Airport passenger numbers double in first half of 2024

Macau International Airport (MIA) recorded a remarkable 91% increase in passenger traffic during the first half of the year compared to the same period last year, handling over 3.73 million passengers, the Macau International Airport Company Limited (CAM) has announced.

The airport also saw a 72% jump in aircraft movements, with the number of passengers and flights recovering to about 80% of pre-pandemic levels from the first half of 2019.

The daily average number of inbound and outbound passengers reached 20,000, with around 165 daily flights on average during the first half of the year.

Mainland China routes made up 46% of total passenger volume, while Taiwan routes accounted for 17%. The remaining 37% of passengers were on international routes, a segment MIA has been actively expanding.

“The increase in passenger traffic is expected to continue during the summer period, and it is estimated the airport will handle nearly 1.4 million passengers from July to August,” CAM said.

“MIA strives to provide more travel options for local residents and travelers from the Greater Bay Area, and actively cooperates with the government to expand its share of the international tourism market.”

From January to May, the number of international passengers traveling through MIA reached 230,000, a 280% surge compared to the same period last year. This aligns with the Macao Government Tourism Office’s recent data, showing a sharp rise in international visitor arrivals on package tours.

MIA added three new airlines in July, being Korean Air, which operates flights to Seoul, and Malaysian carriers Firefly Airlines and Batik Air, which will offer routes from Macau to Tawau. Nadia Shaw