I've been on.
RE cabin baggage, you have already discovered the problem with having heavy items. Get rid of the suitcase and take a backpack sub 1kg and now you have 2kg extra to use. And there is some leeway, as long as you don’t look to be visibly struggling with the weight, you are unlikely to be weighed on a full service airline like cathay.
Most airlines (including Cathay Pacific) do indeed let you print a boarding pass - but since it's an international flight, he may still be required to go to the desk for a document check.
I used Cathay Pacific to get to Thailand in late January so I added Macau as a stopover.
Cathay has never weighed my carry on bags and I fly Transpacific with them two or three times a year. But then again, I only bring a backpack and maybe a small messenger, so it never looks like I'm trying to sneak aboard with more than I'm alotted even though combined I typically carry aboard 10-15kg.