Barcelona Airport continues to focus on the Asian market, after services were interrupted by the pandemic and China shut down, which greatly restricted connections with the continent. Direct flights to Hong Kong have now been added to those to Beijing, Shenzhen, Seoul and Singapore. Hong Kong is a highly valued, strategic destination for the long-haul air industry.

Barcelona City Council has played a very active role in restoring this connection. Throughout 2023, its International Economic Promotion Area held meetings at Cathay Pacific’s Hong Kong offices, while the company’s representatives visited City Hall during the summer and a high-level meeting was held during the World Routes Congress.

Cathay Pacific will be resuming its direct Barcelona-Hong Kong route on 17 June, with flights every Monday, Thursday and Saturday. This route was first launched in 2017, only to be suspended in 2020. This direct flight also facilitates connections with other vital Asian and Pacific destinations for Barcelona, such as the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and continental China.

More frequent flights to China

And there is more news in February: the route to Shenzhen, run by Shenzhen Airlines since last August, will be increasing its flight frequency to three per week, improving the city’s direct connectivity with the Chinese city that is a leader in the technology industry. The route carried nearly 43,000 passengers in the last four months of 2023 alone, according to data supplied by AENA.

And the good news doesn’t end there. The route between Barcelona and Beijing, run by Air China, is also increasing its flight frequency in April, with daily flights to the Chinese capital. Since Air China resumed its flights from El Prat Airport last summer, it has already carried 55,428 passengers between the two cities.

The Air Route Development Committee (CDRA in Catalan), which consists of Barcelona City Council, the Catalan Government, AENA and the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, is in charge of promoting Barcelona’s intercontinental air connectivity. This February, the CDRA is presenting its new 2024-2025 Strategic Plan, which includes more connections which are more frequent and less seasonal in nature. This project has established priority goals focusing on large global cities in markets that are strategic for Barcelona.