Hong Kong-based aviation giant, the Cathay Group, is significantly ramping up its flight offerings between Hong Kong and Mainland China during the summer of 2025. Committed to meeting growing demands for leisure, business, and international connections, Cathay Pacific, together with its subsidiary HK Express, will operate nearly 300 return flights per week at peak travel times, representing an increase of approximately 40% compared to the previous year.

This robust expansion not only reinforces Cathay’s dedication to providing superior customer service but also aligns with its strategic goal of strengthening Hong Kong’s status as a key international aviation hub. Travelers from around the world will benefit from enhanced scheduling flexibility, efficient connectivity, and a wider array of travel options throughout the bustling summer travel season.

Cathay Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau said: “We are delighted to be expanding our flight schedule in the Chinese Mainland this summer with services to 20 passenger destinations and increased frequencies on many of our popular routes. With our unique position of having deep roots in Hong Kong, being proudly part of China, and connecting the world, we are committed to providing a seamless travel experience for our customers whether they are flying to, from or via our home hub.”

Strategic Focus on Key Regions in Mainland China

Cathay Group’s strategic expansion primarily targets high-demand regions, including the economically vibrant Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and the Yangtze River Delta areas. These areas are essential to China’s national strategic vision and represent significant sources of inbound and outbound passenger traffic. Cathay’s enhanced scheduling ensures frequent and timely flights, specifically designed for convenience and optimized travel experiences.

Expanded Flight Schedule to Beijing

The capital city of China, Beijing, will benefit considerably from this expanded schedule. Cathay Pacific is significantly increasing flight frequencies to Beijing Capital International Airport, delivering seven daily return flights. HK Express complements this effort with a daily return flight to Beijing Daxing International Airport. Collectively, travelers can choose from a comprehensive total of 56 weekly return flights to Beijing, underscoring Cathay Group’s commitment to meeting growing passenger demand.

Shanghai Receives Increased Connectivity

Shanghai, an economic powerhouse and vibrant travel hub, also sees a major increase in flight frequency. Cathay Pacific will now operate eight daily return flights to Shanghai Pudong International Airport, while also providing 11 weekly return flights to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. This culminates in an impressive total of 67 weekly return flights connecting Hong Kong and Shanghai, offering significant scheduling flexibility for business travelers and tourists alike.

Other Prominent Mainland Cities Experience Increased Frequencies

The enhanced flight schedule extends beyond just Beijing and Shanghai, covering a host of popular Chinese destinations to accommodate strong leisure and corporate travel demands:

• Zhengzhou, Ningbo, Haikou, Chongqing: Each city increases from four weekly return flights to daily flights, significantly boosting convenience and frequency. Ningbo will also enjoy additional daily services operated by HK Express, providing passengers more travel flexibility.
• Hangzhou: Enhanced to four return flights daily, boosting passenger choice.
• Nanjing: Increased service frequency now offering twice daily flights.
• Wenzhou: Flight frequency grows to 10 weekly flights.
• Wuhan: Enhanced schedule with 12 return flights weekly, further facilitating business and leisure travel.

Launching New Routes to Enhance National Connectivity

Cathay Pacific also introduces direct flights between Hong Kong and Urumqi starting 28 April 2025. This new route reflects the airline’s continued commitment to broadening its network to less connected cities, serving to strengthen economic, cultural, and travel ties within China.

The substantial increase in service frequencies, combined with the addition of new cities to the Cathay network, underscores the group’s strategic efforts to elevate Hong Kong’s position as a premier gateway between Mainland China and the global market.

Global Expansion to Support Hong Kong’s Aviation Hub Status

Beyond its Mainland China operations, the Cathay Group’s ambitious international growth strategy is designed to solidify Hong Kong’s leadership in global aviation. During 2025, Cathay Pacific and HK Express are adding 13 new international destinations to their global network:

• Cathay Pacific New Destinations: Hyderabad, Dallas, Urumqi, Rome, Munich, Brussels
• HK Express New Destinations: Sendai, Nha Trang, Ishigaki, Komatsu, Cheongju, Daegu, Miyako (Shimojishima)

With these new destinations, the Cathay Group aims to offer passengers a comprehensive global network, expanding to over 100 worldwide destinations throughout 2025. This strategy is designed to enhance travel flexibility, enrich passenger experience, and bolster Hong Kong’s global connectivity.

Reinforcing Economic and Cultural Exchange

Cathay’s expanded network strategically supports growing bilateral and multilateral exchanges, fostering stronger economic relationships and facilitating cultural dialogue between Hong Kong, Mainland China, and the rest of the world. Businesses benefit from greater ease in arranging corporate travel, while leisure travelers enjoy wider choices and more frequent flight options.

This commitment to enhanced connectivity underscores the pivotal role that Cathay plays in supporting global economic growth, promoting cultural exchange, and meeting robust international demand for travel.

Seamless Travel Experience and Superior Customer Service

Cathay Group emphasizes its continued dedication to customer satisfaction. The expanded flight frequencies and optimized schedules are carefully designed to ensure convenience, efficiency, and seamless connectivity for travelers navigating between Hong Kong, Mainland China, and global destinations.

The heightened summer schedule, combined with Cathay’s globally recognized service standards, ensures passengers benefit from reliability, comfort, and ease throughout their travel experience.

Boosting Hong Kong’s Economic Prosperity Through Aviation

Cathay Group’s substantial flight frequency increases provide significant economic benefits for Hong Kong. Enhancing aviation connectivity not only promotes inbound tourism but also boosts business travel, increasing spending across sectors including hospitality, retail, transportation, and services. By driving economic activity through improved connectivity, Cathay continues to contribute significantly to Hong Kong’s broader economic prosperity and resilience.

A Positive Outlook for Future Travel Trends

The substantial increase in flight offerings reflects the Cathay Group’s optimistic projection for continued travel demand growth between Hong Kong and Mainland China. Travel industry analysts have noted that these strategic expansions will likely yield positive outcomes in passenger satisfaction, business growth, and tourism sector performance, both regionally and internationally.

Looking forward, Cathay Group remains committed to closely monitoring market trends, adapting dynamically to evolving travel patterns, and continuously enhancing its network and services to maintain a competitive edge.