Drawing a timely parallel to the kickoff of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Transport and Logistics Secretary Mable Chan has credited a unified, strategic teamwork approach for the city’s rapidly expanding aviation network, projecting that passenger numbers at Hong Kong International Airport will surpass 70 million this year.
In a blog post published on Saturday, the transport chief emphasized that successfully navigating an era of complex geopolitics, fierce regional competition, and volatile energy prices requires the same coordination as a championship football team.
She noted that the government has formed a strategic “iron triangle” with the Airport Authority Hong Kong and local airlines to operate as “Hong Kong Inc.,” working collectively to secure the city’s status as a premier international aviation hub.
A unified approach yields pre-pandemic milestones
This coordinated strategy has already yielded significant milestones. The city’s aviation sector successfully added or resumed thirty global destinations over the course of 2025.
Currently, Hong Kong International Airport connects to nearly 220 destinations worldwide and is serviced by approximately 140 airlines, with both metrics now officially exceeding pre-pandemic levels.
The momentum has been further bolstered by the Chief Executive’s recently concluded diplomatic trip to Central Asia, which secured major expansions for Hong Kong’s aviation footprint.
Among the key developments, Cathay Pacific is set to launch direct flights connecting Hong Kong with Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty.
Concurrently, the SAR government and Uzbekistan have initialed a new civil aviation agreement, paving the way for airlines from both sides to establish regular commercial flight schedules and boost bilateral travel.
Central Asia emerges as key cargo corridor
Beyond passenger travel, authorities view the expansion into Central Asia as a critical strategic move to fortify Hong Kong’s lucrative air cargo sector.
While 13 percent of the city’s air freight traditionally passes through the Middle East, recent geopolitical tensions in that region have underscored the urgent need to diversify flight routes.
The pivot towards Central Asia is already showing dramatic results. Over the first five months of this year, the volume of cargo transported to Hong Kong via Central Asia surged fivefold compared to the same period last year.
Transport officials anticipate that this route will become a vital artery of the “Air Silk Road” connecting Hong Kong to Europe, adding much-needed resilience to the global supply chain network.
Terminal 2 opens as capacity surges
On the infrastructure front, the airport’s expansion is entering its final stages. Over the past week, fifteen airlines successfully relocated their operations to the newly operational Terminal 2. The opening of the terminal signals that the massive Three-Runway System project is nearing total completion, marking a new chapter for the airport’s capacity.
Airport Authority Chairman Fred Lam Tin-fuk recently highlighted the operational capabilities of the upgraded infrastructure, noting that the three runways can now handle a maximum of 77 flight movements per hour.
Driven by a 13 percent year-on-year growth in passenger traffic over the first four months of this year, officials remain highly confident that the collective efforts of the “Hong Kong Inc.” coalition will push the airport’s total passenger throughput past the 70 million mark by the end of the year.