started · updated
Cathay Pacific profit jumps 71% in H1 2026 as fuel costs double
Hong Kong‑based Cathay Pacific reported a net profit of HK$6.2 billion (about US$795 million) for the first half of 2026, a 71 % increase year‑on‑year. Revenue rose 25.3 % to HK$68 billion, with passenger revenue up 26.3 % to HK$43.2 billion. The airline carried 17.5 % more passengers than a year earlier, while its low‑cost subsidiary HK Express saw a 9.8 % rise.
Fuel costs nearly doubled from the first to the second quarter, climbing 59.1 % compared with the same period in 2025, driven by the Iran‑related war in the Middle East. The carrier responded with multiple fuel‑surcharge adjustments and added extra Europe‑bound flights to capture shifting traffic flows.
Cathay Group declared an interim dividend of HK$0.26 per share, a 30 % increase, and disclosed a HK$1 billion non‑recurring gain from a partial disposal of its stake in Air China. The group reaffirmed its plan to add 150 new aircraft over the next ten years and has committed roughly HK$150 billion to fleet, cabin and digital investments.
Entities
Air China Limited · Cathay Cargo · Cathay Group · Cathay Pacific · Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. · Guy Bradley · HK Express · Hong Kong · Iran war
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Fuel costs nearly doubled from the first quarter to the second quarter of 2026. hongkongfp.com · japantoday.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Cathay Pacific carried 17.5 % more passengers and HK Express 9.8 % more than in the first half of 2025. hongkongfp.com · japantoday.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Cathay Pacific plans to add 150 new aircraft to its fleet over the next ten years. hongkongfp.com · japantoday.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Revenue rose 25.3 % to HK$68 billion in the first half of 2026. www.travelquotidiano.com · businessnewsthisweek.com · hongkongfp.com · japantoday.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Fuel costs increased 59.1 % compared with the same period in 2025. hongkongfp.com · japantoday.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Passenger revenue increased 26.3 % to HK$43.2 billion. hongkongfp.com · japantoday.com · businessnewsthisweek.com · www.travelquotidiano.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Cathay Pacific net profit increased 71 % year‑on‑year. www.travelquotidiano.com · businessnewsthisweek.com · hongkongfp.com · japantoday.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Cathay Pacific reported net profit of HK$6.2 billion in the first half of 2026. www.travelquotidiano.com · businessnewsthisweek.com · hongkongfp.com · japantoday.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Cathay Group announced an interim dividend of HK$0.26 per share, a 30 % increase. businessnewsthisweek.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Cathay Group recorded a HK$1 billion non‑recurring gain from a partial disposal of its equity interest in Air China. businessnewsthisweek.com