Shanghai Pudong International Airport has seen a significant surge in passenger traffic, reaching over 20 million arrivals and departures by August 29.
This figure more than doubles the number from the same period last year, surpassing the previous year’s total by 20 percent.
China’s expanding visa-free and visa exemption policies, along with ongoing border facilitation measures from the National Immigration Administration, are the reasons for the surge.
Since last year, China has introduced or reinstated various visa exemptions, including unilateral visa-free policies for 15 countries such as France, Germany and Australia, and mutual visa exemptions with countries like Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.
Additionally, the 144-hour transit visa-free policy now covers 37 ports and applies to travelers from 54 countries. These measures have contributed to the steady rise in foreign arrivals, making Shanghai a top entry point for international visitors to China.
So far this year, the airport has processed 2.25 million foreign arrivals, the highest among all ports in the country.
Ti Gong
Most of these visitors are in Shanghai for tourism, family visits or business, with over 50 percent falling into these categories.
Notably, 600,000 of these travelers entered through visa-free arrangements, nearly nine times more than the same period last year.
The airport has also issued 160,000 temporary entry permits for eligible travelers under the 24/144-hour transit visa-free policy and provided direct transit services to 950,000 passengers, enhancing Shanghai’s role as a global transport hub.
To handle the increasing flow of foreign visitors, the border inspection team has implemented several measures to streamline the process.
These include an on-flight and online foreign entry card system, pre-screening for transit passengers, and combined processing for inbound and transit travelers, all of which significantly reduce clearance times.
The team also deployed multilingual police volunteers who provide round-the-clock support, including emergency translation, policy consultations, and assistance at the inspection points.
Ti Gong
Driven by favorable entry policies and the reopening of international flight routes, Pudong airport has also experienced growth in international flights, now averaging 520 passenger flights daily.
These flights are characterized by high frequency, large passenger loads, and operations spanning both day and night.
To date, the airport has processed over 14 million Chinese mainland travelers this year, accounting for 70 percent of total traffic at the port.
Family trips, educational tours and group travel have been particularly popular during the summer travel season, with top destinations being Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia, along with longer trips to European countries like the UK and France.
To improve efficiency, the inspection team has used targeted deployment and cross-regional cooperation to reduce wait times during peak hours.
Special lanes have been set up to cater to families with children, elderly, disabled, pregnant and late-arriving passengers, ensuring smooth and secure passage for all travelers.
Ti Gong