Airports in Asia-Pacific and Middle East see strong 14% rise in passenger connectivity in 2024

Airports Council International Asia-Pacific & Middle East (ACI APAC & MID) has released its 2024 Air Connectivity Ranking, revealing a 14% year-on-year growth in connectivity across both regions. This increase, driven by the return of key international routes, high passenger demand, and major travel corridor reopening, marks a strong recovery for the aviation sector.

Details on the rise of passenger connectivity for Asia’s airports 

Developed with PwC in 2023 and refined for its third edition in 2025, the ACI Connectivity Ranking assesses airport performance through network scale and frequency, economic weight of destinations, and quality and efficiency of connections. It includes three indices: Direct Connectivity, Indirect Connectivity, and Hub Connectivity.

Asia-Pacific saw a 13% rise in connectivity, nearly regaining pre-pandemic levels for intra-regional travel, now just 0.2% below 2019. Intercontinental links rose by 4%. The Middle East exceeded expectations, with connectivity now 18% above 2019 levels for regional travel and 16% higher for intercontinental routes.

Key findings include:

• An average 14% connectivity increase across all airports, indicating broad recovery.
• 80% of the top 300 airports have fully recovered, led by major international hubs.
• Domestic city pairs dropped 1%, while international city pairs rose 17%, suggesting a renewed focus on global routes.
• Middle East traffic has surpassed pre-pandemic levels to Africa and Asia-Pacific, though routes to the Americas remain lower.
• Asia-Pacific to the Americas traffic still trails 2019 but is improving steadily.

Stefano Baronci, Director General of ACI Asia-Pacific and Middle East, said: “Air connectivity is not only relevant for passengers seeking more travel options and convenience; it is equally crucial for supporting global trade and economic resilience, particularly through belly hold cargo capacity.”

He added: “While we celebrate this growth, we must remain forward-looking to ensure the momentum is sustained. Investment in airport infrastructure and technological upgrades is a prerequisite for enhancing connectivity… we urge governments to prioritise air service liberalisation, streamlined visa policies, and transparent slot allocation frameworks.”

Dubai International retained its status as the region’s leading airport, topping the new Hub Connectivity Index, which ranks airports based on their effectiveness as global transfer points. It was followed by Shanghai Pudong and Hamad International in Qatar.

Major Asian hubs such as Singapore Changi, Incheon, Shanghai Pudong, and Beijing Capital all climbed in rankings, bolstered by outbound tourism and network reconfigurations.

The 2025 edition introduces a City Connectivity Index, focusing on airport city clusters. Urban areas such as Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Macau, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Beijing benefited from multiple large airports, enabling higher frequencies and more route options. Seoul, Bangkok, and Taipei led in per capita connectivity, offering broad access relative to their population sizes.

The ACI report confirms that while the pandemic reshaped global aviation, airports in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East are not just rebounding, they are evolving into more connected and efficient nodes in the global network.

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