---
title: "Cathay Pacific Starts 2026 Strong With Higher Passenger and Cargo Volumes"
description: "Cathay Pacific Airways reported a strong start to 2026, with over 3.3 million passengers carried in January, an 11% increase year-on-year, and a 5% rise in cargo volumes to over 130,000 tonnes. The ai"
type: "news"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/276717517.md"
published_at: "2026-02-24T10:08:26.000Z"
---

# Cathay Pacific Starts 2026 Strong With Higher Passenger and Cargo Volumes

> Cathay Pacific Airways reported a strong start to 2026, with over 3.3 million passengers carried in January, an 11% increase year-on-year, and a 5% rise in cargo volumes to over 130,000 tonnes. The airline set new single-day passenger records on February 14 and noted improved premium-cabin load factors and robust leisure demand. With a 14% increase in available seat capacity, management anticipates ongoing revenue growth and strong demand, supported by positive forward bookings. Analysts rate the stock as a Buy with a price target of HK$14.00.

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Cathay Pacific Airways ( (HK:0293) ) just unveiled an announcement.

Cathay Pacific Airways reported a strong start to 2026, with the Cathay Group’s passenger airlines Cathay Pacific and HK Express carrying more than 3.3 million passengers in January, up 11% year on year, while Cathay Cargo volumes rose 5% to over 130,000 tonnes. The company highlighted further momentum into February, setting new single-day passenger records on 14 February, and reported improved premium-cabin load factors, increased transit traffic and robust leisure demand over Lunar New Year, signalling a sustained recovery in both passenger and cargo operations and reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as an international aviation hub.

Cathay Pacific’s available seat capacity expanded 14% in January compared with a year earlier, underscoring the group’s continued network rebuilding and frequency additions that are driving higher connectivity and transit flows. Management noted strong outbound student and post-holiday traffic, a rebound in business travel and healthy forward bookings heading into Easter, suggesting ongoing revenue growth potential and a supportive demand backdrop for shareholders and other stakeholders as the group consolidates its competitive position in regional and long-haul markets.

The most recent analyst rating on (HK:0293) stock is a Buy with a HK$14.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Cathay Pacific Airways stock, see the HK:0293 Stock Forecast page.

**More about Cathay Pacific Airways**

Cathay Pacific Airways is a Hong Kong-based international airline group listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, operating passenger and cargo services through its flagship carrier Cathay Pacific, low-cost airline HK Express and freight arm Cathay Cargo. The group focuses on leveraging Hong Kong’s role as an international aviation hub, with growing premium, transit and regional leisure traffic across Asia and beyond.

**Average Trading Volume:** 7,908,750

**Technical Sentiment Signal:** Buy

**Current Market Cap:** HK$86.81B

For an in-depth examination of 0293 stock, go to TipRanks’ Overview page.

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> **Disclaimer**: This article is for reference only and does not constitute any investment advice.