Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) continued its post-pandemic climb in September, logging 4.86 million passenger trips—a 10.2 per cent year-on-year rise—according to figures released on 20 October by business newswire GMT Eight. Aircraft movements reached 32,175, up 7 %, while cargo throughput increased 6.3 % to 433,000 tonnes. The strongest tailwind came from transfer and transit traffic, which recorded double-digit gains as more airlines restored multi-stop Asian itineraries. Visitor arrivals also grew 5 % year-on-year, buoyed by relaxed visa-on-arrival rules for ASEAN nationals and aggressive marketing by Hong Kong Tourism Board. Mainland China remained the fastest-growing market, helped by new high-speed rail–plus-air packages that shave an hour off door-to-door journeys to Shanghai and Beijing. On the cargo side, HKIA’s e-Commerce Golden Week promotion—offering discounted freight rates to SME exporters—drove a 26.9 % surge in trans-shipment volumes, offsetting weaker demand from Europe after the EU scrapped its de-minimis duty waiver for low-value goods. Airport Authority executives say the figures validate their twin-hub strategy of betting on both people and parcels. They also confirmed that Terminal 2’s Phase 2 expansion remains on track for a mid-2027 opening, adding 12 contact gates and an automated people-mover link to the SkyCity convention precinct. For mobility managers, the numbers signal tighter seat inventory and firmer fares on key regional routes as airlines inch closer to pre-Covid schedules. Corporates are being advised to lock in Q4 travel early, especially around the 2026 APEC summit season when hotel and flight demand is expected to spike. Meanwhile, HKIA’s smart-security lanes—where passengers keep electronics and liquids in their bags—are now active at all departure channels, trimming dwell times by up to 30 %. Year-to-date, HKIA has handled 49.1 million passengers and 3.78 million tonnes of cargo, both roughly 10 % higher than the same period in 2025. With long-haul routes to Chicago and Johannesburg slated to return in November, analysts project the airport could close 2026 at 70 million passengers—still shy of the 2018 peak of 74.7 million, but a decisive step toward full recovery.
Source: GMT Eight Press
