Incheon Airport set its goal to push toward 100 million annual passengers, as it marks its 25th anniversary this week.
Incheon International Airport Corp. said Friday that the airport has risen to become the world's third-busiest airport in international passenger and cargo traffic, according to International Airport Council standards, 25 years after its opening on March 29, 2001.
“We sincerely thank the government and the Korean people for their support, and our 94,000 employees for backing our journey toward an international airport,” said Kim Beom-ho, acting president of the Incheon International Airport Corp.
“Incheon Airport will continue to serve as the gateway to Korea, contributing to the development of the national aviation industry while fulfilling the social responsibilities of a public corporation.”
The airport recorded over 74 million international passengers and 2.9 million tons of international cargo in 2025. With over 8 million transit passengers, it also established itself as a major aerial hub in Northeast Asia, the corporation explained.
Infrastructure expansion has been a key driver of the airport. In November 2024, the operator completed the fourth phase of its expansion project, extending Terminal 2 and boosting annual passenger capacity to 106 million.
The upgrade places Incheon among the world's largest airports by international capacity, ranking third globally behind Hong Kong (120 million) and Dubai (115 million).
Based on these milestones, the airport said it would pursue large-scale innovation across overall operations.
Prioritizing operational safety and passenger convenience, the airport will undergo a digital overhaul by accelerating artificial intelligence transformation and establishing an urban air mobility-ready ecosystem, the operator added.
It will also support the government’s target of reaching 30 million overseas tourists by enhancing regional transportation networks. New Airport Limousine routes will be introduced, alongside expansions of existing routes, to further enhance accessibility and transportation convenience.
The airport will also increase domestic flight routes and connecting flights. Starting in April, the number of domestic flights between Incheon and Gimhae, serving Busan, will be increased from 35 to 39 times a week. The Incheon-Jeju City route, suspended in 2016 due to insufficient demand, will resume operations twice a week from May.
The airport held a commemorative ceremony on Friday at Incheon Airport Terminal 2.
stlee0329@heraldcorp.com
