Cathay Pacific Launches Daily Hong Kong–Changsha Flights

Cathay Pacific has launched a new non-stop service between Hong Kong and Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province, further strengthening its presence in the Chinese Mainland. The route, which began operations this week, becomes the airline group’s fifth new Mainland destination added in 2025.

 

The daily service enhances connectivity for travelers from Hong Kong and abroad, providing direct access to Changsha while allowing passengers from Hunan to connect to more than 100 international destinations through Cathay’s Hong Kong hub.

To celebrate the launch, Cathay held a ceremony at Changsha Huanghua International Airport. The inaugural flight, CX968, was greeted with a water salute, symbolizing the beginning of enhanced air links between the two regions.

“The Changsha route reinforces our strategy of deeper integration with the Chinese Mainland,” said Arnold Cheng, Director Chinese Mainland for Cathay. “We’re proud to connect Hunan to the world through Hong Kong.”

Flights are operated with Airbus A321neo aircraft and feature both Business and Economy cabins, as well as Cathay’s award-winning inflight entertainment. The service runs multiple times per week, with both morning and evening departures.

Cathay Pacific and HK Express now serve 24 cities across the Chinese Mainland and plan to operate over 330 return flights per week during the winter peak. Other recent additions to the group’s Mainland network include Urumqi, Changzhou, Yiwu, and Guiyang.

In response to rising demand, Cathay has also increased frequencies on high-traffic routes like Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu.

The airline group continues to invest heavily in its infrastructure, including lounge upgrades and service improvements, as part of a broader plan to reinforce Hong Kong’s status as a global aviation hub.