Shanghai retained several leading positions in an annual assessment of China's aviation hubs and airport-linked economies.

The results were jointly released by the Aviation Institute for Research in Economics and Development of the Civil Aviation University of China and a research center for high-quality civil aviation development of the university on Oct 15.

According to the assessment, Shanghai ranked first among cities served by large airports in terms of economic strength, while Pudong New Area topped the corresponding district rankings. Pudong International Airport ranked first in passenger throughput and aircraft movements.

Based on 2025 data, the rankings cover the Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions. The assessment measures both airport traffic and the economic strength of surrounding areas.

Pudong and Hongqiao airports handled more than 135 million passenger trips in 2025, up 8.3 percent year-on-year, according to Shanghai Airport Group. Cargo and mail throughput reached about 4.5 million metric tons, an increase of 7.9 percent. Both figures hit record highs.

The airports' combined route network covered a record 302 destinations across 54 countries.  New destinations included Belgrade, Casablanca, Geneva, and Buenos Aires, the group said.

Source: China Daily