Cathay expands routes connecting Belt & Road regions; increases Riyadh service

Addressing demand for Middle East connections, Lam said: “I have been surprised by how many Hong Kong businesses regularly travel between Hong Kong and the Middle East. I remember back in 2023, when Hong Kong had just emerged from the pandemic, I joined a delegation to the Middle East led by the Hong Kong SAR Government and was struck by the strong growth potential in the region.

“In October last year, Cathay Pacific launched direct flights between Hong Kong and Riyadh. To our pleasant surprise, demand was much stronger than expected, particularly between the Chinese Mainland and Riyadh via the Hong Kong hub. As a result, we increased our frequency from three to four return flights per week, and I’m pleased to share that starting next month, we will be operating daily flights to Riyadh.”

The airline’s daily passenger service to Riyadh will supplement Cathay Cargo’s weekly freighter operations using Boeing 747 aircraft.

In Southeast Asia (ASEAN), Cathay serves about 20 destinations linked with Belt and Road projects. Lam commented: “ASEAN is probably the closest and most important Belt and Road region for Cathay’s strategic roadmap. Through our dual-brand strategy, Cathay Pacific and HK Express have been able to expand our connectivity between Hong Kong and ASEAN in a very significant way.”

Elsewhere in its network, non-stop flights between Hong Kong and Dallas-Fort Worth will increase from four times weekly to daily beginning October 26, 2025. This expansion aims to give customers more options for connecting through Dallas-Fort Worth onward to Central or South America via codeshare agreements or other flight options.

Cathay says it remains focused on growing its presence along Belt and Road routes while supporting efforts that reinforce Hong Kong's position as an international aviation hub. The group also plans continued support for initiatives underpinned by China's National 14th Five-Year Plan related to developing eight designated centers within Hong Kong.

Currently operating passenger services across more than 100 global destinations—including extensive coverage of Mainland China—Cathay seeks to provide seamless travel experiences linking these regions through its network.