Cathay Pacific Airways (0293) announced on Wednesday that it carried 37 percent more passengers in January 2025 compared to the same period last year.

This surge is driven by increased short-haul travel demand during the Chinese New Year holiday, along with rising business travel demand and outbound student traffic after the holiday.

Cathay Cargo carried 13.7 percent more cargo last month and HK Express carried a record high of over 667,000 passengers, up 46.1 percent year-on-year, the company said in a filing.

Looking ahead, chief customer and commercial officer Lavinia Lau Hoi-zee expects a quieter period for leisure travel demand until the end of March.