This October marks a golden milestone for Cathay Pacific as they celebrate 50 years since their inaugural flight between Hong Kong and Sydney on 21 October 1974, followed by their first departure out of Sydney on 22 October 1974.
Before this historic flight, no airline offered a direct route between the two cities, making this a groundbreaking moment in aviation. The inaugural departure—aboard a Boeing 707—carried 108 passengers on a journey lasting around 10 hours. The flight was captained by Bob Howell, with Hal Dyball as the First Officer and Bruce Holyman as the Flight Engineer. This pioneering team helped set the stage for what has become a rich and successful 50-year history of connecting Sydney to the world.
Since that first flight, Cathay Pacific has soared to new heights, now flying to over 90 destinations across the globe. Not only was Cathay the first carrier to operate the state-of-the-art A350-1000 on a commercial route from Australia, but it has also won SkyTrax’s prestigious ‘World’s Best Airline’ award four times, most recently achieving recognition for ‘World’s Best Economy Class’ in 2024. Today, Cathay Pacific continues to be a global leader in aviation, constantly innovating while staying true to its roots.
To commemorate their 50th anniversary and a half-century of connecting Aussies to destinations around the globe, Cathay Pacific is launching a spectacular $10K giveaway.