Singapore’s Changi passenger numbers hit pre-Covid levels for the first time

Passenger traffic at Singapore’s Changi Airport, one of Asia’s busiest, topped pre-Covid levels in February as Lunar New Year holidays sparked a surge in travel demand. 

The facility, frequently voted one of the world’s best for its futuristic feel and efficiency, recorded 5.35 million passenger movements in February, a 34% increase year-on-year, and 4.3% higher than the same period in 2019, according to data released Wednesday.

The airport is one of the first in Asia to exceed pre-pandemic traffic levels and signals a broader travel rebound is underway across the region. Singapore proved a popular destination for last month’s extended Lunar New Year holiday, while March may prove to be another bumper month due to a series of six Taylor Swift concerts.

The singer performed in the city in an exclusive deal, angering Singapore’s Southeast Asian neighbors that missed out on the spending bump of such a visit. Swift’s popularity and the lack of shows elsewhere sparked an influx of foreign visitors to the city-state that prompted economists to upgrade their forecasts for the economy.

Singapore is pushing to extend its lead over regional rivals as a popular holiday destination and transit hub, including technology upgrades at Changi that will allow residents and visitors leaving the island to progressively be able to clear checkpoints without using their passports.