PUBLISHED ONApril 17, 2026 6:17 AMBYSean LerChangi Airport handled about 17.6 million passengers in the first quarter of 2026, a 2.3 per cent increase than the same period last year.
This was driven by strong demand for North Asia and Europe.
But the ongoing Middle East conflict led to an 80 per cent drop in passenger traffic between Singapore and the Middle East compared to the same period in 2025, Changi Airport Group (CAG) reported on Friday (April 17).
Passenger traffic for the 12 months ending March 2026 rose 2.9 per cent year-on-year to 70.4 million, the highest recorded over a 12-month period.
It also posted aircraft movements, which includes take-offs and landings, totalling 95,300 — up 1.4 per cent year-on-year.
Australia, China, India, Indonesia and Malaysia were the top five markets for the quarter.
CAG said: "Vietnam and China posted the strongest growth, among Changi's top 10 markers, rising 26.5 per cent and 17.7 per cent 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."
Despite global trade uncertainties, Changi Airport handled 517,000 tonnes of airfreight in the first quarter of 2026, a 7.6 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.
Growth was registered across both exports and imports compared to Q1 2025. CAG said the top five cargo markets were Australia, China, Hong Kong, India and the US.
Lim Ching Kiat, CAG's executive vice-president for air hub and cargo development, said that travel demand has "remained strong", especially for 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 passenger demand and shifts in travel patterns," he added.
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