Today marks the official release of the “China Airport Development Index 2024,” a collaborative effort between the China Civil Airports Association and Peking University’s Global Connectivity Research Center. This is the first time the index has been published. The framework includes six primary indicators and 20 secondary indicators, which evaluate the development of airports in China across six dimensions: safety, accessibility, convenience, service, sustainability, and contribution. The index score stands at 106.65, reflecting a 6.65% increase compared to the baseline year of 2019, indicating that the overall state of airport development in China has surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

Among the six dimensions, scores for safety, accessibility, convenience, and sustainability have shown significant growth, while the score for service has seen moderate increases, and the contribution score has experienced a slight decline.

The safety score reached 111.65, indicating a substantial improvement in airport safety levels, surpassing those before the pandemic. Both the frequency of unsafe incidents and warning signs at transport airports have decreased. For 21 consecutive years, zero responsibility accidents have been recorded in the aviation security sector, and emergency management systems have been steadily developed with effective safety measures implemented.

The accessibility score stands at 111.20, up from the 2019 baseline, showcasing an ongoing improvement in airport accessibility, which plays a vital role in meeting passengers’ air travel demands. This score is attributed to the increased airport density, flight operations, and connecting transfers observed in 2023.

Convenience is another highlight, with a score of 117.93, reflecting significant advancements in operational efficiency, travel convenience, and smart customs processes. This demonstrates a continual enhancement in the level of smart airport construction in the country.

The service score is at 103.04, nearly aligning with pre-pandemic levels. Passenger experience ratings are generally excellent across various airport tiers; overall satisfaction continues to improve, and complaint management scores significantly outperform those from 2019.

Sustainability is also a focal point, with a score of 106.63. In 2023, China’s aviation sector reduced fuel consumption per ton-kilometer by 14.3% compared to the 2005 baseline, while average energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions per passenger dropped by 38.4% and 60.5%, respectively, from the 2013-2015 average. This shows notable progress in the development of green airports.

However, the contribution score, at 93.78, remains below the 2019 baseline, indicating that airports have not fully regained their pre-pandemic contribution to integrated transportation. In 2023, passenger throughput at China’s transport airports reached 1.26 billion, a staggering 142.2% increase from the previous year, recovering to 93.2% of 2019 figures. Notably, domestic air travel has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, growing by 1.5% compared to 2019 and recovering faster than any other mode of transportation. In contrast, international flights are only at 34.0% of 2019 levels. With recent policy initiatives to facilitate travel and payments for foreign visitors, as well as ongoing negotiations with key nations, the Civil Aviation Administration of China has reported a robust recovery in international passenger traffic, reaching 84.7% of 2019 levels from January to August 2023, an increase of 175% compared to the same period in 2023.