Cathay Pacific sees profit rise

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific posted a 9.5% rise in full-year profit driven by higher passenger numbers and robust cargo demand, its third consecutive annual profit after three years of losses during the pandemic. The Cathay Group, including airlines, subsidiaries and associates, reported an attributable profit of HK$10.8 billion in 2025, which compares with HK$9.9 billion in 2024. The result was attributed to increased capacity, solid passenger load factors and resilient cargo demand. This was partially offset by passenger yield normalisation and losses made by HK Express. The Group’s airlines and subsidiaries reported an attributable profit of HK$10 billion for the full year of 2025, versus a profit of HK$8.8 billion in 2024. The results from associates, the majority of which are recognised three months in arrears, were a full-year profit of HK$447 million, compared with a profit of HK$288 million in 2024. The Group’s full-year result has allowed it to announce a second interim dividend payment to ordinary shareholders of HK$0.64 per share. Together with the first interim dividend that had already been paid, a total of HK$0.84 per share or HK$5.2 billion will have been paid in ordinary share dividends in respect of 2025. The past three years have been a period of rapid rebuilding for Cathay with more destinations added to its network, increased flight frequencies on popular routes, and enhancements to the customer experience. Building on this, in 2025 Cathay Pacific and HK Express launched flights to 20 new destinations, bringing the Group’s passenger network to more than 100 destinations worldwide. Cathay Group Chair Patrick Healy said: “I am pleased to report that 2025 marked our third consecutive year of solid financial performance. This is an excellent achievement that reflects the commitment of our teams and provides us with a solid foundation from which we can continue to sustainably grow our business for our customers, our people, our shareholders and Hong Kong. As we celebrate ‘80 Years Together’ , we look forward to continuing to connect Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland with the world. We have built a strong foundation which has made Cathay resilient, efficient and adaptable. This has put us in the best possible position to withstand current market turbulence, and we will remain agile as we continue to face external challenges. We expect to grow passenger capacity by around 10% in 2026 as we add frequencies and destinations to our network, which will also contribute to increased cargo capacity. We remain highly confident in our future at the very centre of the Hong Kong international aviation hub.” All of Cathay’s available aircraft are fully resourced and flying, and recruitment and training shall continue in line with the Group’s growth plans. On top of this, eight new narrowbody aircraft will be delivered in 2026. Cathay has more than 100 new narrowbody, regional widebody, long-haul widebody and large freighter aircraft in its delivery pipeline as part of its commitment of well over HK$100 billion in investments into its fleet, cabin and lounge products, and digital innovation. In 2026, Cathay is focusing on increasing frequencies on its existing routes, adding more destinations to its network and further enhancing the customer experience both in the air and on the ground. Cathay Pacific is launching direct flights to Seattle on 30 March 2026 and will continue retrofitting more of its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with its award-winning Aria Suite throughout the year. The airline is also introducing a nose-to-tail retrofit of its regional Airbus A330-300 aircraft at the end of 2026. This will include the all-new Aria Studio – a flat-bed Business class cabin product offering direct aisle access – along with a new seat in the Economy cabin. The airline is also enhancing some of its existing cabin products in response to customer feedback. This includes reducing the number of seats in the Economy cabins onboard its narrowbody Airbus A321neo aircraft to provide customers with more space. This follows the refresh of some of its A330 and 777-300 aircraft last year to give them a more modern look. On the ground, Cathay Pacific will welcome customers back to its redesigned flagship Hong Kong lounge The Wing, First soon, followed by its first-ever lounge in New York. Cathay Cargo will continue to adjust to changing market dynamics through close dialogue with its customers and shall remain agile, leveraging its strong global network to deploy capacity to meet demand, while continuing to focus on further developing its core strengths that differentiate it in the market. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Sally Passey at [email protected]