In 2025, Urumqi Tianshan International Airport handled 29.1797 million passenger trips, 331,800 metric tons of cargo and mail, and ensured 194,900 flight take-offs and landings. These figures represented year-on-year increases of 5.09 percent, 40.65 percent, and 3.27 percent respectively, with all three core indicators reaching all-time highs.

File photo shows a passenger aircraft takes off from Urumqi Tianshan International Airport in Urumqi City, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Shiliuyun - Xinjiang Daily/Cai Zengle)

In 2025, Urumqi Tianshan International Airport transported 28.1907 million domestic passengers and 989,000 international and regional passengers, with year-on-year increases of 3.81 percent and 62.31 percent respectively. Its hub radiation capacity continued to grow day by day. The airport delivered standout performances at key time points. During the 40-day Spring Festival travel rush, it handled a cumulative total of 2.911 million passengers. During the summer travel season, it transported a cumulative total of 6.4401 million passengers, and on August 9, it set a new single-day passenger record with 108,700 passengers, while the 763,000 passengers transported during the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday further demonstrated its strong attractiveness as a hub airport.

The cargo and mail throughput, reaching 331,800 metric tons with a year-on-year growth rate of 40.65 percent, emerged as the biggest highlight of the year, showcasing the robust strength of the Air Silk Road freight hub. The growth momentum stemmed from the continuous expansion of international freight corridors. The annual international cargo and mail throughput stood at 122,700 metric tons, marking a staggering 204.8 percent year-on-year increase. This has established a dual-driven freight network pattern of "China-Europe Express + Central Asian Corridor." The "Urumqi-Paris/Madrid" freight route has opened up a direct freight shortcut to Western Europe, while the "Urumqi-Urgench" freight route has bridged the last mile of e-commerce logistics in Central Asia, with the all-cargo aircraft route network becoming increasingly well-developed.

In 2025, the number of international and regional flights at Urumqi Tianshan International Airport witnessed rapid growth, with a year-on-year increase of 79.88 percent, reflecting the continuous enhancement of the airport's international aviation hub functions. Leveraging the coordinated operation of multiple runways, the airport significantly boosted its take-off and landing capacity, ensuring an average of 534 flight take-offs and landings per day.

In 2025, Urumqi Tianshan International Airport operated a total of 311 air routes, including 236 domestic passenger routes, six domestic cargo routes, 32 international passenger routes, and 37 international cargo routes, achieving full coverage of the five Central Asian countries. The efficiency of the "transit via Urumqi" network was prominent.

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