In the first half of 2026, Beijing's two major airports handled 410.98 billion yuan in foreign trade cargo, up 18.7% year-on-year
The skies over Beijing have long ceased to be merely a path for passengers – today they have become a high-speed artery of the global economy. The Capital Airport and the new Daxing, like two powerful lungs, breathe in and out flows of high-value-added goods: from microchips to biomedical products. Every take-off and landing is not just a flight, but a link in the most complex chain of international trade, where time is measured in hours and the cost of a mistake in billions. And when statistics show an 18.7% increase, behind these percentages lie thousands of contracts, tens of thousands of jobs and the real integration of China into a world economy that is becoming ever more high-tech and interdependent.
According to Beijing Customs data, Beijing's two major airports – Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport – handled 410.98 billion yuan (about US$60.87 billion) in foreign trade in the first half of 2026, up 18.7% year-on-year. During the same period, the two airports recorded 63,000 inbound and outbound flights, reflecting a steady recovery in cross-border air cargo capacity. The main driver of the expansion of air freight has been high-value-added goods. Sustained demand for imports and exports in sectors such as biomedicine, integrated circuits and precision equipment has underpinned the significant growth in cargo throughput at both airports.
The growth in foreign trade cargo through Beijing's aviation hubs reflects a broader trend: China is increasing its exports of high-tech products while simultaneously boosting imports of advanced components for domestic production. Beijing Daxing Airport, which opened in 2019, is gradually catching up with its older "neighbour" in terms of volume, and their combined figure has already exceeded pre-pandemic levels. According to customs statistics, the average value per kilogram of cargo passing through Beijing's airports has risen by nearly 10% over the past two years, indicating a structural shift towards more expensive and more technologically sophisticated goods.
As CCTV+ reports, the growth in air cargo through Beijing has become yet another confirmation that the Chinese economy is recovering not only quantitatively but also qualitatively, betting on innovation, precision and speed.
