Nation's Second Busiest Airport Status Cements PIA's Role As Northern Malaysia's Aviation Hub
GEORGE TOWN, Jan 24 (Bernama) -- Penang International Airport's (PIA) achievement of becoming Malaysia’s second busiest airport in 2024 is a testament to Penang’s growing role as a key hub for both tourism and business, reflecting the state's strong recovery in the post-pandemic era.
State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the growth in PIA’s total passenger volume of 7.47 million last year, which is a 7.07 per cent increase compared to 6.97 million passengers in 2023, aligns with the state government’s significant investments in tourism over the past two years.
“The increase in flight frequencies was another milestone. In 2024, the airport recorded 565 weekly flights, marking an 8.03 per cent increase from 523 weekly flights in 2023, while international flights, in particular, grew substantially with 304 weekly flights in 2024, a 17.37 per cent increase from 259 weekly flights the previous year.
“This data reflects Penang’s growing connectivity and its role as the aviation hub of northern Malaysia, meeting the strong demand for air services in the region,” he said in a statement today.
Wong also pointed out that the airport welcomed 12 new direct international routes since August 2023, connecting Penang to cities like Dubai, Shanghai, Xiamen, Hong Kong, and more, further cementing its position as an aviation hub for northern Malaysia.
He noted that Penang’s strategic position as a northern region aviation hub, a global semiconductor manufacturing centre and a leading destination for medical tourism has made it a top choice for airlines to prioritise developing direct routes.
In the statement, Wong also highlights that Penang’s growth as a key international gateway is set to continue with ongoing airport expansion plans and with more direct flights in the pipeline, including a new route to Taiwan expected this year, which will also inject new energy into Penang’s tourism industry.
As of now, Penang's international route network connects 20 cities, including Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok, Don Mueang, Phuket, Medan, Jakarta, Surabaya, Banda Aceh, Taipei, Ho Chi Minh City, Doha, Xi’an, Chennai, and Chongqing.
“Looking ahead, with the gradual implementation of its expansion plan, I believe PIA’s position as the second busiest airport in Malaysia will be further solidified,” he added.
Data from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) dated Jan 19 revealed that PIA has risen to become Malaysia’s second busiest airport in 2024, ranking behind Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and surpassing Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) by a narrow margin.
According to the data, KLIA retained its top position with 366,895 aircraft movements last year, followed by PIA which recorded 64,507 aircraft movements, slightly ahead of KKIA's 63,822 meanwhile Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang recorded 59,929 movements and Kuching International Airport with 54,969 movements.
-- BERNAMA
