The Cathay Group, encompassing Cathay Pacific and HK Express, reported significantly robust passenger and cargo traffic figures for October 2025, signaling continued recovery and expansion, according to data released on November 24, 2025, in Hong Kong. The combined carriers transported over 3.2 million passengers during the month, marking a 21% increase from September. Concurrently, Cathay Cargo handled more than 150,000 tonnes of freight, reflecting a 12% month-on-month rise.
This surge was attributed to a strategic combination of regional holidays, heightened corporate travel, and strong forward momentum in the global cargo sector. Cathay Group’s Chief Customer and Commercial Officer, Lavinia Lau, confirmed that demand throughout October remained buoyant, supported by both leisure and business segments.
Passenger Traffic Soars Amid Holiday and Business Season
Cathay Pacific’s passenger traffic in October 2025 saw a substantial 29% year-on-year increase, while Available Seat Kilometers (ASK) grew by 26%. Year-to-date figures underscore this growth, with passenger numbers for the first 10 months of 2025 up 27% compared to the previous year.
Early in the month, key regional holidays, including the National Day Golden Week and the Mid-Autumn Festival, spurred considerable leisure traffic. This resulted in strong flows of travelers from the Chinese Mainland to Hong Kong and onto long-haul destinations. Later in October, the corporate segment drove premium-cabin bookings, benefiting from major Hong Kong and Mainland exhibitions such as the Canton Fair, the Electronics Fair, and the China Toy Fair, attracting inbound professional travelers from international markets.
This diverse demand resulted in a network-wide load factor of 86%, the highest recorded for October in recent years, demonstrating efficient capacity utilization. Low-cost carrier HK Express also performed strongly, carrying over 680,000 passengers, a 32% year-on-year increase. Its load factor nearly matched capacity growth, demonstrating the effectiveness of the expanded network.
In expanding its global footprint, Cathay Pacific recently introduced a daily direct service to Changsha and resumed a seasonal, thrice-weekly route to Adelaide, Australia. HK Express is also launching daily flights to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. During the winter season, the Group plans to operate approximately 330 weekly round trips to the Chinese Mainland, close to 100 to Oceania, and over 430 to Southeast Asia.
Cargo Services Experience Festive Period Boost
Cathay Cargo’s operational strength continued, reporting a 6% increase in freight volume compared to October 2024, with Available Freight Tonne Kilometers (AFTK) up 8%. Cumulative tonnage for the first 10 months of 2025 was 10% higher year-on-year, illustrating consistent growth across market cycles.
Lau highlighted that the cargo momentum strengthened across most regions despite local holidays. There was robust uptake for specialized services, specifically Cathay Fresh for transporting fresh produce from Southeast Asia and Oceania to Hong Kong, and chilled salmon from South America to the Chinese Mainland.
Furthermore, the Cathay Priority service reported solid growth from Southeast Asia and the Greater Bay Area, likely driven by heightened demand for time-sensitive commodities ahead of the critical year-end sales and festive season. Demand is expected to remain healthy throughout the remainder of the peak season, maintaining high load factors on crucial trade routes.
Looking ahead, forward bookings for the critical Christmas peak are strong, with significant inbound traffic anticipated from North America, the United Kingdom, and other European markets, largely fueled by visits to friends and relatives (VFR) travel. The Group remains focused on maximizing its network performance and stimulating traffic across high-demand areas.