Incheon International Airport Achieves Third Place in Global Passenger Traffic
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Synopsis
Incheon International Airport in South Korea has achieved its highest ranking since its opening in 2001, placing third in international passenger traffic for the previous year. With 70.67 million passengers, the airport experienced a significant increase fueled by outbound travel trends and a record number of operating airlines.
Key Takeaways
- Incheon Airport ranks third for international passenger traffic.
- 70.67 million passengers utilized the airport in 2024.
- Passenger traffic increased by 26.7% from the previous year.
- International cargo traffic rose by 7.4% to 2.9 million tons.
- Anticipated passenger numbers for 2025 are between 73 million and 77 million.
Seoul, April 20 (NationPress) Incheon International Airport in South Korea achieved a remarkable milestone by securing the third position in international passenger traffic last year, marking its best performance since its inception in 2001, as reported by the airport's management on Sunday.
Located approximately 45 kilometers to the west of Seoul in Incheon, this primary airport had previously held the seventh spot in 2023 and the fifth position in both 2018 and 2019, according to a press release from the Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC).
In 2024, a total of 70.67 million passengers traveled internationally through Incheon Airport, representing a 26.7 percent increase compared to the prior year, as per data from Airports Council International (ACI), as reported by Yonhap news agency.
The IIAC noted, "The number of outbound travelers saw a significant rise during peak summer months, Thanksgiving, and year-end holidays. There was also a noticeable increase in passenger traffic on short-haul routes to Japan and other Asian countries, driven by the yen's depreciation and the dollar's strength."
According to ACI data, Dubai International Airport and London Heathrow Airport took the top two spots with 92.33 million and 79.19 million international passengers, respectively.
The IIAC anticipates that international passenger numbers at Incheon Airport could reach between 73 million and 77 million this year, bolstered by a record 98 airlines currently operating flights to the hub.
In addition, Incheon Airport maintained its third-place ranking for international cargo volume last year.
International air cargo traffic increased by 7.4 percent year-on-year to reach 2.9 million tons, following behind Hong Kong's international airport at 4.9 million tons and Shanghai at 3 million tons, as stated in the release.
Meanwhile, the inventory of unsold new homes in South Korea has reached its highest level in 11 years and five months, primarily due to weak demand for new housing in regional areas.
As of the end of February, there were 23,722 unsold new apartments across the nation, doubling from 11,855 recorded a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
This figure represents the highest count since September 2013, when 24,667 unsold new homes were reported.
