South Korean Media: Incheon Airport Rises to Top of Global Passenger Rankings

¬ 19.78 million international passengers in the first quarter; cumulative total surpasses 1 billion for the first time in 25 years

Incheon International Airport ranked first globally in international passenger volume during the first quarter of this year—marking the first time since its opening in 2001 that it has claimed the top spot. Incheon surpassed Dubai International Airport in the UAE and London Heathrow Airport in the UK, which had led the sector for over a decade.

On the 7th, data from the Airports Council International (ACI) revealed that Incheon Airport handled 19.78 million international passengers in the first quarter, ranking first among 1,234 international airports worldwide. The airport was followed by Dubai International Airport (18.58 million passengers), which ranked first last year, and London Heathrow Airport (17.84 million passengers), which ranked second.

Previously, Incheon Airport reached fifth place in this category in 2019 but saw a sharp decline due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, it recovered to eighth place in 2023, ranked third in both 2024 and last year, and has now successfully rebounded. Professor Kang Kyung-woo from the Department of Logistics at Han Yang University said: “International passenger volume is one of the most important indicators when evaluating an airport. Despite uncertainties such as the war in Iran, overtaking Heathrow to claim the number one position carries significant meaning.”

When Incheon Airport opened in 2001, Japan and Hong Kong dominated Asian aviation. Many predicted that as a latecomer, Incheon would inevitably be caught between rapidly expanding Japanese and Hong Kong airports and the expected surge of Chinese airports, becoming a "sandwiched" player. However, while other major international airports saw slowing growth, Incheon Airport leveraged proactive infrastructure expansion, efficient processing through ICT (Information and Communication Technology), and a dense air network to attract a large number of transit passengers. At Incheon Airport, passengers can reach 158 cities—a figure far exceeding those of Hong Kong (139), Tokyo Narita (86), and Shanghai Pudong (92).

Aggressive Infrastructure Expansion… Building a Super-Convenient, "Smart Airport"

Experts generally agree that the main reason Incheon Airport has risen to the top of the global rankings after 25 years of operation lies in timely expansions based on accurate demand forecasting. Once an airport reaches capacity saturation, not only does passenger volume decline, but airlines also reduce their routes, significantly weakening competitiveness. Therefore, accurately predicting passenger numbers and proactively expanding facilities is crucial.

Starting with a passenger throughput of 40 million in 2001, Incheon Airport immediately launched its second-phase expansion project—capable of handling 54 million passengers—with a budget of 3 trillion KRW (approximately 13.5 billion CNY) in the following year. Subsequently, it implemented a third-phase expansion capable of handling 77 million passengers. The fourth-phase expansion, designed to accommodate up to 160 million passengers, was completed smoothly in November 2024.

The facility expansions brought about the anticipated increase in passenger numbers. As of the 7th of this month, Incheon Airport’s cumulative passenger count has exceeded 1 billion—equivalent to an average of 108,000 passengers per day, setting the fastest record among major global airports. Munich Airport in Germany took 33 years and 10 months to reach 1 billion passengers, Singapore Changi Airport took 35 years and 5 months, Tokyo Narita Airport took 39 years and 2 months, and Dubai Airport in the UAE took 58 years and 2 months. Because facility expansion kept pace with passenger growth, airlines were able to consistently schedule flights at desired times.

The establishment of a dedicated agency responsible for operating Incheon Airport—the Incheon Airport Corporation—separately from the Korea Airports Corporation, which manages regional airports, is also considered a key factor in enhancing Incheon’s competitiveness. This allows for swift decision-making on infrastructure expansion and concentrated resource allocation. In practice, most funding for Incheon Airport’s expansion projects came from the Incheon Airport Corporation itself. The total cost of the first to fourth phase expansion projects amounted to 1.817 trillion KRW (approximately 81.1 billion CNY), with government support accounting for only 328.74 billion KRW (14.8 billion CNY)—just 18%. The remaining 82% was raised independently by the company through bond issuance and other methods.

From its inception, Incheon Airport positioned itself as a "hub airport in Northeast Asia," actively pursuing policies to attract transit passengers—this strategy has had a profound impact. Increased transit traffic helps boost duty-free shop and dining revenues and enables route expansion, essential conditions for enhancing airport competitiveness. Data from the Incheon Airport Corporation shows that transit passenger numbers rose from 7.2047 million in 2023 to 8.0465 million last year.

Another major advantage of Incheon Airport is the simplicity and speed of immigration and customs procedures. The airport has installed 523 “Smart Pass” devices, allowing passengers to check in and board flights using pre-registered biometric information without showing passports or boarding passes. The baggage screening system has also been upgraded to three-dimensional scanning, eliminating the need to remove laptops and other personal items individually from luggage—something still uncommon in many overseas airports. According to Incheon Airport officials: “Except during peak periods like holidays, the average outbound processing time was 34 minutes and inbound was 28 minutes as of May last year”—significantly faster than the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) recommended times (60 minutes outbound, 45 minutes inbound).

External factors have also played a favorable role. Demand in Japan has become more dispersed across Narita and Haneda airports, while Hong Kong has lost some passengers due to the development of mainland Chinese airports. Meanwhile, Chinese airports faced challenges during the pandemic due to entry restrictions. In contrast, Incheon Airport benefited from its policy of concentrating international flights, attracting a large number of passengers. Airlines have consequently increased their routes, and travelers are choosing Incheon specifically to access more transit options, forming a virtuous cycle.

Source: Chosun Ilbo

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1870123042114560/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) alone.