Cathay Pacific Reports Surge in Passenger Traffic for September 2025

HONG KONG, China — Cathay Pacific recorded a 21% increase in passenger numbers for September 2025 compared to the same month last year. The airline also reported a 20% rise in Available Seat Kilometers (ASKs), demonstrating strong growth momentum in a typically quieter travel month.

In the first nine months of 2025, passenger levels surged by 27% compared to the same period in 2024. Lavinia Lau, Cathay’s Chief Customer and Commercial Officer, said, “September typically marks a quieter period for our travel business following the end of the summer travel peak, though we continued to see year-on-year growth in the number of passengers carried as a Group.”

Cathay Pacific and its subsidiary, HK Express, carried a combined total of over 2.7 million passengers in September, which is 20% higher than September 2024. Lau noted that strong demand during this period was fueled by outbound student travel and returning interest in destinations like Japan.

In addition to passenger flights, Cathay Cargo transported over 130,000 tonnes of goods in September, slightly higher than last year. Lau explained that the air cargo sector also experienced a year-on-year increase, with a total tonnage growth of 10% in the first three quarters of 2025.

Looking to the future, Cathay Pacific announced new non-stop flights from Hong Kong to Changsha, launching on November 4, 2025, which will increase the airline’s destinations in the Chinese Mainland to 24. The airline also plans to raise frequencies on routes to Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Shanghai.

“As the busy summer travel months drew to a close, we are already seeing demand build for Christmas and the year-end holidays,” Lau added. “We will continue to add more flights and destinations in the coming months to provide our customers with greater choice and connectivity,” she said.