Quantcast

Cathay Pacific reports growth in passenger and cargo traffic for December

Cathay Pacific reports growth in passenger and cargo traffic for December
Policy
Webp 9inwpyyckeex4wgi1rv7t2hfj6d9
Paul Smitton Director Customer Lifestyle | Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific has released its traffic figures for December 2024, revealing significant growth in both passenger and cargo operations. The Cathay Group, which includes Cathay Pacific and HK Express, reported carrying over 28 million passengers throughout the year, marking a 30.7% increase compared to the previous year. Cargo operations also saw an uptick, with Cathay Cargo transporting 1.5 million tonnes of cargo in 2024, up by 11% from 2023.

In December alone, Cathay Pacific carried 2,248,950 passengers, reflecting a 26.4% rise from December 2023. Revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) increased by 27.9%, while the passenger load factor improved by 3.6 percentage points to reach 84.8%. Available seat kilometres (ASKs) rose by 22.5%.

Cargo figures for December showed an increase as well, with the airline handling 143,564 tonnes of cargo—a growth of 11.7% compared to the same month in the previous year. Cargo revenue tonne kilometres (RFTKs) went up by 6.5%, and the cargo load factor increased slightly by 0.6 percentage points to reach 61.4%. Available cargo tonne kilometres (AFTKs) grew by 5.5%.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

Lavinia Lau, Chief Customer and Commercial Officer at Cathay Pacific, commented on the performance: “December is the traditional peak season for our travel business as customers visit friends and relatives and travel for leisure over the Christmas and New Year holidays." She noted that Cathay Pacific and HK Express achieved a milestone during this period by carrying more than 100,000 passengers in a single day on eight occasions.

Lau highlighted high demand for premium cabins before the holiday season due to increased business-related travel and mentioned the resumption of seasonal flights to Cairns as being well-received.

Regarding cargo operations, Lau stated: “For cargo, the healthy market momentum seen in previous months continued into December.” She pointed out robust demand for e-commerce shipments from Hong Kong and other regions during the festive season.

Looking ahead to future prospects, Lau said: “As a Group, we made incredible progress in 2024,” adding that they have completed their two-year rebuild journey successfully reaching pre-pandemic flight levels from January 2025.

Cathay Pacific plans to strengthen Hong Kong's position as an international aviation hub with new flights and destinations planned for both passenger and cargo services in the coming year.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

Passengers planning summer travel for 2026 can now book flights with Lufthansa Group Airlines, which has released its schedule featuring new destinations and increased frequencies.

Oct 28, 2025

Flying Food Group, Inc. has announced its Employees of the Month at its LAV facility.

Oct 28, 2025

Flying Food Group's San Francisco facility recently celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with its employees.

Oct 28, 2025

Etihad Airways has announced the launch of a new route connecting Abu Dhabi and Addis Ababa.

Oct 27, 2025

United Airlines has unveiled its Summer 2026 schedule, which includes new flights from Newark to Bari, Split, Santiago de Compostela, and Glasgow, as well as from Newark to Seoul and Washington, D.C., to Reykjavik.

Oct 27, 2025

Ethiopian Airlines has announced a limited-time 20% discount on fares between Addis Ababa and Porto.

Oct 27, 2025