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Cathay Pacific offers a legitimate student discount program that provides reduced fares and added travel benefits for eligible students on select routes. Unlike airlines that rely on youth or third-party discounts, Cathay Pacific publishes official student fares, though availability and savings vary by destination, fare class, and travel period.
While the discount is often modest compared to some European carriers, Cathay Pacific student fares can still provide meaningful value — especially for long-haul international travel to and from Asia.
How Cathay Pacific Student Fares Work
Cathay Pacific student fares are primarily designed for international, long-haul travel, particularly between Asia, North America, Europe, and Australia. These fares are usually available in Economy and Premium Economy, with occasional availability in Business Class depending on route and inventory.
What Cathay Pacific Student Fares May Include
- Discounted base fares on select routes
- Additional checked baggage allowance
- More flexible change and cancellation rules
- Access to standard Cathay Pacific service and onboard amenities
Student fares must typically be selected during the booking process by choosing the student fare option or applying the designated student promotion when available.
Does Cathay Pacific Have Student Discounts for Any Destination?
Cathay Pacific only allows student discounts for selected destinations and fare categories. It depends on where you are flying from and where you are going. Some packages and prices also vary depending on the country of origin and destination.
Each Departure and Destination combination has a unique Cathay Pacific Student Discount Code, so make sure you check the chart below to get the right one. Currently, Cathay offers discounts for students from the following areas:
| DEPARTURE COUNTRY | TYPE OF DISCOUNT | STUDENT DISCOUNT CODE | DESTINATIONS |
| Cambodia | Up to 5% discount | KHSTUDENT | • Asia: Hong Kong • Australia: Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Perth • Europe: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Paris, Zurich • Americas: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Vancouver, Toronto |
| Canada | Exclusive fare rate | CASTUDENT | • Australia: Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney• Cambodia: Phnom Penh • China: Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Shanghai, Wuhan • Hong Kong SAR: Hong Kong • India: Delhi, Mumbai • Indonesia: Jakarta, Surabaya • Japan: Osaka, Tokyo • Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur • Nepal: Kathmandu • New Zealand, Auckland • Philippines: Cebu, Manila • Singapore: Singapore • South Korea: Seoul • Taiwan: Kaohsiung, Taipei • Thailand: Bangkok • United Arab Emirates: Dubai • Vietnam: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City |
| France | Exclusive fare rates | FRSTUDENT | • Hong Kong • Australia: Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth • New Zealand: Auckland, Christchurch • Taiwan: Kaohsiung, Taipei • Thailand: Bangkok, Phuket |
| Germany | Exclusive fare rates | DESTUDENT | • Hong Kong • Australia: Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth • New Zealand: Auckland, Christchurch • Taiwan: Kaohsiung, Taipei • Thailand: Bangkok, Phuket |
| Hong Kong *Different deals for the Student Saver Package (see below) | Exclusive fare rates | HKSTUPLUS (United Kingdom and Ireland) | • Ireland: Dublin, Cork, Shannon • United Kingdom: London, Manchester, Aberdeen, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Newcastle |
| HKSTUDENT (other selected destinations) | Exclusive fare rates | ||
| Indonesia | Up to 15% discount | IDSTUDENT | • Asia: Hong Kong • Europe: Europe: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Paris, Zurich • United States: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco • Canada: Vancouver, Toronto |
| Italy | Exclusive fare rates | ITSTUDENT | • Hong Kong • Australia: Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth • New Zealand: Auckland, Christchurch • Taiwan: Kaohsiung, Taipei • Thailand: Bangkok, Phuket |
| Japan | Exclusive fare rates | JPSTUDENT | • Hong Kong • Taipei, Kaoshun, Taichun • Chinese Mainland: Beijing, Chengdu, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Qingdao, Shanghai (Pudong), Wuhan, Xiamen • Greater Bay Area: Macau (Taipa), Shenzhen Shekou, Shenzhen Fuyong, Guangzhou Lin Fa Shan, Guangzhou Nansha, Humen (Dongguan), Zhuhai, Zhongshan • Southeast Asia: Singapore, Bangkok, Phuket, Manila, Cebu, Jakarta, Denpasar / Bali, Surabaya, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Nha Trang, Phnom Penh, Kuala Lumpur • South Asia: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Colombo • Middle East: Dubai, Tel Aviv, Doha • Southwest Pacific: Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Auckland, Christchurch, Nadi/Fiji, Port Moresby • Europe: London (Heathrow), Manchester, Paris, Frankfurt, Rome, Milan, Amsterdam, Zurich, Madrid, Barcelona • The Americas: New York (JFK), Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Vancouver, Toronto • Africa: Johannesburg |
| Malaysia | Up to 20% discount | MYSTUDENT | • Asia: Hong Kong • Australia: Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Perth • Europe: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Paris, Zurich • Americas: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Vancouver, Toronto |
| Netherlands | Exclusive fare rates | NLSTUDENT | • Australia: Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney • New Zealand: Auckland, Christchurch • Taiwan: Kaohsiung, Taipei • Thailand: Bangkok, Phuket |
| Philippines | Up to 25% discount | PHSTUDENT | • Australia: Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney • Europe: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Paris, Zurich • United States: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco • Canada: Vancouver, Toronto |
| Singapore | Up to 15% discount | SGSTUDENT | • Asia: Hong Kong • Australia: Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Perth • Europe: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Paris, Zurich • Americas: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Vancouver, Toronto |
| South Korea | Exclusive fare rates | KRSTUDENT | • Australia and New Zealand: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and Auckland • Europe: London, Manchester, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Madrid, Milan, Rome, Paris, Zurich • Americas: New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Vancouver, Toronto |
| Spain | Exclusive fare rates | ESTUDIANTE | • Hong Kong • Australia: Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth • New Zealand: Auckland, Christchurch • Taiwan: Kaohsiung, Taipei • Thailand: Bangkok, Phuket |
| Switzerland | Exclusive fare rates | CHSTUDENT | • Hong Kong • Australia: Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth • New Zealand: Auckland, Christchurch • Taiwan: Kaohsiung, Taipei • Thailand: Bangkok, Phuket |
| Thailand | Up to 15% discount | THSTUDENT | • Asia: Hong Kong • Australia: Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Perth • Europe: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Paris, Zurich • Americas: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Vancouver, Toronto |
| United Arab Emirates | Up to 10% off discount | AESTUDENT | • South West Pacific: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Auckland, Christchurch • United States and Canada: San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Boston, Vancouver, Toronto • China: Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Xi’an • South Korea: Seoul |
| United Kingdom | Exclusive fare rates | GBSTUDENT | • Hong Kong • Australia: Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth • New Zealand: Auckland, Christchurch • Taiwan: Kaohsiung, Taipei • China: Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Qingdao, Shanghai, Wuhan, Xiamen • Thailand: Bangkok, Phuket |
| United States | Exclusive fare rates | USSTUDENT | • Australia: Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney • Cambodia: Phnom Penh • China: Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Shanghai, Wuhan • Hong Kong SAR: Hong Kong • India: Delhi, Mumbai • Indonesia: Jakarta, Surabaya • Japan: Osaka, Tokyo • Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur • Nepal: Kathmandu • New Zealand: Auckland • Philippines: Cebu, Manila • Singapore: Singapore • South Korea: Seoul • Taiwan: Kaohsiung, Taipei • Thailand: Bangkok • United Arab Emirates: Dubai • Vietnam: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City |
| Vietnam | Up to 20% discount | VNSTUDENT | • Australia: Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney • Europe: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Paris, Zurich • United States: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco • Canada: Vancouver, Toronto |
If you are coming from other places than the ones listed above, check the “Offers” tab on the Cathay Pacific website under your country of origin. If they offer a student discount, you’ll see a link that says “Cathay for students” or “Student discounts.” If not, it’s likely that they currently don’t offer a student discount in your country, though you can also get in touch with them directly to check.
Note that prices, deals, and terms and conditions change often, so before booking your ticket, it’s best to check with the airline.
Why Cathay Pacific Student Discounts Vary by Route
One of the most important things to understand about Cathay Pacific student discounts is that pricing and availability are route-dependent. This can lead to confusion when students search for flights and see inconsistent results.
Here’s why Cathay Pacific student discounts may vary:
- Student fare inventory is limited and not available on all routes
- Some discounts are built into the base fare and may not appear as a separate price reduction
- Savings may be more noticeable on long-haul flights than regional routes
- Extra baggage and flexibility can represent the real value rather than a lower price
- Availability changes by season and demand
Because these fares depend heavily on route and inventory, availability and pricing can vary significantly.
How to Get a Student Flight Discount on Cathay Pacific
1. Visit CathayPacific.com (Note: Be sure you are viewing it from your country of origin.)
2. Enter your dates and destination along with the student discount code (see list above) when searching for your flight to see the student fares and benefits for your trip.

