The Cathay Group announced its traffic statistics for February 2026, indicating a robust beginning for the year, energized by the momentum from January. This surge is notably influenced by the peak travel season during the Lunar New Year period.

On February 14, the group set a remarkable single-day passenger record of 128,000 passengers. Overall, both Cathay Pacific and HK Express transported over 3.2 million passengers in February, marking a 24% increase from February 2025.

However, Lavinia Lau, the chief customer and commercial officer, cautioned that the upcoming month may present challenges due to global uncertainties that could affect travel patterns. “As we move into March, the geopolitical landscape remains unstable, leading to unpredictable shifts in passenger and cargo traffic and heightened jet fuel prices. Due to the situation in the Middle East, we are temporarily halting Cathay Pacific’s flights and freighter services to Dubai and Riyadh through April 30,” Lau stated.

With airspace closures affecting travel routes, the group is responding by increasing flights to London and adding capacity to Zurich to accommodate rising demand for European destinations.

In February 2026, Cathay Pacific’s passenger levels rose by 24% compared to the same month in 2025, while the available seat kilometers (ASKs) surged 16%. In the first two months of the year, total passengers carried increased by 17% year on year.

Lau highlighted favorable outbound travel demand from Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area amid the Lunar New Year period, noting that short-haul destinations were particularly favored. Meanwhile, inbound travel to Hong Kong showed substantial growth, supported by demand from long-distance markets and mainland China.

Looking forward, Cathay Pacific remains optimistic about bookings for March, driven primarily by leisure travel across Asia. The airline also anticipates launching a new five-times-weekly service to Seattle starting March 30, enhancing connectivity at the Hong Kong international aviation hub.

In terms of cargo, Cathay Cargo reported a 7% increase in freight carried compared to February 2025, with 4% growth in Available Freight Tonne Kilometres (AFTKs).

Meanwhile, HK Express experienced a 25% rise in passengers for February, reaching over 730,000, thanks to strong demand driven by the Lunar New Year, particularly on routes to South Korea.