# Cathay Pacific vs HK Express

Cathay Pacific and HK Express both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 70% of Cathay Pacific's written reviews are positive against 18% of HK Express's. Cathay Pacific also leads on chart position (#134 vs unranked). HK Express's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Cathay Pacific against 4.4 for HK Express. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.7K and 1.8K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of Cathay Pacific's written reviews are positive against 18% of HK Express's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cathay Pacific | HK Express |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cathay-pacific/id305038764/reviews) | [4.4 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hk-express/id1069758898/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.7K** | 1.8K |
| Positive reviews | **69.7% of reviews** | 17.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#134** | — |
| Size | 338 MB | 221 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cathay Pacific Airways Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/932300047) | [HK Express](https://appshunter.io/developer/1069758897) |

## What reviewers say

### Cathay Pacific

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cathay-pacific/id305038764)

**Currently charting:** #134 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

Manage your entire travel experience from booking flights to checking in and accessing your boarding pass. The app provides personalized updates on upcoming flights and available actions, simplifying trip planning and management.

**Highlights:** Book flights, Plan trips, Manage bookings, Personalized home screen, Check-in, Seat selection, Digital boarding pass

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 📱 Convenient mobile experience
- 💻 Seamless online booking
- 🤝 Great customer service

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔑 Complicated login process
- 🔄 Constant need to re-login
- 🚫 Limited functionality compared to website
- 🤔 Inconsistent user experience

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to view/manage bookings
- Errors during check-in and boarding pass retrieval
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- Unreliable flight status updates
- Inconsistent behavior across different devices

**Requested features**

- Offline access to booking details
- Ability to redeem miles/points within the app
- Improved seat selection and upgrade options
- Integration with digital wallets for boarding passes
- More personalized and customizable features


### HK Express

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hk-express/id1069758898)

Easily book flights and manage your travel plans with this redesigned mobile application. Discover deals, book to over 30 Asian destinations, and personalize your trip with extra services. Enjoy a seamless check-in process with e-boarding passes and self-service baggage drop at select airports.

**Highlights:** Discover flight deals and promotions, Book flights to over 30 Asian destinations, Personalize trips with extra services, Easy check-in with e-boarding pass, Self-service baggage drop, Travel tips and inspiration

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Smooth and intuitive user experience
- 🚀 Quick and responsive app
- 💳 Seamless payment processing
- 🛫 Efficient check-in and boarding process
- 🤝 Helpful and polite customer service

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and glitches
- 🔒 Login and authentication issues
- 💻 Compatibility problems with various devices
- 💰 Unexpected fees and charges
- 🗓️ Difficulty managing bookings and reservations

**Reported bugs**

- Blank screens during booking process
- Inability to save booking history and details
- Inconsistent currency and language support
- Errors when attempting to check-in or manage bookings
- Unreliable performance and frequent crashes

**Requested features**

- Integrate Cathay login option
- Improve boarding pass integration with digital wallets
- Implement better offline functionality
- Enhance payment methods and options
- Provide more transparent pricing and fee structure


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cathay Pacific free?

Cathay Pacific is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is HK Express free?

HK Express is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Cathay Pacific or HK Express?

Cathay Pacific and HK Express are both rated 4.4 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2.7K and 1.8K ratings respectively.

### Do Cathay Pacific or HK Express have ads?

Neither Cathay Pacific nor HK Express shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cathay Pacific or HK Express?

Cathay Pacific ships an update fortnightly, and HK Express fortnightly. Most recently, Cathay Pacific was updated on October 1, 2026 and HK Express on September 30, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*