Singapore Changi Airport reported 17.2 million passenger movements in the second quarter of 2026, a slight decrease of 1.5% compared to the same period last year. Despite this, passenger traffic for the first half of 2026 showed a modest increase of 0.4% year-on-year. Aircraft movements also saw a slight decline, with 92,400 landings and take-offs, down 1.3% from the previous year.
Traffic to and from Europe and the Southwest Pacific rose by 8.7% and 3.0% respectively, as airlines increased capacity to optimise operations. However, Southeast Asian routes experienced a 5.0% decline due to higher operating costs from elevated jet fuel prices and supply constraints. Vietnam and China were standout performers, with passenger traffic increasing by 18.5% and 8.3% respectively.
Changi Airport’s top five passenger markets for the quarter were China, Indonesia, Australia, Malaysia, and India. The airport also handled 567,000 tonnes of airfreight, marking a 9.8% increase, driven by strong AI-related semiconductor and electronics shipments.
Lim Ching Kiat, Executive Vice President for Air Hub and Cargo Development at Changi Airport Group, stated, “We are encouraged by the sustained demand for travel, particularly to and from Europe and Northeast Asia.” He also noted ongoing discussions with airline partners to restore previously suspended services.
In Q2, Changi Airport expanded its network with new services. China Eastern began flights to Dalian, whilst Scoot launched routes to Belitung and Pontianak. New airlines, Shanghai Airlines and Oman Air, commenced services, further enhancing connectivity. Tianjin Air Cargo also joined as a new freighter operator, linking Singapore with Haikou.
