Shanghai Pudong Airport Ranks First in Asia-Pacific Connectivity

Shanghai Pudong International Airport has been ranked first in air connectivity across the Asia-Pacific region following strong operational performance in 2025, according to a report by Airports Council International Asia-Pacific and Middle East and PwC. Pudong was also recognized as the fastest-improving airport in connectivity within the survey of 315 hubs. The findings reflect broader momentum across China's major aviation gateways, which secured four spots among the top ten regional hubs as international travel rules relaxed and visa exemptions expanded.

Air connectivity is a benchmark for measuring a metropolitan area's global integration, trade access, and economic dynamism. Pudong's top ranking signals that China's primary transpacific and intercontinental gateways are steadily restoring their role in global aviation networks. The expansion in scheduled destinations and transfer rates directly supports cross-border corporate travel, supply chain logistics, and inbound tourism.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport earned the top ranking for air connectivity across the Asia-Pacific region, driven by strong operational recovery and network expansion in 2025, according to the latest Air Connectivity Index published by Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific and Middle East in partnership with PwC. The report, which evaluated 315 airports across the Asia-Pacific and Middle East, also recognized Pudong as the fastest-improving airport in connectivity over the period. Overall connectivity across the surveyed regions rose by an average of 11 percent in 2025. China established a heavy presence at the top of the rankings, with four hubs—Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou Baiyun, Beijing Capital, and Hong Kong International—placing within the top ten. According to the index metrics, Shanghai Pudong maintained scheduled connections to 291 destinations worldwide. In 2025, the gateway handled more than 84.99 million passengers and over 4.09 million tonnes of cargo and mail, while achieving a passenger transfer rate of 16.2 percent. The index evaluates facilities based on flight network size, the economic weight of destination cities, service frequency, aircraft types, and overall operational efficiency. Stefano Baronci, director general of ACI Asia-Pacific and Middle East, noted that Pudong serves as a vital intercontinental bridge connecting global cities with regional networks. He attributed the gains at Chinese hubs to government measures facilitating cross-border travel, particularly visa-free entry policies that have stimulated flight frequency and passenger load factors. Baronci also pointed to the adoption of artificial intelligence and smart airport infrastructure, which have reduced passenger transit times and improved operational reliability. National Immigration Administration data showed that foreign entries into China reached 22.914 million in the first half of 2026, a 20.4 percent increase compared to the same period in the prior year. Foreign travelers entering under visa-free provisions rose 30.6 percent to 17.815 million. In Shanghai, border control authorities processed 3.166 million foreign arrivals in the first half of 2026, an increase of 22 percent year-on-year, with over 60 percent of those travelers utilizing visa exemption channels.