It’s been some time since Cathay Pacific set its fuel surcharges at a zero baseline, way back in the days of low fuel prices in May 2020, but a relatively modest fee has been implemented again since February 2021, subject to monthly review.
That fee is important for our readers because it makes award bookings on Cathay Pacific flights more expensive, though its manageable level hasn’t really made redemptions fundamentally poor value over the last few years.
This month there’s bad news – with the Iran war causing a significant spike in oil costs and therefore also jet fuel prices, Cathay Pacific is implementing a rare mid-month hike in its fuel surcharge from 18th March 2026, and its a big one.
(Photo: David Syphers)
The good news here is that you can continue to lock in Asia Miles and Avios award seats on Cathay Pacific at the current fuel surcharge rate up to a year in advance, but only if you do so by Tuesday 17th March 2026.
Cathay Pacific hikes fuel surcharges by 105%
Here’s how Cathay’s fuel surcharges will increase for cash and award tickets booked from 18th March 2026, compared to current rates, for the most common routings applicable to our readers.
Cathay Pacific Fuel Surcharges
| Route | Fuel Surcharge | |
| Until 17 Mar 2026 |
From 18 Mar 2026 |
|
| Hong Kong ⇅ Singapore, N.Asia, China |
HKD 142 (S$23.10) |
HKD 290 (S$47.40) 104% |
| Hong Kong ⇅ India, S.Asia |
HKD 264 (S$43.00) |
HKD 541 (S$88.20) 105% |
| Hong Kong ⇅ Australia / NZ, US / Canada, Europe, Africa, Middle East |
HKD 569 (S$92.60) |
HKD 1,164 (S$190.10) 105% |
HKD to SGD conversion based on IATA at 13th March 2026
As you can see these are significant hikes of over 100%, meaning more than double the fuel surcharge outlay on tickets compared to today.
“The price of jet fuel has approximately doubled since March amid the latest developments in the Middle East.”
Cathay Pacific, 12th March 2026
Fuel surcharges apply to award tickets on Cathay Pacific booked using Asia Miles and Avios points.
How are fuel surcharges calculated?
Cathay Pacific applies its fuel surcharges sector-by-sector, so for a simple Singapore – Hong Kong return trip booked after 18th March 2026 you’ll be looking at S$47.40 x 2 = S$94.80 in fuel surcharges. That’s significantly more than the ~S$46 fuel surcharge applied for bookings made by 17th March 2026.
(Photo: Cathay Pacific)
If you take a longer flight from Singapore via Hong Kong to a different destination, you’ll pay the sum of the applicable fuel surcharge for the flown sectors.
For example, a Singapore to Tokyo via Hong Kong return trip will be (S$47.40 + S$47.40) x 2 = S$189.60 (currently around S$92) in fuel surcharges.
A Singapore to Frankfurt via Hong Kong return trip will be (S$47.40 + S$190.10) x 2 = S$475.00 (currently around S$231) in fuel surcharges.
What’s the total impact?
Remember that these fuel surcharges are in addition to the compulsory taxes and fees, typically levied by airport operators and applicable to all carriers.
Here are some examples of the extra charge you’ll be faced with on these award tickets in total, inclusive of airport charges too.
They assume travel in Business Class (travel class does slightly impact the taxes charged for itineraries including a departing flight from both Hong Kong and London), based on round-trip itineraries.
Additional Taxes & Fees
| Cathay Pacific Taxes & Fees (March 2026 Changes) |
||||
| Route | Until 17 Mar |
From 18 Mar |
Change | |
| SIN-HKG-SIN | S$180.90 |
S$229.50 | S$48.60 (+ 27%) |
|
| HKG-FRA-HKG | S$446.80 | S$641.80 | S$195.00 (+ 44%) |
|
| HKG-LHR-HKG | S$778.10 |
S$973.10 | S$195.00 (+ 25%) |
|
| SIN-HKG-FRA-HKG-SIN | S$562.40 | S$806.00 | S$243.60 (+ 43%) |
|
Based on IATA Consolidated Exchange Rates at 13th March 2026
These increased charges will be applied for award tickets booked on or after 18th March 2026.
