DALLAS — Sydney Airport (SYD) will have its second Hong Kong-based carrier: Hong Kong Airlines (HX) will commence daily Hong Kong (HKG)–SYD flights from June 20, 2025. 

The Tung Chung district-headquartered carrier will join Cathay Pacific (CX) and Qantas (QF) on this popular route, adding capacity and providing more travel opportunities. 

The airline will operate the flight using Airbus A330-300 with a two-class layout. The increasing passenger demand and air traffic rights will further enhance Australia's connectivity with Hong Kong.

A Competitive Entry

The new route represents HX's inaugural scheduled capital-city service in Australia. It follows earlier seasonal services to Gold Coast (OOL) and Cairns (CNS).

The airline will operate the route using its Airbus A330-300, a two-class configuration featuring business and economy-class seating.

Flight timings are the following:

• HX17 leaves Hong Kong at 22:25 and reaches Sydney at 09:50+1.
• HX18 takes off from Sydney at 11:30 and arrives in Hong Kong at 19:15.

This launch introduces one extra daily frequency between Sydney and Hong Kong from five to six, a 20% increase in seat capacity on the route.

Sydney-Hong Kong is Sydney Airport's busiest international route, with over 850,000 passengers in 2024, 72% of pre-COVID levels. It is Sydney's third-busiest international route, behind Auckland (AKL) and Singapore (SIN) only.

Hong Kong Airlines' growth is fueled by demand and newly extended bilaterally revised air traffic rights between Australia and Hong Kong, the first revision in nearly two decades.

Industry Reactions

Scott Charlton, Sydney Airport Chief Executive, hailed the arrival of the airline, stressing its economic benefit, "Hong Kong Airlines' arrival will provide greater scope for trade, tourism, and cultural exchange between Sydney and Hong Kong and bring important economic returns to New South Wales and Australia."

Charlton also recognized the NSW Government and Destination NSW's support, noting their contribution to winning the new service. He commended the Albanese Government's work in increasing air traffic rights, which directly facilitated this new service.

Yan Bo, Chairman of Hong Kong Airlines, described the launch as a milestone for the airline's international network, "In the past, we had flown just to the Gold Coast and Cairns, with passengers given the option to connect to famous holiday destinations in Queensland. Expansion into Sydney represents an important move toward establishing ourselves stronger in Australia."

As noted by australianaviation.com, the Sydney-Hong Kong route has a rich aviation history, dating back 75 years to 1949, when Qantas introduced charter services between the two cities. It has been an essential link for business and tourism travel throughout the decades, underpinned by robust economic and cultural connections.

Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) recently added a third runway to increase its annual passenger handling capacity to 120 million. This infrastructural addition further enables Hong Kong Airlines to grow and improves connectivity between the two cities.

More Choices for Travelers

With Hong Kong Airlines, Sydney Airport now has 52 international airlines, a record number. Passengers on the Sydney-Hong Kong route will enjoy more options in terms of flight times, prices, and in-flight amenities. 

The added competition improves connectivity and increases capacity on this critical route. As the aviation sector continues its post-pandemic rebound, might we see more airlines joining the Sydney-Hong Kong market, further increasing competition and offering passengers more travel choices?

With the addition of Sydney, HX further diversifies its global network, offering more linkages between Hong Kong and Australia to the rest of the world. The airline's long-haul expansion is one step towards making it a leading global carrier, offering leisure and business travelers competitive fares and services.

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