Hong Kong's Cathay Group has ordered 14 additional Airbus aircraft to support the expansion of its regional services, taking its total investment commitments to more than HK$150 billion, about US$19 billion, for the decade to 2035. The group announced the order on Wednesday, exercising purchase rights it already held.
The firm order covers 11 Airbus A330-900 widebody aircraft and three A321neo narrowbody aircraft. The 11 A330-900s build on an order for 30 of the same model placed in 2024, bringing Cathay's total firm commitment for the type to 41 aircraft. The three A321neos are for HK Express, the group's budget airline, which focuses on mainland Chinese destinations and other short-haul routes.
"These new orders bring our total aircraft deliveries from 2026 to 120, bringing us closer to our plan of 150 new aircraft deliveries and building a network serving 150 destinations in the next 10 years, if market conditions are favourable," group chief executive Ronald Lam Siu-por said. "They also now bring us to over HK$150 billion total investment committed for the 10-year period between 2026 and 2035."
The A330-900s are expected to be delivered between 2031 and 2035 and will gradually replace Cathay's existing aircraft in that category. The group currently operates 43 A330-300s, making it the largest aircraft type in its fleet by number, and the A330-900 is set to become a significant part of its fleet renewal programme alongside Airbus A320neo family narrowbodies and Boeing 777-9 jets for long-haul services. Cathay also ordered 14 Boeing 777-9 passenger jets in August last year.
The basic price of the 11 A330-900s is approximately $5.114 billion, covering the airframe, additional components and engines, according to Cathay's filing. The airline stressed, however, that Airbus has granted substantial price concessions, so the actual amount it will pay is significantly lower than the basic price, at a level comparable to previous deals.
The A330-900s will support the growth of Cathay Pacific's regional network and provide additional passenger and cargo capacity across its Asia-Pacific network, while the A321neos will add capacity for HK Express on short-haul routes. The order reflects the group's confidence that demand for travel through its Hong Kong hub will keep growing over the coming decade.
The deal comes at a time when aircraft manufacturers are working through enormous order backlogs. The International Air Transport Association said in June that the global order backlog had exceeded 18,000 aircraft, equivalent to almost 12 years of production at current manufacturing rates, which means airlines are placing orders years ahead of delivery.
For Hong Kong, the investment is also a statement about the city's ambitions as an international aviation hub. Cathay's fleet renewal and expansion programme, with 150 aircraft due over the next decade, is designed to strengthen connectivity through Hong Kong at a time when competition among Asian hubs is intensifying.
The new aircraft will not arrive for several years, with the first A330-900 deliveries scheduled for 2031. In the meantime, Cathay will continue to take delivery of aircraft already on order, including A320neo family jets, A350 freighters and the Boeing 777-9s, as it rebuilds its network towards 150 destinations.
