Cathay Pacific Carried 24% More Passengers in July 2025

Cathay Pacific carried 2.49 million passengers in July 2025, a 24% jump from a year earlier and the airline’s highest monthly total so far this year. When adding its low‑cost subsidiary HK Express, the Cathay Group moved about 3.2 million passengers in the month, also a 2025 high. The strong summer peak underscores a steady rebuild of Hong Kong’s long‑haul and regional travel pipeline after the pandemic downturn, with seat occupancy holding near 85.9%–86% and capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres, up 30% year over year.

Cargo also kept pace. Cathay Cargo uplifted 140,156 tonnes in July, an 11% increase from 2024, helped by tariff‑driven orders and healthy Southeast Asia flows, especially machinery and perishables. Cargo capacity rose by a similar 11%, pointing to continued strength in Hong Kong’s freight hub during a period often dominated by leisure travel.

The airline’s network strategy is feeding this momentum. July’s growth was led by early‑month demand from international students and people visiting friends and relatives on long‑haul routes to and from Hong Kong. In the latter half of the month, leisure travelers pushed up bookings to South Korea and across Southeast Asia. As the carrier rebuilds its map, Cathay Pacific resumed four‑times‑weekly Hong Kong–Brussels flights in August, while HK Express added Guiyang in July and Kuala Lumpur (Subang) in August.

Through the first seven months of 2025, Cathay Pacific has carried more than 16.1 million passengers, a 27% year‑on‑year increase. HK Express recorded 685,784 passengers in July alone, up 22%. Together, the numbers suggest a broad‑based recovery across both premium and budget segments, supported by strong summer leisure traffic and resilient student flows.

Cathay Pacific’s Chief Customer and Commercial Officer, Lavinia Lau, said July delivered “the highest passenger numbers of the year,” noting that the team expects a further lift in September as students travel for the new academic term, followed by another wave in October during National Day and Mid‑Autumn Festival holidays. Kaishi Liu, President, Customer and Commercial, highlighted the combined pull of early‑July student and family travel and late‑July regional leisure demand, adding that Cathay is staying flexible to meet shifts in both passenger and cargo markets.

For travelers, the immediate effects are clear: more seats and more choices, but also fuller cabins during peak weeks. A load factor near 86% signals limited last‑minute availability on certain long‑haul and popular regional routes, with fares that can spike close to departure. Families flying for reunions, parents escorting students, and small tour groups heading to beach and food destinations across Southeast Asia all face a market where planning ahead matters. For shippers, the growth in perishables and machinery from Southeast Asia has kept belly space tight on some sectors, though expanded capacity helps keep lanes moving.

Summer demand and route rebuild

July’s pattern split into two distinct phases.

In the first half, long‑haul trips drove much of the demand. International students heading to or through Hong Kong—often with parents—booked early, filling flights to gateway cities across North America and Europe. Friends‑and‑relatives traffic also leaned into the long haul, reflecting pent‑up family visits and a broader return to multi‑stop itineraries that were harder to plan in previous years.

In the second half, the center of gravity shifted to the region. South Korea remained a top leisure draw, while Southeast Asia’s short‑haul network—think sunny city breaks and islands within a few hours—kept booking curves strong. HK Express added useful low‑cost capacity here, giving price‑sensitive travelers more options and helping Cathay Group achieve that 3.2 million total passageiros in July 2025.

The route map is widening. Cathay Pacific’s resumption of Brussels brings back a key European capital at four flights per week starting in August. HK Express’ new links to Guiyang and Kuala Lumpur (Subang) add depth within mainland China and Malaysia, matching demand that has shifted toward secondary cities and closer‑in airports. With capacity up 30% in Available Seat Kilometres year on year, the carrier is moving from recovery to expansion, restoring pre‑pandemic links and testing new city pairs.

Cargo tells a complementary story. The airline’s freight arm carried 140,156 tonnes in July, up 11%, buoyed by tariff‑related orders that shifted production and shipping timelines. Southeast Asia remained a key source of high‑value machinery and sensitive perishables. Seasonal produce—such as cherry shipments from the United States—also supported the “Cathay Pacific‑Fresh Delivery” program, designed to protect freshness from farm to market. Capacity growth aligned with demand, with a matching 11% rise in space available per sector distance.

