Baiyun Airport: Powerful "double victory" over Pudong, reclaims top position!

Source: Civil Aviation Wings

At the start of 2026, China’s civil aviation industry staged a spectacular “Double City Rivalry.”

The production and operation data from January to February quietly unveiled the beginning of a new round of hub competition.

No gunfire, yet the victory and defeat are already apparent;

No shouts, yet the noise is deafening.

Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, the “Four-Year Champion” from 2020-2023,

Shanghai Pudong Airport, the two consecutive champions in 2024-2025.

In the first two months of 2026, the fierce battle has already begun.

1. Data Review: Baiyun Airport’s “Double Kill”

Let’s look at this set of data:

January 2026:

Guangzhou Baiyun Airport: Passenger throughput 7.4938 million, up 4.95% year-over-year.

Shanghai Pudong Airport: Passenger throughput 7.0532 million, down 1.34% year-over-year.

Battle situation: Baiyun leads Pudong by 440,600 passengers.

February 2026 (including the Spring Festival peak):

Guangzhou Baiyun Airport: Passenger throughput 7.4759 million, an 18.39% surge year-over-year.

Shanghai Pudong Airport: Passenger throughput 7.2523 million, up 12.30% year-over-year.

Battle situation: Baiyun leads Pudong by 223,600 passengers.

For two consecutive months, Baiyun Airport has fully outperformed Pudong in single-month passenger throughput, with a lead of 660,000 passengers over two months!

This is not just a victory in numbers but a reversal of the trend.

Moreover, Baiyun Airport’s “double monthly victory,” especially with positive growth in January despite a decline at Pudong, and an astonishing 18.39% increase in February during the Spring Festival rush, demonstrates its strong resilience and explosive power.

It is worth noting that this double-month rivalry is not a “zero-sum game,” but a vivid reflection of healthy competition and mutual progress between China’s two major aviation hubs.

Looking back at 2025, Pudong Airport led the nation with 84.995 million passengers, while Baiyun Airport followed closely with 83.59 million, with a gap of only about 1.4 million, indicating that the competition between these two hubs has entered a fiercely close “millimeter-level” stage.

The double victory at the start of 2026 allows Baiyun Airport to continue its “late-stage surge,” making this hub rivalry even more intriguing.

2. In-Depth Analysis: Why Can Baiyun “Win”?

Baiyun Airport’s consecutive wins are no accident but the result of the combined effects of “favorable timing, geographical advantages, and harmonious human factors.”

First, the “Spring Festival effect” combined with the “Charm of Flower City.”

During the 2026 Spring Festival, Guangzhou experienced rare clear weather and an extended holiday period, bringing double benefits.

According to Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Statistics, passenger volume increased by 8.3% year-over-year in January-February. As the core hub in South China, Baiyun Airport not only handled a massive return flow of travelers but also attracted many “escape winter” and “entry tourism” travelers.

Second, the advantages of Baiyun Airport’s T3 terminal and the fifth runway are becoming evident.

By 2026, the situation is reversing:

Pudong Airport’s Phase IV expansion is expected to be completed by 2028, with limited resources.

Baiyun Airport’s T3 terminal and the fifth runway officially began operation on October 30, 2025, marking the start of the “Three Terminals + Five Runways” era, with a qualitative leap in hub capacity.

The double victory at the beginning of 2026 continues Baiyun’s “late-stage surge,” making this hub rivalry even more compelling.

Of course, we must also recognize that Baiyun Airport’s advantages are not invulnerable. As China’s “air bridge” connecting globally, Pudong Airport has a high international passenger ratio of 38.7% and ranks second worldwide in cargo volume, maintaining a strong comprehensive hub level.

Once the Phase IV project is completed and future capacity is unleashed, the resource gap between the two will essentially be eliminated.

Meanwhile, Baiyun Airport is continuously advancing; the T1 terminal renovation is underway, and after renovation, its annual passenger throughput will increase by another 10 million, reaching a terminal capacity of 140 million, surpassing Pudong’s planned capacity.

Civil Aviation Wings firmly believes that the competition among domestic aviation hubs is never just about passenger flow but a comprehensive contest involving service capabilities, route network density, and regional coordination efficiency.

Baiyun’s double-month victory is a milestone achievement and an important step toward becoming a top-tier global aviation hub;

Meanwhile, Pudong’s temporary lag is just a short-term fluctuation during the adjustment period, and it still possesses strong competitiveness in the future.

Furthermore, changes in Middle Eastern geopolitics have created better opportunities for China’s aviation hubs. Wing Brother looks forward to Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou Baiyun, Beijing Capital, and other hubs working together and rising with the tide.

End of article interaction: Do you think Baiyun Airport or Pudong Airport will become the national passenger throughput champion in 2026? Feel free to leave your comments and discuss!