The Cathay Group has kicked off its 80th-anniversary year with bullish traffic figures. According to data released on 22 January 2026, Cathay Pacific and its low-cost arm HK Express transported more than 36 million passengers in 2025—up 27 per cent year-on-year and the highest since pre-pandemic levels. The group twice broke its single-day passenger record over the Christmas–New Year peak, handling 125,000 customers on 27 December and 126,000 on 3 January.
Behind the surge is a 25 per cent expansion in available seat-kilometres as grounded aircraft were reactivated and new Airbus A321neos entered the HK Express fleet. Long-haul corporate demand rebounded sharply: North-America sectors reached 84 per cent of 2019 capacity, while Europe hit 92 per cent. Regional leisure routes to Thailand, Japan and Northeast Asia led load factors, averaging 87 per cent in Q4.
Whether you’re a corporate mobility manager coordinating assignee moves or a leisure traveller looking to take advantage of Cathay’s revived network, VisaHQ can smooth the path. Its Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) lets users apply for visas to more than 200 destinations, track applications in real time and receive dedicated support—ensuring paperwork doesn’t stand in the way of capitalising on the airline’s growing seat availability.
![Cathay Group carries record 36 million passengers in 2025, eyes capacity boost in 2026]()
Cargo also staged a comeback, with Cathay Cargo moving 1.6 million tonnes—up nine per cent—buoyed by perishables and specialist logistics products under the ‘Cathay Fresh’ banner that leverage Hong Kong’s role as a regional trans-shipment hub. Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau said the airline will “restore full network breadth” by Q3 2026 and recruit 5,000 additional cabin, cockpit and ground staff to support growth.
For global mobility teams, the numbers signal improved seat availability for assignee moves and project travel, particularly between Hong Kong and tier-one U.S./European cities. Travel managers should, however, anticipate fare volatility as Cathay accelerates fuel-surcharge recovery and adds premium-economy cabins across refurbished A350s to capture small-and-medium enterprise traffic.
The airline reiterated its commitment to Hong Kong’s ‘three-runway system’, noting that the fully operational third runway will unlock up to 120 movements per hour by late 2026. Combined with the high-speed rail expansion and relaxed talent-visa schemes, aviation analysts expect Hong Kong to consolidate its position as a preferred gateway for multinational headquarters and regional assignments.
Behind the surge is a 25 per cent expansion in available seat-kilometres as grounded aircraft were reactivated and new Airbus A321neos entered the HK Express fleet. Long-haul corporate demand rebounded sharply: North-America sectors reached 84 per cent of 2019 capacity, while Europe hit 92 per cent. Regional leisure routes to Thailand, Japan and Northeast Asia led load factors, averaging 87 per cent in Q4.
Whether you’re a corporate mobility manager coordinating assignee moves or a leisure traveller looking to take advantage of Cathay’s revived network, VisaHQ can smooth the path. Its Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) lets users apply for visas to more than 200 destinations, track applications in real time and receive dedicated support—ensuring paperwork doesn’t stand in the way of capitalising on the airline’s growing seat availability.
Cargo also staged a comeback, with Cathay Cargo moving 1.6 million tonnes—up nine per cent—buoyed by perishables and specialist logistics products under the ‘Cathay Fresh’ banner that leverage Hong Kong’s role as a regional trans-shipment hub. Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau said the airline will “restore full network breadth” by Q3 2026 and recruit 5,000 additional cabin, cockpit and ground staff to support growth.
For global mobility teams, the numbers signal improved seat availability for assignee moves and project travel, particularly between Hong Kong and tier-one U.S./European cities. Travel managers should, however, anticipate fare volatility as Cathay accelerates fuel-surcharge recovery and adds premium-economy cabins across refurbished A350s to capture small-and-medium enterprise traffic.
The airline reiterated its commitment to Hong Kong’s ‘three-runway system’, noting that the fully operational third runway will unlock up to 120 movements per hour by late 2026. Combined with the high-speed rail expansion and relaxed talent-visa schemes, aviation analysts expect Hong Kong to consolidate its position as a preferred gateway for multinational headquarters and regional assignments.
