Cathay Pacific Air Cargo Profile

Cathay Cargo is the freight arm of Cathay Pacific, the flag carrier of Hong Kong, which was founded in 1946 and is a founding member of the oneworld alliance. The airline is majority-owned by the Swire Pacific conglomerate, with Air China holding a large minority stake. The cargo business carried the Cathay Pacific Cargo name for decades before being rebranded as Cathay Cargo in February 2023, part of a wider group brand refresh that simplified the parent identity to Cathay.

The dedicated freighter fleet consists of 20 Boeing 747 aircraft, comprising 14 Boeing 747-8F and six Boeing 747-400ERF. These main-deck freighters are supplemented by substantial belly capacity in the holds of the passenger fleet, which numbers around 180 aircraft including the Airbus A350, A330 and A321neo and the Boeing 777. Cathay Cargo has ordered the next-generation Airbus A350F, with firm orders that grew to eight aircraft and first deliveries scheduled from 2027 to renew and modernise the freighter fleet.

Operations are centred on Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), consistently ranked as the world's busiest international air cargo gateway. The carrier runs specialist handling programmes for temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals, perishables, live animals, valuables and vulnerable shipments, alongside express and e-commerce solutions. Its network reaches North America across the Pacific, Europe, and destinations throughout the Asia-Pacific region, using Hong Kong as a consolidation point between manufacturing centres in mainland China and Asia and consumer markets in the Americas and Europe.