As of April 16, Shanghai Pudong International Airport has handled over 10 million inbound and outbound passengers since the beginning of this year, a 24 percent increase compared with the same period last year, according to statistics from Shanghai's airport border inspection station.

The surge includes a 49 percent increase in inbound foreign passengers and a 17 percent increase in Chinese mainland residents traveling overseas.

Pudong airport continues to lead all airports nationwide in the number of inbound and outbound passengers served, processing a record high of 122,000 passengers in a single day.

Since the start of 2025, the station has helped over 1.14 million Chinese and foreign passengers take advantage of the new 24-hour direct transit system without undergoing border check procedures.

Yew Hai Tang, a Malaysian tour guide, said that tourism routes to China have become very popular in Malaysia among all age groups.

Since the implementation of the 240-hour visa-free transit policy in December 2024, the number of foreign nationals entering China visa-free for business and tourism has surged by 72 percent year-on-year, compared with when the 144-hour visa-free transit policy was in effect.

Furthermore, according to Shanghai's border inspection station, nearly 6.6 million Chinese mainland residents have passed through immigration at Shanghai Pudong International Airport this year, accounting for 66 percent of the total number of inbound and outbound travelers.

Outbound tourists continue to favor regions in Southeast and Northeast Asia, with over 60 percent of travelers heading for countries, such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

Currently Shanghai Pudong International Airport services a daily average of over 530 flights to or from outside the Chinese mainland, covering more than 90 international destinations worldwide.

Source: Shanghai Observer