Kunming Changshui International Airport (IATA: KMG, ICAO: ZPPP) is an international airport serving Kunming, the capital of Southwestern China's Yunnan province. The airport is located 24.5 km (15.2 mi) northeast of the city center in a graded mountainous area about 2,100 m (6,900 ft) above sea level. The airport opened at 08:00 (UTC+8) on 28 June 2012, replacing the old Kunming Wujiaba International Airport, which was later demolished. As a gateway to Southeast and South Asia, Changshui Airport is a hub for China Eastern Airlines, Kunming Airlines, Lucky Air, Sichuan Airlines and Ruili Airlines.

The new airport has two runways (versus the single runway at Wujiaba), and handled over 47,000,000 passengers in 2024, making it the 47th busiest airport in the world and 4th busiest airport in China by passenger traffic.

In 2025, the airport's passenger throughput reached 49.7057 million, ranking tenth among airports in China.

The main terminal was designed by architectural firm SOM with engineering firm Arup.

History

Construction began in 2009. At the time, the facility was reported to be named the Zheng He International Airport, named after Zheng He, a Chinese mariner, explorer, and diplomat.

The very short construction time was marred by two separate incidents. The first occurred on January 3, 2010, when seven construction workers died as an incomplete overpass collapsed. On June 28, 2011, 11 workers were injured when a tunnel that was under construction collapsed.

Construction of the airport's main terminal was completed by July 2011.

Facilities

Terminal

The main 548,300 m2 (5,901,852 sq ft) terminal of Changshui International Airport is the second largest terminal building in China. The terminal has 66 gates with jet bridges. A total of 88 gates are available.

  • The new terminal under construction in April 2011
  • Curbside
  • Arrivals lounge of Kunming Changshui International Airport
  • Interior view
  • Check-in facilities

Runways

Kunming Changshui International Airport now has two runways. East runway is 4,500 metres (14,763 ft 9 in) long while west runway is 4,000 metres (13,123 ft 4 in) long.

Waiting area of Kunming Changshui International Airport

A-CDM

In July 2014, Kunming airport signed an agreement with the aviation data service company VariFlight regarding the Airport Collaborative Decision Making system (A-CDM) installation in order to improve the efficiency of its operations, reduce fuel consumption and other expenses. Kunming airport became the first aviation hub in China to implement such an information system. In 2017, the airport's on-time performance reached 85.3%.

People mover

Trams are used as people movers at Changshui Airport, they are nicknamed "Green Dolphin". The tram line is currently 1.88 km long and runs mostly straight, partly under the aircraft taxiway.

Trams are used as people movers at Changshui Airport.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