Industry observers say the dual lift in passenger and cargo performance is a strong sign for Hong Kong’s standing as an international hub. A carrier that can fill seats at high load factors while keeping freight lanes busy often has the flexibility to add flights and reopen routes faster. That, in turn, supports tourism, study abroad, and business ties.

The broader view among analysts is that Cathay Pacific’s strategy of rebuilding its long‑haul backbone, while feeding it with regional spokes and a supportive low‑cost arm, is restoring network health in a balanced way.

Key takeaway: High load factors and rising cargo volumes give Cathay the flexibility to reopen routes and expand frequencies, strengthening Hong Kong’s role as an international hub.

What travelers and shippers should expect

For the next stretch of 2025, the calendar favors continued strength.

• September: typically sees a wave of student travel as universities open.
• October: National Day and Mid‑Autumn Festival holidays push leisure bookings higher.

Cathay Pacific expects both periods to add to the momentum seen in July.

Travelers will likely see:
– More flight options across long‑haul and regional routes as frequencies rise and paused routes resume.
– Fuller cabins during peak weeks, tightening last‑minute availability and pushing fares higher close to departure.
– Growing choices for secondary and nearby airports, such as Brussels in Europe and Subang in Malaysia, which can save ground time.

Practical tips:
1. Book early for peak dates, especially if you need multiple seats together or have fixed travel times.
2. Build a buffer into connections if you’re carrying study materials or checked equipment.
3. Check entry rules well before departure. Hong Kong’s official guidance on visitor visas and entry permits is available via the Immigration Department’s website; see the government page on visit visas and entry permits for details on who needs a visa, permitted stays, and required documents (https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/visit-transit/visit-visa-entry-permit.html).
4. If connecting onward, verify visa and transit rules for your final destination and any transit points, as requirements can differ by passport and itinerary.

Cargo customers should prepare for continued tightness on lanes tied to machinery and perishables:
– Make advance bookings to secure space on preferred flights.
– Share seasonal forecasts early with your forwarder or the airline to align capacity.
– Note that the 11% rise in cargo capacity helps, but demand spikes can still create short windows of limited space.

Cathay Pacific’s customer channels:
– Schedules and fares for resumed and new routes, including Hong Kong–Brussels, Guiyang, and Kuala Lumpur (Subang), are posted on the airline’s official website and app.
– Hong Kong customer service hotline: +852 2747 3333.
– HK Express schedules are available on its site as well.

The human side and outlook

Behind the numbers, the human stories are familiar: parents fly long haul to help children settle into dorms; grandparents time trips to meet newborns; young couples take short‑haul breaks; small importers rely on cherry shipments arriving cold and fast.

In July 2025, Cathay Pacific’s network carried all of these passengers and cargo items, demonstrating the hub’s ability to handle complex travel patterns at scale.

Looking ahead, the airline says it will stay agile:
– Adjust schedules and aircraft types to match demand.
– Put more seats where student and holiday traffic peaks.
– Keep cargo flowing on sectors that need extra lift.

The late‑summer return of Brussels adds another European option for study abroad families and business travelers. Within Asia, the Subang service targets a convenient city airport for Kuala Lumpur, reducing ground time for short trips.

Industry commentary, including coverage on VisaVerge.com, frames the carrier’s steady rise this year as part of a broader Asia‑Pacific travel recovery. While the pace can vary by market, July’s combination of high load factors, a 24% year‑over‑year jump in passengers, and widening route choices offers a clear snapshot of where the airline stands today.

Warning: Peak weeks will fill fast. Those planning September study trips or October family breaks should secure seats early, double‑check baggage rules for study gear, and confirm any entry paperwork well before departure.

For Portuguese‑speaking readers: more “passageiros” flew in July, and more seats are coming, but the busiest days still sell out.

For Hong Kong, the message is straightforward. Strong results in both passenger and cargo show the city’s flag carrier is regaining stride, supported by a low‑cost partner that captures short‑haul demand. As the airline restores capacity and resumes more routes, it strengthens the hub’s links to classrooms, families, factories, and markets across continents. In July 2025, those links pulled hard—and the numbers bear it out.