The Cathay Group released its traffic figures for December 2025.
Cathay Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau said: “December marks the traditional peak season for our travel business. Driven by strong demand, the Group’s passenger airlines Cathay Pacific and HK Express together carried more than 125,000\ passengers on 27 December 2025, the highest in a single day in our history. This record, however, was quickly surpassed as we started the new year with more than 126,000 passengers on 3 January 2026.
“In 2025 as a whole, Cathay Pacific and HK Express carried a combined total of more than 36 million passengers, representing a 27% year-on-year increase. This was supported by a significant expansion in passenger capacity, with Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs) growing by over 25% compared with 2024. Meanwhile, Cathay Cargo carried a total of over 1.6 million tonnes of cargo in 2025, which was more than 9% higher than the whole of 2024.
”Stepping into 2026, we are excited to launch a series of events and initiatives as we welcome Cathay’s 80th anniversary. As we mark this milestone, we remain committed to elevating our customer experience and reinforcing Hong Kong’s status as a leading international aviation hub, guided by our new vision of becoming our customers’ most loved service brand.”
Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific carried 22% more passengers in December 2025 compared with December 2024, while Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs) increased by 23%. In the full year of 2025, the number of passengers carried increased by 27% compared with the same period for 2024.
Lavinia said: “In early December, we saw robust inbound traffic to Hong Kong among those visiting friends and relatives as well as students returning from North America, Oceania and the United Kingdom. This was followed by increased inbound traffic to Hong Kong from Northeast Asia, Thailand and India over the year-end holiday period. In terms of outbound traffic, we saw a surge in leisure travel demand during the holiday peak, notably to Northeast and Southeast Asia. The Chinese Mainland also emerged as a key destination, with travellers from Hong Kong exploring a wide variety of cities across our network.
“Advance bookings for the Lunar New Year are accelerating as customers begin making travel plans following the year-end holidays. Beyond February, we will focus on capturing demand from major events in Hong Kong and around the region until the next leisure peak at Easter.
“In addition, we are pleased to have recently been named among the world’s top two safest full-service airlines for 2026 by Airline Ratings, underscoring our unwavering commitment to safety excellence.”
Cathay Cargo
Cathay Cargo carried 6% more cargo in December 2025 than in December 2024, while Available Freight Tonne Kilometres (AFTKs) increased by 8%. In the full year of 2025, the total tonnage increased by over 9% compared with the same period for 2024.
Lavinia said: “Tonnage remained strong in December, despite a 3% decrease from the previous month as the festive season approached. Demand for our Cathay Fresh solution was strong, with the Air-Land Fresh Lane facilitating movements of seasonal produce from the Americas into the wider Greater Bay Area. Meanwhile, perishables from Oceania to Hong Kong also bolstered the overall growth of Cathay Fresh. Our Cathay Expert solution also performed well across Northeast Asia, driven by machinery movements within the region.
“Turning to January, we anticipate softer demand in the first half of the month but expect it to gradually pick up ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays.”
HK Express
HK Express carried more than 780,000 passengers in December 2025, an increase of 24% year on year, while Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs) grew by 19%. In the full year of 2025, the number of passengers carried increased by 30% compared with the same period for 2024.
Lavinia said: “Buoyed by strong travel demand during the festive season, HK Express carried more passengers and achieved a higher load factor in December 2025 compared with December 2024. Looking ahead, HK Express is expected to maintain year-on-year passenger growth as it continues to expand its network.
“In the Airline Ratings rankings, HK Express was honoured to be named the world’s safest low- cost airline for the second consecutive year, reaffirming its commitment to the highest standards of operational safety.”
