Singapore’s Changi Airport (SIN) was crowned Overall Winner at the Routes Asia 2025 Awards, held in Perth, Australia. The airport also bagged the top prize in the Over 20 Million Passengers category, reaffirming its position as one of the world’s leading air hubs.
The annual Routes Asia Awards recognise outstanding achievements in route development and marketing by airports, destinations, and airlines across the Asia-Pacific region.
A Year of Growth and Global Expansion for Changi
Changi Airport’s Vice President of Market Development, Peh Ke-Wei, attributed the success to strong airline partnerships.
“We are truly grateful to our airline partners for their close collaboration and partnership,” she said. “Together, we have made significant strides in taking Changi Airport’s passenger traffic to new heights and strategically expanding its global connectivity.”
In 2024, Changi handled 67.7 million passenger movements, a 15% year-on-year increase, alongside a similar uptick in airfreight throughput. The airport also welcomed 10 new airlines, including Air Canada, Air Japan, and Peach, and launched 20 new routes to major cities like Brussels, London Gatwick, and Vancouver.
Other Winners at Routes Asia 2025
Besides Changi Airport, four other key players in aviation and tourism were honoured:
Under 5 Million Passengers: Cairns Airport (CNS)
Recognised for its targeted route development strategy, Cairns secured several new international services in 2024. These included:
- China Eastern’s Lunar New Year flights
- AirAsia Indonesia’s market debut
- Fiji Airways’ direct Nadi service
- The return of Cathay Pacific
5–20 Million Passengers: Adelaide Airport (ADL)
Adelaide hit record-breaking numbers in 2024 with over 8.5 million passengers, a 10% rise from the previous year. Major route highlights:
- Emirates’ daily service reinstated
- China Southern Airlines’ return
- Jetstar’s new route to Whitsunday Coast
- QantasLink upgrades to Q400 aircraft for better regional coverage
Destination: Philippine Department of Tourism
Celebrated for its pivotal role in expanding the Philippines’ air connectivity. Through the Love the Philippinescampaign and airline partnerships, the department supported routes to Cebu, Clark, and Davao. Other wins included:
- Air France’s Paris–Manila launch
- Vietnam Airlines’ new Hanoi–Manila service
Airline: Cebu Pacific
The Philippine low-cost carrier impressed with the launch of 31 new routes (19 domestic, 12 international) in 2024. Cementing its long-term ambitions, Cebu Pacific also made history with a US$24 billion order for 152 Airbus aircraft—the largest in Philippine aviation.
Judging Criteria
Winners in the Airport and Destination categories were selected by a panel of airline judges, while the Airline category was evaluated by editorial experts.
