China, Indonesia, Malaysia top Changi Airport markets in 2025; total passenger traffic hits record

[SINGAPORE] China, Indonesia and Malaysia were Changi Airport’s top passenger markets in 2025, the airport operator said on Thursday (Jan 22), amid a record 69.98 million passengers passing through its terminals over the year.

The figure eclipsed the previous high of 68.3 million passengers recorded in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic grounded planes and disrupted global air travel.

Passenger traffic in 2025 was also 3.4 per cent higher than in 2024, when Changi handled 67.7 million passengers.

December 2025 was the busiest month of the year, with 6.3 million passenger movements, according to statistics released by Changi Airport Group (CAG).

The busiest day was Dec 20 – the Saturday before Christmas – when more than 223,000 passengers passed through the airport.

China was Changi’s largest passenger market for the year, followed by Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, India and Thailand, CAG said. China also recorded the strongest growth, with passenger movements rising 12.2 per cent compared with 2024. Vietnam and Japan were among the fastest-growing markets, posting year-on-year increases of 9.8 per cent and 7 per cent respectively.

The busiest routes in 2025 were Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta, Bali (Denpasar) and Hong Kong.

Changi Airport handled 374,000 aircraft movements – including landings and take-offs – in 2025, up 2.2 per cent from a year earlier.

The airport’s network also expanded at a record pace. CAG said 13 new city links were added in 2025, marking its strongest year for network growth.

The new destinations were Changchun, Harbin, Lanzhou, Yichang and Zhangjiajie in China; Labuan Bajo, Padang and Semarang in Indonesia; Vienna in Austria; Vijayawada in India; Kota Bharu in Malaysia; Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia; and Nha Trang in Vietnam.

Changi also welcomed two new passenger airlines: MIAT Mongolian Airlines and Jakarta-based Pelita Air.

CAG chief executive Yam Kum Weng said Changi had a strong year, driven by record passenger traffic, network expansion and solid air cargo performance despite global volatility.

Looking ahead, he said the airport would expand its network in Asia further, particularly into emerging secondary cities, while improving efficiency and the traveller experience.

“Our goal is to ensure that Changi stays at the forefront of aviation, offering travellers exceptional airport experiences while serving as a key gateway to the region,” Mr Yam said.

As at January 2026, about 100 airlines operate more than 7,300 scheduled flights a week at Changi, connecting Singapore to over 170 cities in 50 countries and territories worldwide.

Its target is to have more than 200 city links by the mid-2030s, when the mega Terminal 5 opens.

T5 will raise the airport’s yearly passenger capacity by more than 55 per cent, from the current 90 million to 140 million.

Changi handled 2.08 million tonnes of airfreight in 2025, up 4.5 per cent from the year before, making it one of the airport’s strongest cargo performances on record.

The top five air cargo markets were China, the United States, Australia, Hong Kong and India, CAG said. THE STRAITS TIMES