Singapore Changi Airport registered 17.6 million passenger movements from January to March 2026 (Q1), a 2.3% increase year-on-year. Aircraft movements, comprising landings and take-offs, totalled 95,300 for the quarter, up 1.4% compared to the same period last year.
Passenger traffic for the quarter was driven by strong demand to and from North Asia and Europe, underpinning growth despite impact from the Middle East geopolitical situation. In March 2026, passenger traffic between Singapore and the Middle East fell 80% year-on-year. Passenger traffic for the 12 months ended March 2026 rose 2.9% year-on-year to 70.4 million, the highest recorded traffic at Changi over a 12-month period.
China posted the strongest growth in arrivals
Changi Airport’s top five markets for the first quarter were China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and India. Vietnam and China posted the strongest growth, among Changi’s top 10 markets, rising 26.5% and 17.7% year-on-year respectively.
The top five city links for the quarter were Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta, Tokyo and Hong Kong, while Shanghai, Taipei and Tokyo registered the strongest growth among the 10 busiest routes.
In Q1 this year, Changi Airport handled 517,000 tons of airfreight throughput, 7.6% higher than the same period last year. Amid global trade uncertainties, Changi recorded growth for both exports and imports compared to Q1 2025. Changi’s top five air cargo markets for the quarter were China, United States of America, Australia, Hong Kong and India.
Travel demand bolstered by growth in North Asia and Europe
Lim Ching Kiat, Changi Airport Group’s Executive Vice President for Air Hub and Cargo Development said, “Travel demand in the quarter 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 demand and shifts in travel patterns.”
In March, amid flight cancellations on Middle Eastern routes, various airlines launched about 90 additional flights between Singapore and cities such as Frankfurt, London, Munich, Muscat, Paris, Perth and Sydney.
“We will continue to monitor the global geopolitical situation and work with airlines to provide passengers with alternatives across our diversified network,” added Mr. Lim.
New and reinstated services
Travellers can look forward to more options across the region and beyond, as Changi Airport continued to expand its city links with new services in the first quarter.
Scoot commenced five weekly flights to Chiang Rai in northern Thailand and four weekly flights to Palembang in Indonesia, strengthening Changi’s connectivity in Southeast Asia.
Jetstar Airways launched new routes to Australia, with three weekly flights to Sunshine Coast and four weekly flights to Newcastle (both via Bali), bringing Changi Airport’s links to Australia to a record nine cities.
On the air cargo front, Changi Airport welcomed Qantas Freight as a new freighter operator earlier this month, with twice-weekly Sydney–Shanghai–Singapore–Sydney services. The new service boosts capacity and offers new flight options for shippers across Asia, Australia, Europe and beyond.
