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Cathay Pacific Focuses on Expanding Flights and Destinations in 2025

by Alice

Cathay Pacific and its subsidiary HK Express carried over 28 million passengers in 2024, marking a 30.7% year-on-year increase, according to the airline group’s latest traffic figures for December 2024 and the full year. The Cathay Group has now completed its two-year rebuilding phase and is shifting its focus to adding more flights and destinations to strengthen Hong Kong’s position as an international aviation hub.

In 2024, Cathay Cargo also saw growth, transporting 1.5 million tonnes of cargo, an 11% increase compared to 2023.

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December 2024 Performance

In December 2024, Cathay Pacific carried 2,248,950 passengers, a 26.4% rise from December 2023. Revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) grew by 27.9% year-on-year, while the passenger load factor increased by 3.6 percentage points to 84.8%. Available seat kilometres (ASKs) also rose by 22.5% compared to the same period in 2023.

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On the cargo side, the airline transported 143,564 tonnes of cargo in December 2024, an 11.7% increase from December 2023. Cargo revenue tonne kilometres (RFTKs) grew by 6.5% year-on-year, and the cargo load factor improved by 0.6 percentage points to 61.4%. Available cargo tonne kilometres (AFTKs) also increased by 5.5%.

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Strong Demand During Peak Season

Lavinia Lau, Cathay Group’s Chief Customer and Commercial Officer, highlighted December as a traditional peak travel season due to the Christmas and New Year holidays. “In 2024, we achieved a significant milestone during the year-end travel peak, with Cathay Pacific and HK Express carrying over 100,000 passengers in a single day on eight occasions—the highest since our rebuild,” she said.

Lau also noted strong demand for premium cabins, driven by a surge in business-related travel ahead of the holiday season. Additionally, the airline’s seasonal service to Cairns, operating three flights per week, was well-received by customers.

Throughout 2024, the group leveraged its global network and Hong Kong’s strategic hub status to attract more transit passengers, particularly those traveling between mainland China and global destinations.

Cargo Growth Driven by E-Commerce and Perishables

Cathay Cargo also experienced robust growth in December, recording its highest monthly tonnage for 2024. Demand for e-commerce shipments from Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area remained strong during the festive season. The airline also saw significant demand for perishables and seasonal produce from the South West Pacific and the Americas to Hong Kong and other parts of Asia.

Additionally, the Cathay Expert solution, which specializes in transporting machinery and engines, saw increased tonnage, particularly from North Asia.

Outlook for 2025

The Cathay Group has completed its two-year rebuilding journey and reached 100% of its pre-pandemic flight capacity in January 2025. Looking ahead, the group aims to further strengthen Hong Kong’s status as a leading international aviation hub by adding more flights and destinations for both passenger and cargo services.

Recently, Cathay Pacific announced the launch of direct flights between Hong Kong and Rome, starting in June 2025. The group has already revealed plans for six new destinations in 2025, with the goal of reaching 100 destinations worldwide this year.

As the Lunar New Year approaches, bookings are accelerating as customers plan their holiday travel. After the Lunar New Year peak, the group expects leisure travel demand from Hong Kong to slow, with flights carrying more transit passengers leveraging its extensive global network.

Cathay Pacific remains committed to expanding its network and reinforcing Hong Kong’s role as a key aviation hub in the years to come.

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