Cathay Pacific celebrates the upcoming launch of its new direct passenger flights between Hong Kong and Urumqi

Connecting the airline’s home city with an important Belt and Road hub in Northwestern China

April 28, 2025 -- Cathay Pacific celebrated the upcoming launch of its non-stop passenger service between Hong Kong and Urumqi with a cocktail reception at Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong yesterday (25 April 2025). Hosted by Cathay Group Chief Executive Officer Ronald Lam, the event was attended by distinguished guests including Secretary for Transport and Logistics of the Hong Kong SAR Government Mable Chan and other industry stakeholders.

Launching on Monday, 28 April 2025, the Hong Kong-Urumqi route further expands the Cathay Group’s network in the Chinese Mainland to 20 destinations. This new four-times-weekly return service connects the airline’s customers from Hong Kong and beyond with an important Belt and Road hub in Northwestern China, solidifying Hong Kong’s status as an international aviation hub.

Speaking at the launch event, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said: “In May of last year, the Central Government expanded the multiple-entry Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) by adding eight new cities, including Urumqi. The launch of this new direct flight today reflects our commitment to fulfilling the Central Government’s support and expectations for Hong Kong.

“Urumqi plays an important role as a conduit. Beyond passenger services, we hope Cathay will help elevate the entire air cargo industry by leveraging this new gateway to establish a new cargo corridor. This will enable air freight from various global destinations to be transported through Hong Kong International Airport and distributed to different cities across the Chinese Mainland.

“With its proximity to Central Asia, Urumqi not only strengthens Hong Kong’s connectivity with the Chinese Mainland but also serves as a bridge to other continents, extending our reach to key destinations along the Belt and Road Initiative.”

Cathay’s Ronald Lam said: “With its vibrant blend of cultural experiences and stunning landscapes, Urumqi is the latest addition to our expanding Chinese Mainland network. We are excited to welcome customers onboard our flights to explore the unique offerings of Xinjiang’s capital.

“With services to Changzhou and Yiwu also being launched by HK Express in May, the Cathay Group will operate passenger services to a total of 22 destinations in the Chinese Mainland, providing more than 300 return flights per week during the summer peak. We remain committed to enhancing connectivity between Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and beyond by introducing more destination and flight choices for our customers.”

Cathay Pacific’s direct flights between Hong Kong and Urumqi will be operated by the airline’s Airbus A330-300 aircraft, providing customers with comfortable Business and Economy cabins. Flight schedules are as follows (all times local):

The Cathay Group is also expanding its global network with 15 new destinations announced for this year so far, including Hyderabad, Dallas, Urumqi, Rome, Munich and Brussels for Cathay Pacific, and Sendai, Nha Trang, Ishigaki, Komatsu, Changzhou, Yiwu, Cheongju, Daegu and Miyako (Shimojishima) for HK Express.

The Group’s extensive passenger network will exceed 100 destinations within the first half of 2025, providing customers with a smooth and seamless travel experience to destinations around the world.

Secretary for Transport and Logistics of the Hong Kong SAR Government Mable Chan (centre), Cathay Group Chief Executive Officer Ronald Lam (fourth from right), Cathay Director Chinese Mainland Arnold Cheng (fourth from left), Cathay Director Cargo Tom Owen (third from right), Chairman of Xinjiang Association of Hong Kong Wang Xihua (third from left) celebrated the upcoming launch with Cathay Pacific crew

Cathay Group CEO Ronald Lam said the Group will fly to 22 passenger destinations in the Chinese Mainland providing more than 300 return flights per week during the summer peak.

Secretary for Transport and Logistics of the Hong Kong SAR Government Mable Chan remarked that she hopes Cathay will help elevate the entire air cargo industry.

Cathay Group CEO Ronald Lam (centre), Non-Official Member of the Executive Council Jeffrey Lam (second from left), Legislative Council Member Perry Yiu (second from right), Commissioner for Tourism Angelina Cheung (first from left) and Chairman of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong Tommy Tam (first from right) attended the reception.

Guests were treated to a Xinjiang-style dance performance during the reception to celebrate the upcoming route launch.

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