September 2025 at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) was quieter than the summer peak — multiple typhoons during the month took some of the edge off growth. Passengers and movements were still up year-on-year; cargo slipped a little. Below are the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) figures for the month, with a bit of colour from the Airport Authority where it helps.
Passenger Traffic: Typhoons Temper the Growth Rate
According to CAD, HKIA handled 4.403.214 passengers in September 2025, a +9.1% increase on September 2024 (4.037.705). Arrivals were 2.155.492 and departures 2.247.722.
Month-on-month, that is about -22.1% below August 2025’s 5.648.925 passengers.
The Airport Authority’s rounded headline was about 4.42 million passengers (+9.2% year-on-year). The small gap versus CAD is just rounding and presentation; I use CAD as the precise source here. Moderate growth vs first eight months, partly due to multiple typhoons; strong YTD growth on Mainland, Taiwan, Japan and Vietnam routes.
On a longer view (AAHK): Jan–Sep 2025 came to about 44.7 million passengers (+14.8% year-on-year), with flight movements about 290.885 (+8.9%), and cargo about 3.67 million tonnes (+2.2%). The rolling twelve months were about 58.8 million passengers (+15.8%), 387.110 movements (+10.3%), and about 5.02 million tonnes of cargo (+4.1%).
Cargo Handling: Softer Year-on-Year
CAD recorded 404.296 tonnes of air cargo in September 2025, a +1.1% decrease on September 2024 (408.810 tonnes). Loaded cargo was 295.465 tonnes; unloaded 108.831 tonnes. (CAD’s freight figures exclude air mail.)
Compared with August 2025’s 425.330 tonnes, September was down about +4.9% month-on-month.
AAHK rounded the September total to about 408.000 tonnes (-1.0% year-on-year). Typhoon disruptions and trade policy uncertainty; North America declines partially offset by Europe and Middle East. Bright spots over nine months: Qatar, Hungary, Belgium and the Mainland.
Flight Movements: Year-on-Year Climb Continues
CAD counted 30.080 civil international flight movements at HKIA in September 2025 (15.039 landings and 15.041 take-offs), a +1.6% increase on September 2024’s 29.596.
Month-on-month, movements were about -13.6% below August 2025 (34.816).
AAHK’s rounded figure was 30.080 movements (+1.6% year-on-year). Same story as CAD, slight presentation difference.
CAD’s monthly workbook does not split September into passenger, cargo and non-revenue movements, and the Airport Authority release gives the total only — so no invented breakdown this time either.
Conclusion
September 2025 was the typhoon month — growth cooled, cargo slipped slightly, but passengers and movements were still ahead of September 2024. Mainland, Taiwan, Japan and Vietnam routes remained bright spots over the first nine months.
Sources: Civil Aviation Department – Air Traffic Statistics and Airport Authority Hong Kong press release, 24 October 2025.
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