On August 5, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport marked the 20th anniversary of its transition to a new operational phase with a grand event. During this milestone celebration, Baiyun Airport revealed impressive statistics from its two decades of service: over 950 million passenger trips transported and cargo throughput exceeding 28 million tons.
Reflecting on its journey, Baiyun Airport transitioned seamlessly from its old facility to the new airport in just one night. The change began on August 4, 2004, when flight CZ3265 took off from Guangzhou to Zhanjiang, marking the end of operations at the old airport, which had served for 72 years. By the following morning, the first departure from the new facility, flight CZ3932 to Haikou, signified the full-scale operational launch of the new Baiyun Airport, setting a precedent in China's civil aviation history for such a rapid large-scale relocation.
Since the transition, Baiyun Airport has seen substantial growth across various metrics:
Daily flights have increased from 500 in 2004 to over 1,500 today.
Daily passenger numbers have surged from 56,000 to more than 200,000.
The highest single-day passenger trips reached an impressive 267,100.
A Hub of Connectivity
Over the past twenty years, Baiyun Airport has significantly expanded its domestic and international connections. In 2004, it served only 113 cities with 28 international and regional routes. As of July 2024, the airport now boasts more than 230 passenger destinations and operates around 1,500 international and regional flights weekly.
The airport scored the highest in airport service quality from 2020 to 2023, for four consecutive years, according to the Airports Council International, and consistently ranked first in passenger throughput among Chinese airports during this period. In 2020, despite the pandemic, Baiyun Airport led the world in passenger volume, demonstrating its pivotal role in maintaining global logistics and economic activity.
Future Developments and Expansion Plans
As Baiyun Airport continues to develop, it remains committed to supporting China's Belt and Road Initiative and enhancing its contributions to regional economic development within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
During the anniversary event, Wang Xiaoyong, Chairman and General Manager of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport Co., Ltd., said that the airport is pursuing its goal of becoming a comprehensive international air transportation hub. Upcoming expansions will include new and more routes to Islamabad, Cebu, Vientiane, Perth, Jeju Island, Fukuoka, and Belgrade in August and September.
Looking ahead, Baiyun Airport is preparing for the completion of its Terminal 3 (T3) next year, designed with modern architectural concepts. T3 is expected to significantly enhance the airport's capacity, aiming for an annual throughput of 120 million passenger trips and 3.8 million tons of cargo by 2030.
The airport also plans to integrate various transportation modes, including the introduction of new high-speed rail stations and connecting existing metro lines, solidifying its status as a comprehensive transportation hub.