Shanghai sees surge in air, cruise passengers

With the continued implementation of transit visa exemptions and other favorable policies, the number of inbound and outbound passengers through Shanghai's ports has been increasing as the city remains China’s largest hub for both air and cruise travel.

Shanghai Customs has said that the total number of inbound and outbound passengers through local ports reached 36.473 million in 2024, a 95.3 percent surge over the previous year.

There were 18.085 million inbound passengers and 18.388 million outbound travelers, an impressive annual growth of 95.6 percent and 94.9 percent, respectively. Air passengers accounted for 35.099 million, up 88.4 percent year on year, while cruise passengers totaled 137,400, a staggering 28.6-fold annual surge.

The city's smaller Hongqiao International Airport, for example, registered 18,000 inbound and outbound flights and processed 3.218 million passengers in 2024, reflecting year-on-year increases of 39.2 percent and 51.2 percent, respectively.