Cathay Pacific Launches U.S. Credit Card — Applications Now Open

Updated: May 20, 2026, 3:19am CDT

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The All-New Cathay World Elite Mastercard — Details
Final Thoughts

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The Cathay Pacific U.S. co-branded credit card has undergone revisions recently. Synchrony Bank previously issued the Cathay Pacific Visa Signature^® Credit Card, which stopped accepting new applications in late 2024.

Then the card underwent a refresh earlier this year, and now Cathay Pacific has brought it back, making it available for U.S. applicants. The new Cathay World Elite Mastercard^® allows cardholders to earn miles on everyday purchases and offers additional benefits. In addition, we now know that the card includes a welcome bonus for new applicants.

Let’s look at the details of the refreshed Cathay World Elite card.

The All-New Cathay World Elite Mastercard — Details

For those looking to boost their balance of Cathay miles, the airline’s revamped credit card for U.S. applicants, in partnership with Synchrony, is now available.

Cathay Pacific Credit Card By Synchrony — Image Credit: Cathay Pacific

The new Cathay World Elite card comes with a $99 annual fee and earns points at the following rates:

3x on all eligible Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Express travel and in-flight purchases
2x on dining and eligible dining delivery services
1x on all purchases where Mastercard is accepted worldwide
10 Status Points for every $5,000 of eligible purchases made each month, up to a maximum of 100 Status Points per calendar year

Best of all, the card features a welcome bonus offer, allowing new cardholders to earn 38,000 bonus Asia miles by spending $3,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

Additionally, the Cathay World Elite card provides benefits for travelers flying with Cathay Pacific, including priority boarding, a 10% discount on Asia Miles gift miles and mileage transfer fees, no foreign transaction fees, and the option to redeem miles for access to Cathay Pacific’s renowned business class lounges.

Hot Tip:

If you’re looking for ways to put Cathay miles to good use, read our guide to the best ways to redeem Cathay Pacific Asia Miles for maximum value.

Final Thoughts

This card is clearly a niche option primarily for Cathay Pacific loyalists residing in the U.S. Even with the welcome bonus offer, many award travelers are likely to find it more beneficial to apply for a travel rewards credit card rather than an airline co-branded card.

And since Cathay is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards (5:4), Capital One Miles (1:1), Citi ThankYou Rewards (1:1), and Marriott Bonvoy (3:1), it’s probably a smarter move to earn points from cards with those issuers and then transfer them to Asia Miles to redeem for Cathay Pacific flights.