The 40-day Spring Festival travel period concluded successfully on March 13. Data shows that since the travel rush began on February 2, Shanghai's Pudong and Hongqiao airports handled a total of 96,000 aircraft takeoffs and landings, marking a 2.3% increase compared to the same period last year. Among these, Pudong Airport accounted for 64,000 flights and Hongqiao Airport 32,000 flights, with a daily average of 2,407 flights across both airports. Passenger throughput reached 15.738 million, up 5% year-on-year, with Pudong Airport handling 10.099 million passengers and Hongqiao Airport 5.639 million. The daily average passenger volume at both airports was 394,000, setting the highest records for both flight operations and passenger numbers during any Spring Festival travel period in history. From February 20 to 22, daily passenger traffic at Shanghai's airports reached 425,000, 431,000, and 438,000 respectively, breaking historical records for three consecutive days. This year marked the first time Pudong Airport handled over 10 million passengers during the Spring Festival travel rush, including 4.38 million international travelers, a 6.5% increase compared to the previous year.
During this year's travel period, inbound tourism, northern ice-snow tours, and southern warm-weather getaways saw rising popularity. Shanghai airports actively supported airlines in increasing flights to popular international and domestic destinations such as Seoul, Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, as well as Harbin, Changbai Mountain, Sanya, Haikou, and Xishuangbanna, better meeting the travel demands of passengers.
Travel services were made more passenger-friendly as both airports optimized and refined service measures covering the entire passenger journey. The airports' "Care Channels" were coordinated with subway, maglev, and high-speed rail services to provide prioritized, one-stop assistance for passengers in need. At Pudong Airport's Terminal 2 domestic departure area, passengers can now pass through security checks with just one document, and a "one-stop luggage recheck" service allows travelers to avoid returning to the check-in counter after baggage inspection. Hongqiao Airport implemented facial recognition for domestic boarding. Additionally, five millimeter-wave security check channels were set up at both airports, enabling passengers to pass through security quickly without removing outerwear, saving inspection time. During the return travel peak, Shanghai airports enhanced coordination with subway, bus, and taxi companies, flexibly increasing transport capacity based on passenger flow and optimizing pickup point signage and management for ride-hailing services to facilitate efficient airport exits.
To better serve international visitors, three comprehensive service centers for foreigners were established at the two airports, offering all-day convenience services covering payment, culture and tourism, telecommunications, and transportation. The "Little Aviation Star" foreign language volunteer team, composed of Shanghai airport youth, provided multilingual translation, Wi-Fi assistance, and transportation guidance in arrival areas, helping position Shanghai as China's premier entry point for international tourism.
The airports also promoted integration of culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and exhibitions. Aligned with events such as the "New Year Shopping Season" and "Shanghai Global Gourmet Festival," and as part of the "China Style · China Young" airport cultural branding initiative, terminal decorations enhanced the festive atmosphere. Collaborative activities with the Municipal Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Shanghai Light Music Orchestra, including calligraphy blessings and Spring Festival concerts, allowed domestic and international travelers to experience traditional Chinese culture and Shanghai's urban charm. Duty-free shops at both airports launched threshold-free discounts, special offers, New Year-themed promotions, and markets, creating an engaging shopping environment. In early March, Pudong Airport set up an F1 Chinese Grand Prix-themed exhibition in both terminal arrival areas, attracting attention and foot traffic for Shanghai's "Spring Debut Season" checkered flag carnival.
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