Cathay Pacific (CX) has announced a significant expansion of its flight schedule to Australia and New Zealand in 2026, increasing capacity across key Oceania markets by approximately 12 percent, reported Simple Flying, which prepared the report with the help of data by Cirium.
The expansion of Cathay, which recently introduced its Lettuce Leaf Sandwich livery, will see additional frequencies from Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) to major Australian airports such as Sydney (SYD), Brisbane (BNE), Perth (PER), and Melbourne (MEL), as well as enhanced service to Auckland (AKL) and Christchurch (CHC) in New Zealand.
Cathay Pacific (CX)
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Airline name | Cathay Pacific Airways Limited |
| IATA / ICAO | CX / CPA |
| Founded | 1946 |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong SAR |
| Primary hub | Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) |
| Alliance | oneworld |
| Fleet size | ~180+ aircraft (widebody dominated) |
| Global destinations | 100+ (2025 network) |
| Key subsidiaries | HK Express (low-cost carrier) |
| CEO | Ronald Lam (2026) |
Cathay’s Expanded Australia Services Schedule Details
Cathay Pacific’s increased services across Australia and New Zealand in 2026 represent a calibrated response to both demand and competitive pressure in the Asia-Pacific market. Here’s a breakdown of its Australia-based expansion:
| Destination (IATA) | Q1 2026 Departures | Avg Daily Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide (ADL) | 37 | ~0.4 | New route; not served in Q1 2025 |
| Sydney (SYD) | 351 | ~4.0 | Highest-frequency route; Qantas hub |
| Melbourne (MEL) | 265 | ~3.0 | High-frequency service; Qantas hub |
| Perth (PER) | 172 | ~2.0 | Stable double-daily average |
| Brisbane (BNE) | 168 | ~2.0 | Consistent two flights per day |
| Cairns (CNS) | 26 | <1.0 | Lowest frequency; reduced from 38 in Q1 2025 |
Which Aircraft is Cathay set to Operate on These Australian Routes?
According to FlightRoutes, Cathay is the sole operator with non-stop flights on this route. The carrier operates the Airbus A350-900, which it configures in the following way (as reported by Seat Maps):
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Business Class: Cathay Pacific’s Airbus A350-900 features 38 lie-flat business class seats with a 45-inch pitch, 20-inch width, and 180° recline, offering a spacious and premium experience tailored for comfortable regional travel.
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Premium Economy: The aircraft is equipped with 28 premium economy seats, providing a 40-inch pitch, 19-inch width, and 9-inch recline, designed for passengers seeking extra comfort and enhanced service on regional routes.
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Economy Class: Economy class comprises 214 seats with a 32-inch pitch, 18-inch width, and 6-inch recline, delivering a functional and comfortable layout optimized for short- to medium-haul operations.
Cathay’s flights to Perth are operated on the Airbus A350-900 (the aircraft type that it deploys on its flights to Adelaide as well) and Boeing 777-300ER, while the flights to Cairns are conducted on the Airbus A330-300. On all these routes, Cathay is the sole carrier offering non-stop flights.
On its Hong Kong-Sydney route, however, the carrier faces competition from two other carriers- Qantas and Hong Kong Airlines – both of whom operate the Airbus A330-300 on the route.
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Cathay’s Expanded New Zealand Services
Seasonal frequency growing from seven to 11 weekly between December 2025 and March 2026.
| Metric | Auckland (AKL) | Christchurch (CHC) |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 2025 Departures | 88 | 47 |
| Q1 2026 Departures | 136 | 46 |
| Change in Departures | +54.5% | −2.1% |
| Seat Capacity Change | +22.2% | +2.1% |
| Seat Capacity Detail | — | 15,050 → 15,364 |
| Network Insight | Strong frequency-led growth | Capacity up via larger aircraft |
On its services to New Zealand, Cathay deploys the Airbus A350: the aircraft type that is deployed on some of the longest non-stop flights in the world:
In Pictures: The World’s 10 Longest One-Stop Flights in 2025
Cathay competes with Air New Zealand, which deploys the Boeing 787 on its Auckland services.
Here’s a look at the carrier’s Auckland services:
| CX198 | CX188 | CX113 | CX199 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | Auckland (AKL) | Auckland (AKL) | Hong Kong (HKG) | Hong Kong (HKG) |
| Destination | Hong Kong (HKG) | Hong Kong (HKG) | Auckland (AKL) | Auckland (AKL) |
| Departure | 14:55 | 08:15 | 21:35 | 14:55 |
| Arrival | 21:15 | 14:35 | 13:25 (+1) | 06:45 (+1) |
| Days of Operation | Daily | Mon, Tue, Thu, Sat | Daily | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun |
| Validity | — | 2 Dec 2025 – 28 Mar 2026 | — | 1 Dec 2025 – 28 Mar 2026 |
When the carrier announced that it would be increasing its Auckland services, Cathay Regional General Manager, Southwest Pacific, Frosti Lau said that the carrier was “incredibly proud to be increasing flights from Auckland” which:
“….reflects the strong demand from this important port. Every new route and additional frequency opens more doors for our customers. This growth is a credit to our dedicated team and comes as we celebrate a major milestone of reaching 100 travel destinations as the Cathay Group. We are committed to strengthening our services in New Zealand and enhancing global connectivity through our Hong Kong hub, with improved onward connections from Auckland to key destinations worldwide.”
Cathay Pacific will operate flight CX126 from Christchurch (CHC) to Hong Kong (HKG) with a 14:20 departure and 20:55 arrival, offering three weekly services on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays during November 2025 and March 2026, increasing to four weekly flights on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays between December 2025 and February 2026.
The return service, flight CX123, departs Hong Kong at 20:40 and arrives in Christchurch at 12:50 the following day, operating three times weekly on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays in November 2025 and March 2026, before ramping up to four weekly frequencies on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays during the peak December 2025 to February 2026 period.
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All in All
Cathay’s more frequent flights between Hong Kong and Oceania is set to benefit tourism and trade, increasing inbound visitor spend, while also improving belly cargo capacity, aiding exporters.
The sentiment was also echoed by Auckland Airport’s Chief Customer Officer Scott Tasker, who said that the increased capacity over the peak summer months “will be welcomed by international visitors and locals alike looking to travel to and from New Zealand on Cathay Pacific’s global network“:
“The trade and tourism links provided by Cathay Pacific are vital to Auckland and New Zealand as a whole. Not on does every visitor contribute substantially to our economy, supporting accommodation, hospitality and other sectors, but the freight capacity provided by Cathay Pacific into Hong Kong’s cargo mega-hub makes it easier for Kiwi exporters to get their products out to the world.”
The following table rounds up the increase in Cathay’s services to Oceania:
| Metric | Q1 2026 | Q1 2025 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total departures (HKG → Australia & New Zealand) | 1,201 | 1,070 | +12.2% |
| Total seats offered | 380,939 | — | +11.6% |
| Available seat miles (ASM) | 1,735,036,736 | — | +11.6% |
| Key route growth | Auckland (AKL): 7 → 11 weekly departures | — | — |