HONG KONG, 25 August 2025: July marked the start of the traditional summer peak season, and together Cathay Pacific and HK Express carried approximately 3.2 million passengers, the most of any month so far this year, according to Cathay Group traffic figures for July 2025 released last week.
Traffic figures confirmed Cathay Pacific carried 24% more passengers in July 2025 compared with July 2024, while Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs) increased by 30%. In the first seven months of 2025, the number of passengers carried increased by 27% compared with the same period in 2024.
Cathay Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau commented: “The robust demand Cathay Pacific saw in July was primarily driven by long-haul traffic to and from Hong Kong in the first half of the month, particularly among students and those visiting friends and relatives, followed by leisure traffic to regional destinations such as South Korea and Southeast Asia in the second half of July. These traffic flows contributed to a load factor of 86% in July.
“Turning to August, earlier this month, we were delighted to return to Brussels with the launch of our four-times-weekly flights between Hong Kong and the Belgian capital. Looking further ahead, we expect student traffic to provide a travel boost in September ahead of the new school year, while the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday periods are expected to stimulate leisure travel demand from Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland in October.”
Cathay Cargo
Cathay Cargo carried 11% more cargo in July 2025 than in July 2024, while Available Freight Tonne Kilometres (AFTKs) increased by 11%. In the first seven months of 2025, the total tonnage also increased by 11% compared with the same period in 2024.
Lavinia added: “In July, we saw increased cargo tonnage compared with the same month last year, reflecting the movement of air cargo ahead of the tariff timelines. Meanwhile, our capacity grew by 6% compared with the previous month, with strong demand from Southeast Asia to Hong Kong in particular, driven by machinery and perishables. Demand for our Cathay Fresh solution was buoyed by the seasonal movement of cherries from the United States. Looking ahead, the external environment remains uncertain, and we will continue to stay vigilant and agile while serving demand where it arises.”
HK Express
HK Express carried more than 680,000 passengers in July 2025, an increase of 22% year on year, while Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs) grew by 38%. In the first seven months of 2025, the number of passengers carried increased by 32% compared with the same period in 2024.
“HK Express has continued to expand its network with the launch of new routes to Guiyang in July and Kuala Lumpur (Subang) in early August,” Lau explained. “Demand for flights to Japan remained subdued in July due to earthquake rumours, and while we are gradually seeing a pickup in bookings in August, they are yet to return to normal levels.”
