Hong Kong International Airport’s April 2024 Performance: Passenger Surge and Cargo Growth Fuel Aviation Recovery

April 2024 brought more positive results for Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), with both passenger traffic and cargo handling continuing to show year-on-year growth. However, the pace of growth has leveled off compared to the first quarter of the year, signaling a more stable recovery.

Passenger Traffic: A Steady Increase

In April 2024, HKIA saw 4.23 million passengers, representing a 35.9% increase compared to April 2023’s 3.11 million passengers. While the growth rate is slower than the 56.7% rise seen in March 2024, the April figures reflect a stabilization as travel demand continues to normalize. Over the past 12 months, HKIA has handled 46.3 million passengers, a year-on-year increase of 200.9%, indicating that international travel demand remains robust.

Passenger flight movements in April 2024 totaled 22,100, up 46.5% from April 2023, continuing a trend of rising flight numbers but at a slower pace compared to earlier months. This reflects the steady recovery in global travel demand.

Cargo Handling: A Mixed Performance

In April 2024, HKIA handled 394,000 tonnes of cargo, a 13.9% increase from April 2023’s 346,000 tonnes. The figures show that while growth is consistent, it is slightly down from March 2024’s 15.1% increase. Loaded cargo saw a strong increase of 21.0%, continuing the upward trend of robust export activity, while unloaded cargo decreased by 2.8%, indicating a slowdown in imports.

Over the last 12 months, the total cargo handled at HKIA reached 4.56 million tonnes, marking an 11.0% year-on-year growth, underscoring the airport’s vital role as a regional logistics hub.

Flight Movements: A More Modest Growth

Flight movements also grew in April 2024, with 29,055 total movements, a 34.7% increase from the same period in 2023. However, this represents a slower pace compared to previous months, reflecting the stabilization of both passenger and cargo flights.

Cargo flight movements saw a 12.0% rise, slightly lower than March’s 12.7% growth, pointing to steady demand for air freight services.

Comparison with Previous Months:

• Passenger Traffic: April’s 4.23 million passengers is slightly down from March’s 4.36 million, indicating a gradual leveling off after the initial post-pandemic surge in travel demand. The growth rate has slowed compared to earlier months, but year-on-year increases remain substantial.
• Cargo Handling: April saw 394,000 tonnes of cargo handled, a slight dip from March’s 428,000 tonnes. Unloaded cargo volumes fell, but loaded cargo continues to grow strongly, showing ongoing demand for exports.
• Flight Movements: April recorded 29,055 total flight movements, down slightly from March’s 29,840, with cargo and passenger flights both growing at more modest rates.

Conclusion:

April 2024’s performance at HKIA reflects a more stable phase of recovery following the strong surges in passenger and cargo volumes earlier in the year. The slower growth rates indicate that the post-pandemic recovery is beginning to normalize, but the airport continues to show resilience, with consistent increases across key metrics.

With travel demand stabilizing and cargo handling maintaining steady growth, HKIA remains a critical hub for both passenger and freight traffic. As the year progresses, the airport is well-positioned to continue its upward trend, balancing demand for international travel and global trade logistics.