Seattle to Hong Kong Flights (SEA to HKG): Nonstops, Flight Time and Getting Into the City

Nonstop or one stop: what is actually on offer

Seattle to Hong Kong has had a nonstop on and off. As of recent schedules, Cathay Pacific is the airline flying it, having brought the route back after a long suspension, so check that the nonstop is operating on your dates rather than assuming it. When it runs, it is the only nonstop between the Pacific Northwest and Hong Kong.

If the nonstop is not available or is priced high, one-stop itineraries are plentiful and often add only three to five hours:

• Via Tokyo on Japan Airlines or ANA, with Delta also flying Seattle to Tokyo and handing you to a partner for the Hong Kong sector.
• Via Seoul on Korean Air or Asiana, or on Delta's Seattle to Seoul flight connecting to Korean Air.
• Via Taipei on EVA Air or Starlux, both of which fly Seattle to Taipei and on to Hong Kong.
• Via Vancouver on Air Canada or Cathay Pacific, a short hop north followed by a long nonstop.
• Via San Francisco on United, which flies Hong Kong from its California hub.

The Tokyo and Taipei connections are usually the smoothest because the second leg is short and the airports are easy to transfer through. Seoul adds a little flying time but Incheon is a comfortable airport for a layover.

Flight time and distance

The great-circle distance from Seattle to Hong Kong is about 6,480 miles (roughly 10,430 km). Westbound, the nonstop typically takes 13 to 14.5 hours against the jet stream. The return from Hong Kong to Seattle is faster, around 11.5 to 13 hours. One-stop itineraries typically total 16 to 20 hours.

You cross the International Date Line heading west, so you arrive in Hong Kong the day after you leave Seattle, usually in the early morning or the early evening depending on the departure. Coming home, you land in Seattle on the same calendar day you left, often earlier in the day than your departure time. Check the arrival date on your hotel booking before you confirm it.

Departing from Seattle-Tacoma International

SEA has one main terminal with concourses A through D plus the North and South satellites, linked by an underground train. Cathay Pacific and most other Asian carriers use the South Satellite, which is a train ride from the main security checkpoints, so do not leave the walk to the last minute. Delta and Korean Air also operate from the South Satellite for international departures.

Security lines at SEA are long in the morning rush and again in the early afternoon when the Asia departures cluster. Arriving three hours before an international departure is sensible, and the SEA Spot Saver reservation for general security can be worth setting up the day before. The airport is busy with construction, so the signage and walking routes change more often than at most US airports.

Link light rail runs from downtown Seattle and the University District to the airport station in about 40 minutes, and it is the cheapest and most predictable way to reach SEA at rush hour. The station is a long covered walk from the terminal, so allow 10 to 15 minutes with bags. Rideshare pickups are on the third floor of the parking garage, not at the curb.

Arriving at Hong Kong International

Hong Kong International sits on reclaimed land off Lantau Island, well away from the city. Arrivals at Terminal 1 move quickly: immigration is efficient, and visitors on short stays receive a landing slip rather than a passport stamp. Follow the signs to the transport options on the arrivals level.

• Airport Express: the train to Hong Kong station in Central takes about 24 minutes, with stops at Kowloon and Tsing Yi. Free shuttle buses from Kowloon and Hong Kong stations serve many hotels, and in-town check-in on the return lets you drop bags in Central the morning you fly.
• Airport buses: the A routes serve Hong Kong Island and Kowloon in 45 to 75 minutes and cost far less than the train; the slower E routes are cheaper still. Good if your hotel is not near an Airport Express station.
• Taxi: red taxis go to Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, green to the New Territories, blue to Lantau. Expect 35 to 50 minutes to Central with tunnel tolls added.

An Octopus card, available at the airport or on your phone, pays for the train, buses, the MTR and most convenience stores. Buy or load one before you leave the terminal.

When to fly to Hong Kong

October through December is the best weather of the year: warm, mostly dry and clear, with lower humidity than the summer. It is also popular, so fares from Seattle rise around the Christmas and New Year period. Lunar New Year, which falls in late January or February, is the busiest travel time in the region, and many shops and restaurants close for the first days of the festival. Fares spike for the week before it.

March to May is pleasant but increasingly humid. June to September is hot, wet and the heart of typhoon season, when a storm can shut the airport for a day. Fares are often lowest in late May, June and the first half of September. If you are combining Hong Kong with mainland China, avoid the Golden Week holiday at the start of October, when trains and hotels fill.

For the nonstop, booking two to four months ahead usually gives the best choice of seats. For holiday travel, start earlier.

Entry requirements and documents

As of recent rules, US passport holders can enter Hong Kong for short tourist stays without a visa. Hong Kong operates its own immigration system, separate from mainland China, so a Hong Kong stay does not grant entry to Shenzhen or Guangzhou; a mainland visa or an eligible visa-free arrangement is a separate question. Check the Hong Kong Immigration Department website for current rules before you book.

Your passport should be valid for at least a month beyond your stay, and airlines sometimes ask for proof of onward travel. Hong Kong has no arrival card for most visitors, and customs is a walk-through green channel for ordinary luggage.

Time zones and jet lag

Hong Kong is on Hong Kong Time all year, with no daylight saving. It is 16 hours ahead of Seattle during Pacific Standard Time and 15 hours ahead during Pacific Daylight Time. In practice that works like going back eight or nine hours and skipping a day.

Westbound jet lag is usually manageable: morning arrivals are the hard ones because you have a whole day to get through, so keep moving, stay outside and go to bed at a normal local time. Evening arrivals let you sleep straight away. The flight home is tougher for most people, with an early-day arrival in Seattle after a short night; plan a light first day back.

What travellers on this route get wrong

The most common mistake is assuming the Seattle nonstop runs every day of the year; it has come and gone, and frequencies change by season, so check the operating days before you plan around it. The second is booking a one-stop with a tight connection at Vancouver, which involves a terminal change and sometimes a second security check. The third is landing in Hong Kong without an Octopus card and paying cash for every ride; set one up on your phone before you leave Seattle.