Low-cost carrier HK Express revealed on 26 February 2026 that it carried more than 280,000 travellers during the nine-day Lunar New Year peak, a 15 percent jump year-on-year. The busiest day—20 February—saw a record 30,000 passengers, highlighting pent-up regional demand after years of pandemic disruption. Traffic originating in Hong Kong grew by 30 percent, while inbound mainland-China passengers leapt 50 percent thanks to expanded services to six secondary Chinese cities. Penang led the growth table with a 118 percent spike, followed by Jeju and Busan at 83 percent and 65 percent respectively as the airline ramped frequencies to South Korea. The surge underlines Hong Kong International Airport’s recovery as a transit hub: connecting passengers via HK Express increased almost 90 percent. Travel-trade analysts say the figures bode well for the government’s goal of topping 50 million visitors in 2026, provided slot constraints and cross-border staffing rules are managed. Corporates reliant on regional shuttles will welcome the improved seat inventory and competitive fares, especially on emerging secondary routes that cut door-to-factory transit times in Malaysia and Korea. However, the airline cautioned that volatile fuel prices and potential weather-related disruptions could temper capacity growth later in the year. Industry observers add that robust demand also puts pressure on immigration throughput; the newly expanded e-Channel programme and forthcoming smart-lane installations are therefore critical to maintaining the smooth passenger experience business travellers expect.
Source: Travel and Tour World
