Cathay Pacific vs Garuda Indonesia
Can’t choose between Cathay Pacific and Garuda Indonesia? Check out our comparison.
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Cathay Pacific and Garuda Indonesia are two highly rated airlines.
Both are based in Asia and both offer a range of flights connecting Australia to Asia and beyond.
So when you're faced with flying with either which comes up on top? We discuss.
Cathay Pacific vs Garuda Indonesia
| Feature | Cathay Pacific | Garuda Indonesia | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where does it fly to? |
|
| Cathay Pacific flies to many more destinations. |
| What star rating is it? | 5-star | 5-star | Both airlines are rated 5-stars. |
| What classes are available? | Economy, Premium Economy, Business and First Class. | Economy, Business and First Class. | Cathay Pacific offers Premium Economy. |
| What is the baggage allowance? | In Economy and Premium Economy, the carry-on allowance is 7kg; in Business Class it’s 10kg; and in First Class it is 15kg. The check-in allowance is 30kg in Economy, 35kg in Premium Economy, 40kg in Business Class and 50kg in First Class. | Passengers can bring one carry-on bag up to 7kg. The checked baggage allowance is 30kg in Economy, 40kg in Business Class and 50kg in First Class. | Both airlines have similar baggage allowances, although Cathay Pacific has a higher carry-on limit in Business and First Class. |
| Where does it fly from in Australia? | Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, | Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. | Cathay Pacific has twice as many Australian locations. |
| What's the in-flight entertainment like? | Films, TV shows, music, games, language learning and flight information, with many languages available. | Films, TV shows, music, games, flight information and, on some flights, live TV. Some options are available in other languages. | Cathay Pacific has slightly better inflight entertainment. |
| Can I make changes /cancellations? | Yes. Your cancellations can be made online for a full refund, depending on the fare type. Fees may apply. | Yes. All bookings can be cancelled, and changes can be made to domestic flights. Fees apply. Refunds are only given for involuntary cancellations. | Cathay Pacific makes it simpler to change or cancel a booking. |
| What type of plane will I fly on? Do they have an A380? | Cathay Pacific flies Boeing and Airbus aircraft, but the A380 is not included. | Garuda Indonesia uses Boeing and Airbus models, but not the A380. | Neither airline has A380 aircraft. |
| Which frequent flyer programs is it with? | Cathay's Marco Polo Club program lets members earn points for flying with Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon and Oneworld airlines. | Garuda Miles allows members to earn miles by flying with Garuda Indonesia and their partner airlines. It is part of the SkyTeam Alliance. | Both airlines have their own frequent flyer programs and belong to airline alliances. |
| Is there Wi-Fi? | Yes. Most A320 aircraft have a Wi-Fi entertainment system. | Yes. Wi-Fi plans are available on all 777 and some A330 aircraft. Wi-Fi is free in First Class. | Both airlines offer Wi-Fi on select aircraft. |
| Can I price match? | Yes. | No. | Cathay Pacific price matches. |
| Does it serve alcohol? | Yes. | Yes, on most flights. | Cathay Pacific always offers alcoholic beverages. |
| Is there online chat? | Yes. | No. | Cathay Pacific has an online chat. |
| Does it charge for infants? | Yes. Infant tickets are required for children aged under two. | Yes. Children under two are subject to an infant fare. | Both airlines charge for infants. |
| Does it fly pets? | Yes. Service animals can be brought onboard, while all other pets fly in the hold. Prices are calculated by weight. | Yes. All pets will be transported as checked baggage or cargo, depending on their size. | Cathay Pacific and Garuda Indonesia both fly pets. |
| What are my payment options? |
|
| Cathay Pacific has more payment options. |
| Can I book round-the-world-fares? | Yes. | Yes, through SkyTeam. | You can book round-the-world fares with both airlines. |
| Can I book multi-city fares? | Yes. | Yes. | Both airlines let you book multi-city fares. |
| Any features to find the best price? | When choosing a flight, the lowest prices on surrounding dates are also shown. | Garuda Indonesia’s best fares and promotions pages list all current flight deals. | Cathay Pacific has more features to help you find the best price. |
| Book | Cathay Pacific | Garuda Indonesia |
Who offers the best price?
Cathay Pacific will price match if you find the same fare at a lower price on another Australian website, while Garuda Indonesia does not price match. This means there’s no guarantee that you’ll pay the lowest price by booking directly through Garuda Indonesia’s website.
Looking deeper, we compared both airlines' prices on similar flights to see which costs less overall.
The verdict?
When booking through each airlines' official websites for similar flights we found that Garuda Indonesia offered cheaper fare, though only by a slight margin.
Is it a good airline to fly with?
Cathay Pacific and Garuda Indonesia are both 5-star airlines with Skytrax. On AirlineEquality.com, Garuda Indonesia’s customer reviews give it an overall rating of 8/10, while Cathay Pacific is rated 7/10. The differences are seen in their staff service, for which Garuda Indonesia rates 5-stars and Cathay Pacific rates 4-stars, and their food and beverages, for which they rate 4-stars and 3-stars, respectively.
The verdict?
Both Cathay Pacific and Garuda Indonesia are excellent airlines to fly with, but Garuda Indonesia has better customer reviews.
What are the deals like?
Cathay Pacific's deals span its entire network though are often concentrated on its Asian and European destinations. Deals are frequent and feature flights into Hong Kong from $600+ and flights to Europe from $1,000+.
Garuda Indonesia is more dedicated to deals across Asia, with flights to Mumbai from $793 and to Bali from $574 being some of its more recent deals.
The verdict?
Cathay Pacific’s flight deals cover a much wider range of locations.
Top Cathay Pacific and Garuda Indonesia deals
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