Macau airport adds 58 flights for upcoming Chinese New Year

Neha Soni January 24, 2025

SiGMA news

Macau International Airport (MIA) has announced it will be adding 58 flights. This comes as the MIA prepares to accommodate the surge in travel demand during the Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday.

MIA is set to handle a significant increase in passenger traffic, with reservation rates for passenger tickets already exceeding 90 percent. The holiday is expected to see a substantial rise in cross-border movements and the airport is bracing for the holiday rush.

To accommodate this increased demand, Macau International Airport Company Limited (CAM) has partnered with airlines to optimise flight schedules and ensure a smooth and efficient travel experience.

The additional 58 flights will be connecting Macau to key destinations, including mainland China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, and Malaysia.

Macau International Airport is also keeping a close eye on evolving tourism trends in Southeast Asia. CAM will help coordinate with airlines to ensure flight arrangements align with the latest developments in the regional tourism market. By aligning flight schedules with emerging trends, MIA can better serve the needs of travelers.

Projected 5M border crossings

According to forecasts from Macau authorities, the city is expected to see between 5.04 million and 5.36 million cross-border movements during the Chinese New Year period, which runs from 28 January to 4 February.

This represents a significant increase compared to previous years, and marking a 3 percent year-on-year growth compared to the corresponding year.

The average daily number of people entering and exiting Macau is projected to be between 630,000 and 670,000, according to the Macau Public Security Police Force, the department responsible for immigration services.

Lam Tong Hou, Public Relations Director at the Macao Government Tourism Office (), noted in a press conference that various government departments, tourism industry groups, and associations will organise a variety of celebrations during the Chinese New Year Golden Week. Both visitor numbers and hotel occupancy are expected to get a boost by these events.

In related news, Macau authorities project that the city will see continued growth in tourism throughout 2025. The forecast suggests that the city’s visitor numbers for the year will range between 38 million and 39 million, nearing pre-COVID levels.

Macau’s tourism peaked in 2019, with a significant 39.4 million visitors annually. The expected rise has been attributed to policies like the “One Trip Per Week” and “Multiple Entries” schemes, which have boosted tourism from Zhuhai, Hengqin, and the Greater Bay Area.