Hong Kong airport logs double-digit passenger growth in September
Dhaka: Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) recorded double-digit passenger growth in September, along with gains in flight movements and cargo volume, while also picking up multiple Best Airport awards at international ceremonies, according to a release from Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK).
Passenger traffic rose 10.2% year-on-year to 4.86 million in September, driven largely by transfer and transit passengers. Flight movements increased 7.0% to 32,175, and cargo volume grew 6.3% to 433,000 tonnes, AAHK said in a release.
Visitor numbers climbed 5.0% year-on-year. Most regional markets posted growth, led by the Chinese Mainland, while the decline in Middle East traffic continued to ease.
On the cargo side, transshipments and imports rose 26.9% and 9.2%, respectively, led by Southeast Asia and the Chinese Mainland. This offset a drop in European volumes following the European Union's removal of its duty-free de minimis exemption in July.
For the first three quarters of the year, HKIA handled 49.1 million passengers and 302,075 flight movements, up 10.1% and 3.9% year-on-year, respectively. Cargo volume rose 3.1% to 3.78 million tonnes over the same period.
On a 12-month rolling basis, passenger throughput grew 11.5% to 65.4 million, flight movements rose 4.9% to 405,945, and cargo throughput increased 3.3% to 5.18 million tonnes.
Separately, HKIA was named "Asia's Leading Airport" for the sixth time since 2020 and "China's Leading Airport" for the fifth consecutive year at the World Travel Awards, an industry honor voted by travel specialists and travelers worldwide.
The airport also won the "Travel Hall of Fame – Best Airport" title for the 14th straight year at the TTG Travel Awards 2026, an Asia-Pacific travel industry recognition that has been presented since 1989.
AAHK Chief Executive Officer Vivian Cheung said the airport was honored to once again stand out among Asian airports with multiple accolades, crediting the achievement to the collective effort of the airport community and its partners.
"Looking ahead, we will continue to work closely with business partners to enhance the passenger experience and deliver world-class airport services, further strengthening HKIA's position as the Hub of Asia," she added.
