World's best airport handles 17.4 million passengers in third quarter

Singapore's Changi Airport handled 17.4 million passengers in the third quarter of 2026, up 0.4% year-on-year, as travel demand from Europe and Northeast Asia supported traffic growth.

China, Indonesia, Australia, Malaysia and India were the five largest passenger markets, Changi Airport Group (CAG) said.

Among the top 10 markets, Vietnam recorded the strongest year-on-year growth, at 20.5%, followed by China, which grew 10.4%, The Straits Times reported.

Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Denpasar in Bali, Bangkok and Shanghai were the five busiest routes during the quarter.

Tokyo and Melbourne posted the strongest growth among the top 10 busiest routes, rising 5.2% and 5.1%, respectively.

Lim Ching Kiat, CAG's executive vice-president for air hub and cargo development, said air travel demand remained resilient in the third quarter.

"While airlines continue to navigate elevated fuel costs and other operational pressures, we remain focused on working with our partners to strengthen connectivity, grow promising routes and pursue new opportunities that enhance Changi's position as a leading global air hub," he said as quoted by AsiaOne.

Changi Airport was voted the world's best overall at the 2026 World Airport Awards by London-based aviation consultancy Skytrax. It has hold the title repeatedly over the past decade.