Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport processed 1.48 million cross-border passengers in the first half of 2026, up 39.5 % year-on-year—the highest growth rate among China’s ten busiest gateways, according to data released by Chongqing Border Inspection on 2 July. Foreign arrivals are surging even faster: at 610 000, the number of inbound foreign nationals jumped 86 %, buoyed by the 30-day visa-free policy now available to most European and Latin American passport holders and by aggressive marketing of the city’s mountain-river skyline as a film-tourism hub. ASEAN visitors—led by Thailand and Malaysia—remain the largest group. The airport’s transit potential is also emerging. Over 13 000 passengers used the 24-hour visa-free transit facility in H1, nine times more than a year earlier—evidence that Chongqing is starting to siphon transfer traffic away from coastal hubs. Airlines have responded by redeploying wide-bodies onto Chongqing-Singapore and Chongqing-Paris services for the summer schedule. For corporates with operations in western China, Jiangbei’s rise offers a viable alternative to Chengdu for routing expatriates and high-value cargo. Mobility managers should, however, monitor capacity constraints: peak-hour e-gates can back up, and premium-class seats on Europe services are limited.
![Chongqing Jiangbei posts China’s fastest traffic growth among top ten airports]()
For travelers navigating the new 30-day visa-free rules or arranging 24-hour transit permissions, VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/china/) streamlines the process with real-time eligibility checks, document uploads, and courier support, ensuring passengers and corporate mobility managers can clear Chongqing Jiangbei’s e-gates without last-minute surprises.
Local authorities plan a second runway extension and an ‘aerotropolis’ free-trade zone that will permit 72-hour duty-free stays—developments that could further boost the airport’s competitiveness by 2027.
For travelers navigating the new 30-day visa-free rules or arranging 24-hour transit permissions, VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/china/) streamlines the process with real-time eligibility checks, document uploads, and courier support, ensuring passengers and corporate mobility managers can clear Chongqing Jiangbei’s e-gates without last-minute surprises.
Local authorities plan a second runway extension and an ‘aerotropolis’ free-trade zone that will permit 72-hour duty-free stays—developments that could further boost the airport’s competitiveness by 2027.
