Wedoany.com Report on Mar 3rd, In 2025, China's 270 operational airports handled a passenger throughput of 1.529046 billion person-times and a cargo and mail throughput of 21.864 million tons, representing year-on-year growth of 4.8% and 9.0%, respectively. The growth momentum of Xinjiang's civil aviation was even more robust: the passenger throughput of airports across Xinjiang exceeded 50 million person-times for the first time, a year-on-year increase of 12.4%; the cargo and mail throughput exceeded 400,000 tons for the first time, reaching 405,000 tons, a year-on-year surge of 34.1%. The growth rates of these two core indicators surpassed the national average by 7.6 and 25.1 percentage points, respectively. Xinjiang's civil aviation has delivered an impressive report card of high-quality development in serving the construction of the Silk Road core area.

The role of the "air bridge" for opening up to the west is becoming increasingly prominent. As the core hub, Urumqi Tianshan International Airport handled a passenger throughput of 29.18 million person-times in 2025. It ranked 18th in China, trailing Xiamen Gaoqi Airport and Zhengzhou Xinzheng Airport by narrow margins of only 14,000 and 12,000 person-times, respectively, maintaining the same position as in 2024. Its cargo and mail throughput reached 332,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 40.6%, ranking 17th in China, one place higher than in 2024. Its international cargo and mail throughput stood at 123,000 tons, ranking 12th in China.

Passenger throughput at 22 regional airports across Xinjiang achieved positive growth. Regional airports are evolving from "supporting roles" into a "new force" driving growth, forming a favorable pattern of "trunk-branch synergy and coordinated development" with the Urumqi hub. In 2025, the passenger throughput of Kashgar Laining International Airport and Yili Yining International Airport exceeded 5 million and 3 million person-times for the first time, respectively. The passenger throughput of Hami Yizhou Airport and Altay Snow Capital Airport surpassed 1 million person-times for the first time. The national rankings of 15 regional airports in Xinjiang improved compared to 2024. Among them, the newly opened Qitai Jiangbulake Airport (inaugurated in August 2024) performed most remarkably, with an annual passenger throughput of 280,000 person-times and a national ranking that soared by 50 places. The rankings of regional airports such as Hami Yizhou Airport, Altay Snow Capital Airport, Tacheng Qianquan Airport, Shihezi Garden Airport, and Bole Alashankou Airport all improved by more than 20 places.

As a core hub on the Silk Road, Xinjiang's civil aviation is leveraging its unique geographical advantages to transform its locational strength into developmental success, injecting strong momentum into the construction of the Eurasian Golden Corridor.