S’pore-Middle East travel plunges in March as Changi Airport sees 17.6m travellers in Q1
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For the 12 months up to March, passenger traffic rose 2.9 per cent year on year to 70.4 million, the highest in a 12-month period.
PHOTO: ST FILE
- Changi Airport saw 17.6 million passengers in Q1 2026, a 2.3% increase, despite an 80% drop in Middle East travel in March due to the Iran war.
- Airlines added 90 flights to Europe and Australia to offset Middle East losses. Overall, passenger traffic rose 2.9% to 70.4 million in 12 months.
- Strong growth in North Asia and Europe drove demand. New routes to Chiang Rai, Palembang, Sunshine Coast and Newcastle were added.
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SINGAPORE – About 17.6 million passengers passed through Changi Airport in the first three months of 2026, 2.3 per cent more than the same period in 2025, even as travel between Singapore and the Middle East fell due to the war in Iran.
For the 12 months up to March, passenger traffic rose 2.9 per cent year on year to 70.4 million, the highest in a 12-month period.
In March, passenger traffic between Singapore and the Middle East dropped 80 per cent year on year following flight disruptions and cancellations, according to the latest statistics released by airport operator Changi Airport Group (CAG) on April 17.
In response, airlines launched about 90 additional flights between Singapore and cities such as Frankfurt, London, Munich, Muscat, Paris, Perth and Sydney.
Aircraft movements, including landings and take-offs, totalled 95,300 from January to March, a 1.4 per cent increase from a year earlier, CAG said.
According to CAG statistics, travel demand in the first quarter was driven by strong traffic to and from North Asia and Europe, supporting growth despite the impact of the geopolitical situation in the Middle East.
Changi’s top five markets for the quarter were China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and India. Among its 10 largest markets, Vietnam and China recorded the fastest growth, rising 26.5 per cent and 17.7 per cent respectively.
The busiest routes for the quarter were Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta, Tokyo and Hong Kong. Among the 10 busiest routes, those to Shanghai, Taipei and Tokyo posted the strongest growth.
Mr Lim Ching Kiat, CAG executive vice-president for air hub and cargo development, said travel demand remained strong, bolstered by growth in North Asia and Europe.
“While there was some impact from the Middle East crisis, we were resilient and worked closely with our airline partners in response to evolving passenger demand and shifts in travel patterns,” he said.
“We will continue to monitor the global geopolitical situation and work with airlines to provide passengers with alternatives across our diversified network.”
A record 69.98 million passengers passed through Changi Airport in 2025.
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.
Travellers can expect more options as Changi Airport added more city links in the first quarter of 2026.
In South-east Asia, low-cost carrier Scoot started five weekly flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, and four weekly flights to Palembang in Indonesia.
Australian carrier Jetstar Airways added services to Sunshine Coast and Newcastle – both via Bali – bringing the airport’s links to Australia to a record nine cities.
Changi Airport handled 517,000 tonnes of air freight in the first quarter of 2026, 7.6 per cent more than the corresponding period in 2025.
From January to March, the top five air cargo markets were China, the US, Australia, Hong Kong and India.
