Cathay launches 4K HDR inflight entertainment

Rich detail, striking colours, pronounced depth. When you sit back to watch a film on a Cathay Pacific aircraft, you’re viewing the action as it was meant to be seen.  

That’s thanks to last month’s major enhancement to our inflight entertainment: we’re one of the first airlines to launch 4K HDR, offering even higher resolution screens and a broader colour range. This latest technology pairs with our upgraded entertainment interface to create a more immersive, enjoyable and intuitive viewing experience in flight.

“We want to show films as they were envisioned for the big screen,” says Alvin Lai, Customer Experience Manager – Entertainment. “More contrast, more faithful colours and lighting. You’ll really see the difference.”

Behind this sleek new upgrade is years of extensive work. “Starting with our A321neo fleet, we began installing the latest 4K hardware in our planes in 2020,” recounts Mavis Keung, Customer Experience Manager - IFE & Connectivity Development. “Since then, we’ve been carrying out constant software updates.”

 “This was always our vision,” she adds.  

As Lai points out, being among the first means encountering new and unknown challenges. “Even once the technology was in place, we needed to work with film studios to test and roll out content; we’ve been doing that for the past year,” he says.  

The result is a thoughtfully curated collection of films now showing in glorious 4K HDR on board selected A321neo aircraft. Among these are timeless Hong Kong classics – Wong Kar-wai’s 2046, Johnnie To movies including Throw Down, and Bruce Lee’s iconic The Way of the Dragon.

You’ll also find beloved blockbuster franchises like The Godfather, The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, as well as new releases Kraven the Hunter, Wolfs and Gladiator II.

Lai says the team opted for epic, spectacle-filled sagas for a reason. “These are big-screen movies, so when watching inflight, 4K HDR is a must.”  

As Keung notes, customer research is key to refining passenger experience. “It’s allowed us in recent years to improve our interface. We introduced a dark mode to reduce eye strain and a new scrolling function so users can easily navigate our growing content library.”

Despite these enhancements, the experience remains reassuringly familiar. Consistency and user-friendliness are essential, says Keung. “Whenever a new product is launched, Alvin and I go on the aircraft to see how people take to it – and we’re seeing good results.”

That’s not the only validation the team have received. Our inflight entertainment recently won two prestigious industry accolades: a Red Dot Design Award and the German Design Award – Gold. Such achievement fuels our ongoing commitment to providing exceptional entertainment options, and is evident through our partnerships with premium brands including Disney+, iQiYi, Paramount+, Max, A24 and BBC; high-quality production of talent interviews; and a diverse library of content which spans movies, TV shows, audio and games.

Not that either Lai or Keung are staying complacent; the work behind the scenes continues to ensure a constantly upgraded inflight experience. The next frontier? Bringing seamless Wi-Fi connectivity to more passengers on more planes.  

 “We’ve been expanding our free inflight Wi-Fi service for some time, and will continue to explore opportunities to do so,” says Keung. “We also know passengers want to just connect and get on with things. So we’re working to ensure reliability and stability.”

Just like inflight entertainment, Wi-Fi is central to delivering a premium passenger experience. “What’s more, we see these two pillars as going hand in hand and, in the future, they’ll be more connected,” says Keung. “Stay tuned.” 

Our 4K HDR picks  

Gladiator II

Sixteen years after the death of Maximus, his legacy lives on in another young gladiator in this thrilling sequel that combines slick CGI with sweeping cinematography.

Happy Together 

Wong Kar Wai’s 1997 film is made memorable by the performances of its two stars Tony Leung and Leslie Cheung, who play a couple struggling to save their relationship.  

The Lord of the Rings 

Stunning visuals and epic storytelling have ensured that Peter Jackson’s adaptation of JRR Tolkien's fantasy novels will be beloved for generations to come.

Skytrax Awards 2025

We’re honoured to have been named the winner of 2023 Skytrax World’s Best Inflight Entertainment award and are grateful to all our customers worldwide.

This year, we’re excited to once again be nominated for the annual Skytrax awards, and we would greatly appreciate your vote.

Voting is now open for the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2025. Click here to cast your vote before 30 April 2025. We value your support and look forward to creating more unforgettable journeys for you in the years ahead.
 

At Cathay Pacific, we’re dedicated to offering an unparalleled inflight entertainment experience and making your every journey as enjoyable as possible.

As the winner of 2023 Skytrax World’s Best Inflight Entertainment award, we have one of the most extensive libraries available in the skies. Immerse yourself in our 4,300+ hours of entertainment with the largest movie collection and TV boxsets from names like Disney+, iQiYi, Paramount+, Max, A24 and BBC offered in 20+ languages, alongside exclusive interviews with industry talents, audio albums and playlists, as well as live news and sports on board our A350 aircraft. Learn more about our offerings here.

This story was originally published in February 2025 and updated in March 2025.