HONG KONG, 29 April 2025: Cathay Pacific celebrated the launch of a direct passenger service between Hong Kong and Urumqi on Monday, 28 April that expands the Cathay Group’s network in the Chinese Mainland to 20 destinations. 

The new four-times-weekly return service connects the airline’s customers from Hong Kong and beyond with an important Belt and Road hub in Northwestern China, solidifying Hong Kong’s status as an international aviation hub.

At the launch event, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said: “In May last year, the Central Government expanded the multiple-entry Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) by adding eight new cities, including Urumqi. The launch of this new direct flight reflects our commitment to fulfilling the Central Government’s support and expectations for Hong Kong.

“Urumqi plays a vital role as a conduit. Beyond passenger services, we hope Cathay will help elevate the entire air cargo industry by leveraging this new gateway to establish a new cargo corridor. This will enable air freight from various global destinations to be transported through Hong Kong International Airport and distributed to different cities across the Chinese Mainland.

“With its proximity to Central Asia, Urumqi not only strengthens Hong Kong’s connectivity with the Chinese Mainland but also serves as a bridge to other continents, extending our reach to key destinations along the Belt and Road Initiative.”

Cathay Pacific’s CEO Ronald Lam noted: “With its vibrant blend of cultural experiences and stunning landscapes, Urumqi is the latest addition to our expanding Chinese Mainland network. We are excited to welcome customers onboard our flights to explore the unique offerings of Xinjiang’s capital.

“With services to Changzhou and Yiwu also being launched by HK Express in May, the Cathay Group will operate passenger services to a total of 22 destinations in the Chinese Mainland, providing more than 300 return flights per week during the summer peak. We remain committed to enhancing connectivity between Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and beyond by introducing more destinations and flight choices for our customers.”

Cathay Pacific’s direct flights between Hong Kong and Urumqi will be operated by the airline’s Airbus A330-300 aircraft, providing customers with business and economy cabins. 

Flight schedules are as follows (all times local):

The Cathay Group is also expanding its global network with 15 new destinations announced for this year so far, including Hyderabad, Dallas, Urumqi, Rome, Munich and Brussels for Cathay Pacific, and Sendai, Nha Trang, Ishigaki, Komatsu, Changzhou, Yiwu, Cheongju, Daegu and Miyako (Shimojishima) for HK Express.

The Group’s extensive passenger network will exceed 100 destinations within the first half of 2025, providing customers with a smooth and seamless travel experience to destinations worldwide.

HONG KONG, 28 April 2025: Cathay Pacific expanded its passenger network by launching direct flights between Hong Kong and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on 24 April 2025. 

Dallas marks the sixth new passenger destination launched by the Cathay Group, which includes Cathay Pacific and low-cost carrier HK Express. A total of 15 new destinations have already been announced for 2025, and more are to come.

This new route heralds an expansion of Cathay Pacific’s North American network, further enhancing the global connectivity of its home hub, Hong Kong, while providing greater choice and convenience for customers.

To mark the occasion, Cathay Director of Customer Travel Erica Peng and Airport Authority Hong Kong Executive Director of Airport Operations Steven Yiu Chung gathered at Hong Kong International Airport to celebrate the new service’s launch.

Cathay Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau said: “The launch of our direct passenger flights between Hong Kong and Dallas for the very first time demonstrates our commitment to providing our customers with convenient access to the most exciting destinations around the world from our Hong Kong hub. As a group, we are continuing to add more ports to our passenger network, which will exceed 100 destinations within the first half of this year.

“With our Cathay Pacific codeshares and other flight options, customers can connect to domestic destinations in the United States as well as destinations in Central and South America via Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. We also look forward to welcoming customers from the dynamic city of Dallas and the wider Americas onboard our flights as they travel to Hong Kong or connect to the many onward destinations available through our extensive global network.”

Cathay Pacific operates four return flights per week between Hong Kong and Dallas using its modern Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, featuring business, premium economy and economy cabins. 

Flight schedule

During the peak summer period, Cathay Pacific will operate more than 110 return flights per week to eight destinations in North America, including Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Toronto, and Vancouver.

In addition to Dallas, Cathay Pacific will launch a new nonstop service to Urumqi on 28 April, followed by Rome on 5 June, Munich on 16 June, and Brussels on 3 August.

Cathay Pacific’s new passenger service to Dallas will also complement Cathay Cargo’s freighter services via Anchorage. Cathay Cargo is operating close to 40 return freighter flights per week to North America this summer.