Macau International Airport's positive development trend in 2024

In 2024, Macau International Airport (MIA) has demonstrated robust growth. Over the first ten months of the year, passenger volume reached 6.34 million, marking a year-on-year increase of 56.92%, aircraft movements reached over 49 thousand with 49.37% increase compared to that of the previous year. Compared to the same period in 2019, passenger volume and aircraft movements have recovered to approximately 80% and 78%, respectively. During the first three quarters, international passport holders accounted for 15% of all arriving passengers with, a 1.1-fold increase from last year, indicating that MIA is steadily recovering and advancing toward new growth milestones.

At present, most routes disrupted by the pandemic have been resumed, and some airlines have introduced wide-body aircraft to accommodate the rising passenger demand. Additionally, the ongoing expansion and reclamation project is set to support the airport’s future growth, increasing capacity to attract more airlines and expand its further network.

For the winter flight schedule, the airline industry is making adjustments to meet market demand. Starting from November, Air Macau will launch a new route between Macau and Taichung, and in December, the airline will increase its daily flights to Bangkok. For the market of the Mainland of China, Air Macau will increase its flights to Chongqing and Guiyang to five times per week, and the Nanning routes to four times per week. Westair plans to launch a new route from Lhasa City via Chongqing to Macau, while JEJU Air is planning for the resumption of the route between Jeju Island and Macau. Other airlines are also adjusting schedules and timeslot based on local market demands and economic conditions, so as to optimize route layout of the airport.

MIA is not only focusing on expanding direct flights, but is also actively developing transit services. Through partnerships with multiple airlines, MIA has adjusted flight schedules to offer one-ticket-through-baggage-check service for travellers. With a transit time of around two to six hours, travellers can conveniently reach countries including Canada, France, the United States, Europe, Australia, Egypt, India, and Sri Lanka. This integration of Macau’s short-haul regional routes with long-haul international flights enables both residents and travellers to conveniently arrive in Macau with transit flight.

In terms of the ground transportation, MIA is collaborating closely with transportation providers to develop air-land and land-air intermodal options, offering connected ground transportation from various Greater Bay Area cities such as Guangzhou, Jiangmen, Huangpu, Foshan, Gaoming, Dongguan, Zhangmutou, and Zhaoqing. Passengers can purchase bus tickets from those locations to Gongbei or Hengqin border, and to seamlessly connect to MIA, providing a convenient travel option for passengers of Greater Bay Area.

Looking ahead, MIA will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year. In conjunction with the industry, it will intensify overseas promotional efforts, aligning with the Macau Special Administrative Region Government’s comprehensive tourism development plan. MIA aims to contribute to tourism growth, attract more airlines to include direct and transit routes, expand its international customer base, and support the goal of Macau to become a world center for tourism and leisure while diversifying its visitor sources.