Cathay Group releases March 2025 traffic report

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The Cathay Group today released its traffic figures for March 2025 today, 23rd April.

Chief customer and commercial officer Lavinia Lau pointed out how the group continues to make good progress towards exceeding 100 passenger destinations within the first half of this year, particularly with the resumption of Cathay Pacific’s non-stop service to Hyderabad last month. 

This month, five new destinations are joining the Group’s global network, with Cathay Pacific launching services to Dallas and Urumqi in the coming days, and HK Express launching flights to Nha Trang, Ishigaki and Komatsu. 

HK Express has also recently announced the addition of Changzhou and Yiwu to its network in May.

Lau said: “While March marked a quieter month for our travel business, our cargo business saw strong growth momentum as we entered the first traditional cargo peak of the year. However, the latest developments on trade tariffs are creating uncertainties that may cause disruptions to our cargo business, changes in travel demand, increased costs and pressure on supply chains, among other impacts. We are taking proactive steps to put ourselves in the best possible position in facing and mitigating these external forces as we remain aligned, agile and responsive in our approach.”

Cathay Pacific performance in March

Cathay Pacific carried 19.8 percent more passengers in March 2025 compared with March 2024, while Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs) increased by 25.5 percent. 

In the first three months of 2025, the number of passengers carried increased by 23.4 percent compared with the same period for 2024.

Lau explained: “While we saw softer demand for leisure travel in March due to the absence of long-weekend holidays in Hong Kong, demand for our premium cabins remained robust, driven by various mega-events and exhibitions in the city such as the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show and Art Basel Hong Kong.”

Sports tourism also proved to be a boon for the airline, given how the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens also generated strong inbound demand to Cathay Pacific’s home hub, particularly on a number of long-haul routes. 

Lau also proudly declared: “To commemorate the Sevens’ debut at the brand-new Kai Tak Sports Park and the 100th anniversary of Kai Tak Airport, which had been Cathay Pacific’s home for many decades, we were proud to stage a special flypast on the last day of the Sevens to mark our return to Kai Tak.”

For this month and beyond, Lau pointed out that the airline experienced healthy demand over the Easter holiday. 

She said: “In addition, we are delighted to have recently announced that Cathay Pacific will be one of the very few airlines to offer both 100 percent seatback inflight entertainment and 100 percent high-speed inflight Wi-Fi connectivity across its fleet from August 2025.”

How the cargo arm fared in March

Cathay Cargo carried 10.6 percent more cargo in March 2025 than in March 2024. 

Available Freight Tonne Kilometres (AFTKs) increased by 8.5 percent while load factor decreased by 1.2 percentage points year on year. 

In the first three months of 2025, the total tonnage increased by 12% compared with the same period for 2024.

According to Lau: “Specialist solutions continue to be our area of focus. We saw notable growth in Cathay Priority during the quarter end and are pleased to have launched our refreshed Cathay Fresh solution to provide a high-quality, dependable and consistent service for transporting perishables.”

Cathay Cargo also achieved an industry first with its new intermodal cold-chain route via the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, delivering chilled seafood from Southeast Asia into the Greater Bay Area through its hub in Hong Kong.

Lau said: ”We expect a softening of general air cargo demand between the Chinese Mainland and the United States due to the ongoing tariff situation and de minimis rule changes from early May. However, our network strength and flexibility in redeploying our freighters will allow us to adapt and redirect our focus to emerging opportunities. We will stay close to the market and monitor the developments vigilantly.”

HK Express in March

The Group’s low-cost carrier HK Express carried more than 610,000 passengers in March, marking an increase of 25.4 percent year on year, while Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs) grew by 35.6 percent. 

In the first three months of 2025, the number of passengers carried increased by 34.3 percent compared with the same period for 2024.

Lau concluded her report by saying: “HK Express maintained its growth momentum in March, announcing more new destinations and adding flight capacity. Looking ahead at April onwards, we have seen solid demand over the Easter holiday amid a slower pickup for pre-summer and peak summer bookings with more customers booking closer to their departure dates.”

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