The Cathay Group has reported double-digit growth across both passenger and cargo operations for May 2026, with Cathay Pacific and HK Express together transporting over 3.3 million travellers — a 14% increase compared to May 2025. Cathay Cargo also posted an 11% year-on-year rise, moving more than 150,000 tonnes of freight.
Passenger traffic driven by holiday demand and long-haul strength
Cathay Pacific saw passenger numbers climb 17% year-on-year, achieving a load factor of 87%. The surge was fueled by travel during Golden Week and the Buddha’s Birthday long weekend. Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau expressed confidence in the upcoming summer season, particularly for long-haul routes. “We are seeing sustained demand across our network, and the summer outlook is positive,” she said.
HK Express, the group’s low-cost carrier, recorded a 5% increase in passenger numbers. Its service to Beijing Daxing stood out with a load factor exceeding 90%. Southeast Asia routes remained popular among leisure travellers.
Cargo growth and fleet investment
Cathay Cargo’s 11% tonnage increase was supported by strong demand on key trade lanes, especially between the Chinese Mainland and Southeast Asia. To bolster its freighter capacity, the group announced the purchase of two additional Airbus A350F freighters. This investment aligns with the broader industry trend of expanding dedicated cargo fleets to meet e-commerce and time-sensitive shipping needs.
The cargo performance also reflects Cathay’s strategic focus on Hong Kong as a global logistics hub, competing with other Asian hubs like Singapore Changi and Incheon.
Network expansion: Almaty and Wuxi join the map
Lavinia Lau confirmed that Cathay Pacific will launch direct flights to Almaty, Kazakhstan, in early 2027 — marking the airline’s first destination in Central Asia. The move opens new connectivity for business and leisure travellers between Hong Kong and the region. Separately, HK Express will begin daily flights to Wuxi, China, in July 2026, adding another secondary Chinese city to its network.
These additions come as the group continues to rebuild its route map post-pandemic, with a focus on both premium and budget segments. The Almaty route, in particular, positions Cathay to capture traffic from Central Asian markets and support trade flows.
Financial impact of Air China stake reduction
On the financial side, Cathay Group expects to recognise a gain of approximately $179 million (HK$1.4 billion) in the first half of 2026, resulting from a reduction in its equity interest in Air China. This move allows Cathay to reallocate capital toward core operations and fleet upgrades.
The group’s performance mirrors broader trends in the aviation sector, where carriers are balancing capacity growth with cost discipline. For travel professionals, Cathay’s numbers signal robust demand in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly for long-haul and cargo services.
For more on regional aviation developments, see Akasa Air's FY2025–26 Revenue Surges 37% on Capacity Growth and Network Expansion. Meanwhile, the expansion of secondary city routes like Wuxi aligns with the strategy seen in Bangkok Airways' transformation into an integrated aviation services group.
