Changi Airport ranked world’s fourth-busiest international airport in 2024
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Changi Airport had a total international seat capacity of 41.5 million seats in 2024, up 15 per cent from 36.1 million in 2023.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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SINGAPORE – Changi Airport was the fourth-busiest international airport in 2024 in terms of airline seat capacity.
The airport had a total international seat capacity of 41.5 million seats in 2024, up 15 per cent from 36.1 million in 2023,
These rankings were compiled using information on scheduled airline seats on international flights.
In 2023, Changi Airport was ranked the world’s fifth-busiest international airport by seat capacity.
Despite a growth in international seat capacity, Changi Airport was still 2 per cent short of the 42.5 million scheduled seats in 2019. It had also ranked fourth among the world’s busiest international airports in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.
Dubai International Airport took the lead in 2024 as the world’s busiest international airport, with 60.2 million scheduled seats.
It also held the same title in 2019, 2022 and 2023. OAG did not release rankings for the world’s busiest airports in 2020 and 2021.
Following closely behind were London’s Heathrow Airport, which clinched second place with 48.4 million scheduled seats, and Seoul’s Incheon International Airport, which came in third with 41.6 million scheduled seats.
Hong Kong International Airport was also in the top 10, ranking ninth with 34.6 million scheduled seats. It was the only other international airport in the Asia-Pacific that entered these rankings.
Mr Mayur Patel, head of Asia at OAG, said that Changi Airport has “demonstrated agility and prudence” in managing its seat capacity as the Asia-Pacific market continues its recovery.
Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said in Parliament on Jan 8 that overall passenger traffic was likely to almost reach pre-Covid-19 levels in 2024,
Mr Patel added that as Singapore was one of the first markets to reopen its borders, Changi Airport secured a favourable position in the region compared with its neighbouring peers.
Similarly, he said that Seoul’s Incheon Airport – which leapt from seventh to third place – had achieved substantial capacity growth after Covid-19, clocking a 24 per cent increase in its seat capacity in 2024 compared with 2023.
This growth, noted Mr Patel, was fuelled by rising outbound travel demand from South Korea to regional destinations such as Japan and South-east Asia.
In addition, he said some contributing factors to Incheon Airport’s capacity growth include the expansion of low-cost carriers, a shift in traveller demographics with younger travellers embracing affordable travel, airlines targeting under-served markets and the growth in travel within the Asia-Pacific.
Looking ahead, Mr Patel said Changi Airport may see a decline in its ranking due to the expansion of Incheon International Airport and Hong Kong International Airport.
Incheon International Airport’s expansion is likely to allow South Korean carriers to increase their seat capacities and extend their market reach into regional destinations, he added.
But Mr Patel expects Changi to retain its strategic advantage as a mega hub for passenger traffic, with its extensive network connectivity.
The Kuala Lumpur-Singapore route also ranked fourth in the world’s busiest flight routes in 2024 with 5.38 million scheduled seats, behind the Hong Kong-Taipei route (6.8 million seats), the Cairo-Jeddah route (5.5 million seats), and the Incheon-Narita route (5.41 million).
It was the world’s busiest flight route in 2023 with 4.9 million scheduled seats, in third place in 2022, and second in 2019.
