Cathay Group Orders 14 Additional Airbus Aircraft in 2026

Hong Kong – Cathay Group has placed a firm order for 14 additional Airbus aircraft, expanding its A330neo and A320neo-family commitments as it continues its fleet renewal and network growth plans. The additional aircraft extend the group's long-term requirements for pilot training, aircraft transition and recurrent simulator capacity.

• The order comprises 11 Airbus A330-900 widebody aircraft for Cathay Pacific and three Airbus A321neo narrowbody aircraft for HK Express. The additional A330-900s bring Cathay Pacific's firm commitment for the type to 41 aircraft, following an initial order for 30 in 2024.
• Cathay expects the 11 additional A330-900s to be delivered between 2031 and 2035. The aircraft will progressively replace existing mid-size widebody aircraft, supporting regional operations across Asia while providing flexibility for longer-haul services. As of June 30, 2026, Cathay Pacific operated 43 Airbus A330-300 aircraft.
• The three additional A321neos build on the group's previous order for 32 A320neo-family aircraft in 2023. The aircraft will support HK Express' expansion into mainland China and other short-haul markets.
• The latest commitments bring the Cathay Group's planned new aircraft deliveries from 2026 onward to 120 aircraft. The group is targeting 150 new aircraft deliveries and a network of 150 destinations over the next decade, subject to favourable market conditions.
• The group reports that its wider investment commitments for 2026–2035 now exceed HK$150 billion (approximately US$19.2 billion), covering fleet expansion, renewal and other business investments. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange filing for the 11 A330-900s specifies an aircraft basic price of US$5.114 billion before negotiated discounts, with the actual purchase consideration undisclosed.
• The expanded fleet commitments provide a longer-term basis for flight crew qualification, variant familiarisation and recurrent training planning.
• AFM previously reported that Cathay Flight Training Centre received a new CAE Airbus A320neo full-flight simulator in October 2025, supporting the group's growing Airbus pilot training requirements.

Statements

• “The A330 and A320 aircraft families have been serving the Cathay Group well, and we are pleased to be adding more of these state-of-the-art, fuel-efficient aircraft to our fleet. This latest order for 14 additional A330-900s and A321neos enables us to further expand and upgrade our fleet, supporting not only our regional operations across Asia-Pacific, but also providing greater flexibility to operate longer flights, further strengthening connectivity at our home hub, Hong Kong,” said Alex McGowan, Chief Operations and Service Delivery Officer at Cathay.
• “This additional order from the Cathay Group, an experienced operator of the A330ceo and the A320 Family, is a strong endorsement of the value these aircraft bring in supporting the airline’s growth. Together the A330-900 and A321neo aircraft give the airline the flexibility to match capacity to demand, bringing versatility while benefiting from lower fuel burn and the efficiencies of a streamlined Airbus fleet. We are proud to support the Cathay Group through its exciting next stage of fleet renewal and growth,” said Benoit de Saint-Exupery, Airbus EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business. 

Source: Airbus