Cathay Group kicked off 2026 with its strongest post-pandemic performance yet, transporting more than 3.3 million passengers in January—an 11 % jump year-on-year—while cargo tonnage rose 5 % to 130,000 tonnes.(news.cathaypacific.com) Chief Customer & Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau credited “robust year-end momentum” and the rapid restoration of mainland and regional capacity.
The upward trajectory accelerated in mid-February when Cathay Pacific alone broke the six-figure barrier for the first time, flying 100,747 travellers on 14 February. That milestone underlines how quickly Hong Kong’s aviation hub is regaining traffic after three years of COVID restrictions.
For multinationals, fuller schedules mean improved connectivity for executive travel and cargo reliability. Cathay says it will reopen its Chicago service in March and add daytime Seoul frequencies ahead of the traditional April conference season. Meanwhile, HK Express—Cathay’s low-cost arm—will concentrate on secondary Japanese and Thai cities popular with SME exporters and incentive groups.
![Cathay Group carries 3.3 million passengers in January, sets single-day record]()
As corporate itineraries fill up again, many travellers will need assistance navigating visa requirements across Asia-Pacific. VisaHQ provides a convenient digital platform that expedites visa applications for Hong Kong and more than 200 other destinations, offering document pre-checks, real-time status updates and courier options—all accessible at https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/
Analysts caution that profitability still hinges on premium-cabin recovery and fuel hedging. But with load factors approaching 84 % and forward bookings for Easter tracking 20 % above 2025, the carrier appears poised to return to sustainable profit earlier than its own mid-year guidance.
Looking forward, Cathay reiterated fleet-modernisation plans, confirming that the first of its A350-1000 “enhanced” aircraft will arrive in Q4 and feature SATCOM-enabled Wi-Fi—a boon for corporate travellers accustomed to in-flight connectivity.
The upward trajectory accelerated in mid-February when Cathay Pacific alone broke the six-figure barrier for the first time, flying 100,747 travellers on 14 February. That milestone underlines how quickly Hong Kong’s aviation hub is regaining traffic after three years of COVID restrictions.
For multinationals, fuller schedules mean improved connectivity for executive travel and cargo reliability. Cathay says it will reopen its Chicago service in March and add daytime Seoul frequencies ahead of the traditional April conference season. Meanwhile, HK Express—Cathay’s low-cost arm—will concentrate on secondary Japanese and Thai cities popular with SME exporters and incentive groups.
As corporate itineraries fill up again, many travellers will need assistance navigating visa requirements across Asia-Pacific. VisaHQ provides a convenient digital platform that expedites visa applications for Hong Kong and more than 200 other destinations, offering document pre-checks, real-time status updates and courier options—all accessible at https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/
Analysts caution that profitability still hinges on premium-cabin recovery and fuel hedging. But with load factors approaching 84 % and forward bookings for Easter tracking 20 % above 2025, the carrier appears poised to return to sustainable profit earlier than its own mid-year guidance.
Looking forward, Cathay reiterated fleet-modernisation plans, confirming that the first of its A350-1000 “enhanced” aircraft will arrive in Q4 and feature SATCOM-enabled Wi-Fi—a boon for corporate travellers accustomed to in-flight connectivity.
