Ten million cross-border passenger trips: that is the “international traffic” milestone Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport’s port of entry has reached just halfway through 2026.
The mark was hit one full month earlier than last year, with year-on-year growth exceeding 21%, setting a new record for the same period in history. The airport handled an average of 58,000 inbound and outbound passenger trips per day, with peak days reaching as high as 68,000 travelers.
In practical terms, this means nearly 60,000 people are traveling between Guangzhou and overseas destinations every day: global business travelers arriving for negotiations, Guangdong entrepreneurs expanding into the Belt and Road markets, and ordinary residents taking spontaneous trips to explore the world.
So what’s driving this surge?
First, a larger global network. Since the beginning of the year, Baiyun Airport has added and increased frequencies on 14 international passenger and cargo routes, 13 of which connect to the Belt and Road partner countries. Its international and regional network now covers over 100 destinations, as Guangzhou continues to build out a wider global air route network.
Second, faster and smoother border clearance. Guangzhou Customs has introduced technologies such as advance machine inspection and AI-assisted image screening, allowing passengers to leave almost immediately after collecting luggage—creating a largely “frictionless” entry experience. For outbound passengers, the process has also been streamlined into a single inspection, reducing repeated checks and making spontaneous international travel easier.
As passenger flows surge, cargo and consumption are also gaining momentum.
During the same period, import and export cargo volume at the port exceeded 700,000 tons, up 5.2% year-on-year, further supporting the stability of the Greater Bay Area’s foreign trade supply chain.
Meanwhile, rising passenger traffic has boosted airport retail. Duty-free sales at the port surpassed RMB 700 million (about USD 98.6 million), up 13.5% year-on-year. Notably, Baiyun Airport’s duty-free stores are no longer limited to international cosmetics brands, tobacco and liquor. They now also feature time-honored Chinese brands, cultural and creative products, intangible cultural heritage items, and domestically made electronics such as smartphones and tablets. Many international travelers are leaving Guangzhou with both Guangdong-made technologies and Chinese culture in their luggage.