Changi Airport recorded 1.99 million tonnes of airfreight throughput in 2024, marking a 14.6 percent increase compared to the previous year. Growth was driven by improved cargo flows between Singapore, China, and the United States, the recovery of electronics exports and re-exports, rising cross-border e-commerce demand, and a modal shift from ocean to airfreight due to maritime transport disruptions.
READ: Airfreight rates trend lower
Changi Airport saw a steady rise in cargo volumes throughout the year, with all segments—exports, imports, and transshipments—experiencing positive growth. In the fourth quarter of 2024 alone, the airport handled 521,000 tonnes of airfreight, a 15 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023.
The airport’s top five cargo markets for the year were:
- China
- Australia
- United States
- Hong Kong
- India
Much of the cargo growth was fueled by demand for electronics, e-commerce, and time-sensitive shipments, particularly between Singapore and its major trading partners in China and the United States.
To accommodate increasing air cargo demand, Changi Airport expanded its freighter network in 2024, adding new airline partners and routes. Two new freighter airlines began operations at the airport:
- Shandong Airlines, which also resumed passenger services during the year
- Air Incheon, strengthening cargo links between Singapore and South Korea
Additionally, two new freighter routes were introduced, connecting Singapore with Haikou and Nagoya, further expanding Changi’s cargo network.
