Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) released provisional statistics on 22 December showing it handled 5.19 million passengers in November 2025 – a 17 % increase over the same month last year. The standout metric was transfer and transit traffic, which jumped 50.9 % year-on-year, underlining the airport’s resurgence as Asia’s preferred one-stop gateway between mainland China, Southeast Asia and long-haul markets.
Flight movements rose 7.7 % to 33,495, keeping pace with airline fleet reactivations by Cathay Pacific, Greater Bay Airlines and a wave of foreign carriers that have restored Hong Kong frequencies. Cargo throughput also edged up 5.9 % to 486,000 tonnes, aided by e-commerce exports bound for North America.
![Hong Kong airport transit traffic soars 51 % as November passengers break 5-million mark]()
Whether you’re a business traveller coordinating last-minute trips or a family planning a holiday, ensuring your travel documents are in order is just as critical as securing a seat on a newly restored flight. VisaHQ’s Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) streamlines the visa application process for more than 200 destinations, offering real-time status updates and concierge support so passengers transiting through HKIA can avoid paperwork pitfalls and breeze through immigration formalities.
Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) says daily passenger numbers could top 200,000 during the Christmas peak – a volume not seen since 2019. To cope, HKIA has re-opened hibernated boarding gates, redeployed staff and widened e-Channel eligibility (including for children aged seven and above) to speed processing.
For global-mobility managers the figures signal that flight options and connection banks are normalising. However, rising slot utilisation means competition for prime departure times is likely to intensify in 2026 when HKIA’s three-runway system enters full service, potentially pushing up parking and charter costs during peak hours.
Flight movements rose 7.7 % to 33,495, keeping pace with airline fleet reactivations by Cathay Pacific, Greater Bay Airlines and a wave of foreign carriers that have restored Hong Kong frequencies. Cargo throughput also edged up 5.9 % to 486,000 tonnes, aided by e-commerce exports bound for North America.
Whether you’re a business traveller coordinating last-minute trips or a family planning a holiday, ensuring your travel documents are in order is just as critical as securing a seat on a newly restored flight. VisaHQ’s Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) streamlines the visa application process for more than 200 destinations, offering real-time status updates and concierge support so passengers transiting through HKIA can avoid paperwork pitfalls and breeze through immigration formalities.
Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) says daily passenger numbers could top 200,000 during the Christmas peak – a volume not seen since 2019. To cope, HKIA has re-opened hibernated boarding gates, redeployed staff and widened e-Channel eligibility (including for children aged seven and above) to speed processing.
For global-mobility managers the figures signal that flight options and connection banks are normalising. However, rising slot utilisation means competition for prime departure times is likely to intensify in 2026 when HKIA’s three-runway system enters full service, potentially pushing up parking and charter costs during peak hours.