Existing tickets, or those booked between now and 17th March 2026, are unaffected as they are only impacted by the fuel surcharge in force at the time of booking.
Is it worth booking now?
If you’re planning to lock in a long-haul Asia Miles redemption on Cathay Pacific, for example a return flight from Singapore or Hong Kong to Europe in the next year, it’s definitely worth considering making your booking by 17th March 2026 to avoid an additional S$240+ or so in fuel surcharges per person.
Award tickets on Cathay Pacific are made available to Asia Miles members 360 days prior to departure, and to BA Executive Club (Avios) members 350 days prior to departure.
That means if you want to avoid the mid-March fuel surcharge increase by booking on the 17th March 2026, you’ll be able to lock in future redemptions on Cathay Pacific at current fuel surcharge rates for departures until:
- Asia Miles: 12th March 2027
- Avios: 2nd March 2027
Further erosion of the Asia Miles / KrisFlyer advantage
Asia Miles still offers beneficial rates when redeeming Cathay Pacific flights compared to using KrisFlyer to redeem Singapore Airlines flights on a number of routes, however SIA continues to impose no fuel surcharge on its award tickets.
That means the advantage of paying lower miles rates is becoming increasingly offset by higher taxes and fees when redeeming Cathay flights, once the Hong Kong carrier significantly bumps up its fuel surcharge this month.
(Photo: MainlyMiles)
Here’s the difference in pricing from 18th March 2026 compared to today, based on a round-trip redemption in Business Class.
Business Class redemptions from Singapore
(round-trip, 1 pax)
| From SIN (return) |
 |
 |
|
| Until 17 Mar |
From 18 Mar |
||
| Hong Kong | 56k |
56k +S$230 |
71k +S$135 |
| Frankfurt | 176k |
176k +S$806 |
217k +S$254 |
| London | 230k |
230k +S$1,203 |
217k +S$585 |
| New York | 230k |
230k +S$714 |
234k +S$96* |
* S$155 if routing via FRA
As you can see, total taxes and fees are set to be substantially higher for Asia Miles redemptions made from 18th March, this year compared to the current rates.
Even for simple routes like Singapore – Hong Kong, the additional S$100 round-trip cash outlay may be enough to make you wonder whether a Singapore Airlines award is worth considering instead.
For Europe and the USA the pricing is significant, and in some cases it will only be worth redeeming Asia Miles on Cathay Pacific instead of KrisFlyer miles on Singapore Airlines when there is simply no availability on the SIA side.
Singapore – Frankfurt – Singapore is a possible outlier, we’d still probably take the 41,000-miles round-trip saving on Cathay Pacific and stomach the additional S$550 in fees on this one, but it’s getting marginal.
Even then, it’s quite a cash sting, and that’s especially true given the added hassle of an aircraft change in Hong Kong.
Summary
From 18th March 2026, Cathay Pacific is hiking its fuel surcharge by over 100%, a significant shift in the economics of redeeming Asia Miles and Avios on Cathay Pacific flights.
The timing is no coincidence, driven by the spike in oil prices due to the Iran war, but the scale of the increase is impossible to ignore, particularly for long-haul redemptions to Europe or the US, where the additional cash outlay per person could exceed S$240 on a return trip.
If you have a redemption in mind over the next year, booking by Tuesday 17th March is a priority, allowing you to lock in current surcharge rates for departures up to March 2027.
If you miss that window, the calculus on Cathay Pacific redemptions becomes noticeably less favourable. While Asia Miles still offers competitive mileage rates versus KrisFlyer on several routes, the fuel surcharge gap increasingly eats into that advantage.
(Cover Photo: Hong Kong International Airport)