Chongqing — Passenger throughput at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport surpassed 30 million on Aug. 2, reaching the milestone three days earlier than in 2025 as the airport continued to set new records during the peak summer travel season.
From Jan. 1 to Aug. 2, the airport handled 30.015 million passengers and 202,000 flight movements, up 1.5% and 1.9% year on year, respectively.
Passengers wait to check in for their flights at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport. (Photo/New Chongqing)
The airport has recorded strong growth throughout the summer travel season. On July 27, it handled 1,113 flight movements, the highest single-day total since the airport began operations. On July 31, daily passenger throughput exceeded 170,000, setting a new summer travel season record.
Since the start of the summer travel period, Chongqing Jiangbei has handled 5.184 million passengers, a 9.3% increase over the same period last year, more than twice the national average. The airport has maintained an average of more than 1,000 flight movements per day, recording 25 days with more than 1,000 flights and 16 days with daily passenger throughput exceeding 160,000.
To meet rising travel demand, the airport has launched new domestic nonstop routes this year to Bozhou, Tianshui, Jiaxing and Wuyishan, while increasing frequencies on popular services to Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Tianjin, Qingdao, Xi'an, Dalian, Hefei, Urumqi and Haikou.
The airport has also strengthened its role as a regional aviation hub. It now operates an average of more than 23 daily connecting flights to Xinjiang, 13 to Xizang (Tibet) and 26 to Yunnan via Chongqing.
Aircraft take off and prepare for departure at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport. (Photo/New Chongqing)
International traffic has continued to expand as China broadens its visa-free policies and rolls out additional measures to facilitate travel for overseas visitors. As of Aug. 2, Chongqing Jiangbei had handled 1.747 million international and regional passengers, a 36.4% increase from a year earlier, the fastest growth rate among China's 10 busiest airports.
During the summer travel season, the airport is operating 40 international and regional passenger routes with more than 250 weekly flights, while international and regional passenger capacity has increased by more than 40% year on year.
Since the beginning of 2026, Chongqing Jiangbei has launched new passenger services to Manila, Sabah and Chiang Mai, while increasing frequencies on routes to Singapore, Seoul, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta.
The airport has also expanded its international transfer network by introducing through-check services to 15 overseas destinations: Seattle, London, Paris, Rome, Milan, Madrid, Budapest, Brussels, Moscow, Sydney, Dubai, Osaka, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Phnom Penh, improving the efficiency and convenience of international connections.