3. Review the results to see if Student Discounts are available for your trip. If they are you will see the green flag promotional fare indicator.

4. Choose your flights and finish the booking process. Below are two examples that show savings on the same flight for Economy and Premium Economy. Naturally, the fare is higher with Premium Economy, but you also save a larger percentage off your airfare.
Economy Light Savings with Student Discount Fare:
Here is an example of the savings when booking a standard economy light fare:

Premium Economy Savings with Student Discount Fare:
Here is an example of the savings on the same flight with a Premium Economy fare:

Requirements to Get Cathay Pacific’s Student Flight Discount
If you bought a ticket under a student discount, Cathay Pacific requires you to bring the following when you check in at the airport:
- A valid International Student Identity Card (ISIC)
- Student number
- Student visa
- Proof of student status, such as a letter of acceptance or certificate from the school where you will study, which must include your student number or document number

These requirements are for verification when you check in at the airport. Passengers who are unable to present the documents above will be required to pay the fare difference to get on their flight.
Perks of Student Discounts with Cathay Pacific
Student flight discounts on Cathay Pacific come with additional perks to make the students’ lives easier as they transition from one place to the next. If you book with a student discount, depending on the type of fare you book, you may be able to get extra baggage space or flexibility. The kinds of perks, however, vary depending on the country of origin and destination.
Hong Kong, for example, has a Student Saver Package which allows students to book multiple flights to select destinations. Students from Thailand can choose their seats at no additional cost. Students flying from Japan only have to pay a small administrative fee ($20) to change their tickets, giving them greater flexibility if they can’t lock in their travel dates immediately. They also get three checked bags if they are flying to the United States.
Cathay Pacific Student Discount vs Other Airlines
Compared to airlines such as Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, and Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific’s student discounts tend to be more conservative in price but substantial in service quality and included benefits.
Cathay Pacific can be a particularly good choice for:
- Students studying abroad in Asia
- Long-haul travel between Asia and North America or Europe
- Travelers who value baggage allowances and service reliability
For a broader comparison, see the full Best Airlines for Student Flight Discounts guide.


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