Chongqing - International and regional passenger traffic at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport rose 40% year on year to 1.485 million in the first half of 2026, the fastest growth among China's top 10 airports, as the city expanded its international flight network

The departure hall at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport. (Photo/Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport)

International transit passengers topped 435,000 in the first half of 2026, an increase of about 50% from a year earlier, while international-to-international transfers through Chongqing nearly tripled.

The airport said many of those passengers traveled from Southeast Asian cities such as Bangkok and Hanoi, as well as Hong Kong, through Chongqing to European destinations including Brussels, Paris, Madrid, Milan and Budapest. Domestic-to-international and international-to-domestic transfer passengers increased 41.2%, mainly involving travelers from Chinese cities such as Wenzhou, Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen connecting through Chongqing to Madrid, Rome, Milan and Paris.

Inbound travel also increased. According to Chongqing border inspection authorities, more than 610,000 foreign passengers entered or exited through Chongqing ports in the first half of the year, up 86% year on year. The top five sources of foreign travelers to Chongqing were Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia.

The growth comes as Chongqing continues to position Jiangbei airport as a western China gateway linking Southeast Asia and Europe. In the first half of the year, Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport opened three new passenger routes to Manila, Sabah and Chiang Mai. It also increased flight frequencies to nine destinations: Singapore, Seoul, Bangkok, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Vientiane and Hong Kong.

The airport currently operates 40 international and regional passenger routes, with more than 250 flights each week. International and regional flight capacity rose 43.5% year on year, with capacity to Europe and Southeast Asia increasing 30% and 70%, respectively.

The airport said the route network now uses Southeast Asia and Europe as key markets while covering North America, Oceania, Asia, and the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. It said the network supports economic, trade, cultural and tourism exchanges between Chongqing and countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, China's international infrastructure and trade cooperation framework.

Transit services have also expanded. This year, Chongqing-Brussels and Chongqing-Manila routes launched international through-check services, bringing the airport's coverage to 15 international routes, including Seattle, London, Paris, Rome, Milan, Madrid, Budapest, Brussels, Moscow, Sydney, Dubai, Osaka, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Phnom Penh.

Through-check service allows eligible passengers transferring through Chongqing to travel on one ticket with baggage checked through to the final destination. Since the service began in June 2023, Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport has handled more than 3,500 international through-check flights and served 230,000 passengers using the service.

The airport has also upgraded its transit infrastructure and digital systems. Since April, its 24-hour transit inspection-free facilities have been renovated and put into operation, allowing eligible international transit passengers to avoid border inspection procedures within 24 hours. Passengers can use transit gates to complete passport, boarding pass and biometric information collection, then verify their identity through facial recognition before boarding.