Shanghai Pudong Airport strengthens its leadership: 95,600 flights, 15.83 million passengers and record cargo turnover in five months
95,600 arrivals and departures, 15.83 million passengers — up 4.36% year‑on‑year, a quarter of the national total. Cargo turnover reached 2.11 trillion yuan (+43.2%), accounting for 48.8% of China's air freight. 13 new international routes, connections to over 200 countries.
As reported by CCTV+, according to Shanghai Customs data, in the first five months of 2026, Shanghai Pudong International Airport handled 95,600 arriving and departing flights, with passenger numbers reaching 15.83 million. This figure is 4.36% higher than a year earlier, accounting for about a quarter of the national total, further cementing the airport's position as China's busiest hub. The airport also achieved record cargo turnover: the value of inbound and outbound goods reached 2.11 trillion yuan ($310 billion), up 43.2% year‑on‑year, accounting for 48.8% of the country's total air cargo volume. Since the beginning of this year, Pudong has expanded its network with 13 new international passenger and cargo routes, improving connectivity with more than 200 countries and regions worldwide.
Shanghai Pudong International Airport is one of the world's largest aviation hubs and China's main gateway. It serves over 200 destinations and is a key hub for international transport. The 43.2% growth in cargo turnover reflects the recovery of global trade and Shanghai's strengthening position as a logistics centre. The 13 new routes are not just numbers — they are new links to markets that were previously unreachable. Pudong continues to strengthen its dominance despite competition from other regional airports.
When planes take off and land every few minutes and cargo terminals operate around the clock, an airport ceases to be just a transport hub. It becomes the pulse of the economy. 95,600 flights in five months is not just statistics — it is the rhythm in which the country lives. 15.83 million passengers are people who are flying somewhere, carrying something, meeting someone. And each of them is part of a vast machine called globalisation. Pudong does not just handle flights — it connects worlds. And when 13 new routes are added, the world becomes just a little closer. Because an airport is where distances end.