AirlinesDestinations
9 AirGuangzhou
Air ChinaBeijing–Capital, Beijing–Daxing, Chengdu–Shuangliu, Chengdu–Tianfu, Dalian, Hangzhou, Harbin, Shanghai–Pudong, Shenyang, Shiyan, Tianjin, Yangon
Air GuilinShenyang, Xuzhou, Zhangjiajie
Air TravelChangchun, Changsha, Chengdu–Tianfu, Hailar, Hohhot, Jieyang, Jining, Lanzhou, Nanchang, Nanjing, Qingdao, Shangrao, Shenyang, Turpan, Wenzhou, Wuxi, Zhengzhou, Zhoushan
AirAsiaKuala Lumpur–International, Johor Bahru
Batik Air MalaysiaKuala Lumpur–International, Kuala Lumpur–Subang Charter: Johor Bahru, Penang
Beijing Capital AirlinesBeijing–Daxing, Hangzhou, Harbin, Qingdao
Chengdu AirlinesChengdu–Tianfu
China Eastern AirlinesBangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Baoshan, Beijing–Daxing, Cangyuan, Changchun, Changsha, Changzhou, Chengdu–Shuangliu, Chengdu–Tianfu, Chiang Mai, Chongqing, Colombo–Bandaranaike, Dali, Dalian, Datong, Dhaka, Diqing, Dubai–International, Fuyang, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Handan, Hangzhou, Hanoi, Harbin, Hefei, Ho Chi Minh City, Hohhot, Hong Kong, Huai'an, Huangshan, Huizhou, Jieyang, Jinan, Jinggangshan, Kathmandu, Kolkata (resumes 18 April 2026), Kuala Lumpur–International, Lancang, Lanzhou, Lhasa, Lianyungang, Lijiang, Lincang, Luang Prabang, Luoyang, Luzhou, Malé, Mandalay, Mangshi, Nanchang, Nanchong, Nanjing, Nanning, Ningbo, Ninglang, Ordos, Phnom Penh, Phuket, Qingdao, Quanzhou, Rizhao, Sanming, Sanya, Seoul–Incheon, Shanghai–Hongqiao, Shanghai–Pudong, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Siem Reap, Singapore, Taiyuan, Taizhou, Tengchong, Tianjin, Tokyo–Narita, Ürümqi, Vientiane, Wenzhou, Wuhan, Wuhu, Wuxi, Xiamen, Xi'an, Xining, Xinyang, Xishuangbanna, Yangon, Yantai, Yibin, Yichang, Yinchuan, Yiwu, Yongzhou, Yulin (Shaanxi), Zhanjiang, Zhaotong, Zhengzhou, Zhuhai, Zunyi–Maotai
China Express AirlinesQuzhou, Tianjin, Yan'an
China Southern AirlinesBeijing–Daxing, Changchun, Changsha, Dalian, Guangzhou, Haikou, Harbin, Jieyang, Lanzhou, Sanya, Shanghai–Pudong, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Ürümqi, Wuhan, Zhengzhou, Zhuhai
China United AirlinesBeijing–Daxing, Lüliang, Shijiazhuang, Wenzhou
Chongqing AirlinesChongqing
CitilinkCharter: Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta, Medan
Dalian AirlinesDalian
Donghai AirlinesChangzhi, Lishui, Qingdao, Shenzhen
Fuzhou AirlinesFuzhou
GX AirlinesHaikou
Hainan AirlinesBeijing–Capital, Changsha, Dalian, Haikou, Lanzhou, Shenzhen, Xi'an
Hebei AirlinesBeijing–Daxing, Shijiazhuang
Jiangxi AirNanchang
Juneyao AirBijie, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Shanghai–Hongqiao, Shanghai–Pudong
Korean AirSeoul–Incheon
Kunming AirlinesBangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Beijing–Capital, Changsha, Changzhou, Chengdu–Tianfu, Guangzhou, Haikou, Hangzhou, Hanzhong, Harbin, Ho Chi Minh City, Huaihua, Huizhou, Jinan, Jingzhou, Linyi, Mangshi, Nanjing, Nantong, Phuket, Shanghai–Pudong, Shenzhen, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan, Tengchong, Wuhan, Xiamen, Xi'an, Xiangyang, Yangzhou, Zhengzhou
Loong AirChangchun, Hangzhou, Linyi, Shenyang, Xuzhou
Lucky AirBangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Beijing–Capital, Changchun, Chengdu–Tianfu, Chongqing, Dalian, Diqing, Fuzhou, Ganzhou, Guangzhou, Haiphong, Haikou, Hangzhou, Harbin, Hefei, Hohhot, Huai'an, Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta, Jieyang, Jinan, Lancang, Lanzhou, Lhasa, Luang Prabang, Malé, Manado, Mangshi, Mianyang, Nanchang, Nanjing, Ningbo, Penang, Qingdao, Sanya, Shanghai–Hongqiao, Shenzhen, Shijiazhuang, Sihanoukville, Taiyuan, Tengchong, Tianjin, Ürümqi, Vientiane, Wenzhou, Wuhan, Wuxi, Xiamen, Xi'an, Xining, Xuzhou, Yancheng, Yichang, Zhengzhou, Zhuhai
Myanmar National AirlinesMandalay, Yangon
Okay AirwaysChangsha, Hefei, Nanjing, Tianjin, Wuhan
Ruili AirlinesBaotou, Chengdu–Tianfu, Chiang Mai, Dalian, Enshi, Fuzhou, Hai Phong, Hangzhou, Harbin, Jiayuguan, Jieyang, Lanzhou, Mangshi, Nanyang, Ningbo, Phu Quoc, Qingdao, Quanzhou, Shenyang, Sihanoukville, Taiyuan, Tangshan, Tianjin, Wenzhou, Wuhan, Wuxi, Xi'an, Xiangxi, Xining, Xinzhou, Zhanjiang, Zhuhai
ScootSingapore
Shandong AirlinesJinan, Jingdezhen, Nanjing, Qingdao, Shenyang, Ürümqi, Xiamen, Yuncheng
Shanghai AirlinesChangsha, Hengyang, Jieyang, Shanghai–Hongqiao, Shanghai–Pudong, Xishuangbanna, Zhengzhou
Shenzhen AirlinesGuangzhou, Harbin, Nanchang, Shenzhen, Zhengzhou
Sichuan AirlinesBazhong, Beijing–Capital, Changchun, Changsha, Changzhou, Chengdu–Shuangliu, Chengdu–Tianfu, Chongqing, Dalian, Dunhuang, Guangyuan, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Harbin, Hefei, Jinan, Lanzhou, Lhasa, Lianyungang, Linfen, Longyan, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao, Shanghai–Pudong, Shenyang, Tianjin, Ürümqi, Vientiane, Wanzhou, Xiamen, Xi'an, Xining, Xuzhou, Yinchuan, Zhengzhou, Zhongwei
Spring AirlinesChangde, Mangshi, Ningbo, Qianjiang, Shanghai–Hongqiao, Shanghai–Pudong, Shijiazhuang, Yangzhou
Thai AirAsiaBangkok–Don Mueang
Thai Airways InternationalBangkok–Suvarnabhumi
Tianjin AirlinesHaikou, Tianjin, Xi'an
Tibet AirlinesChengdu–Shuangliu, Jinan, Lhasa, Mangshi, Xi'an, Yuncheng
Vietnam AirlinesHo Chi Minh City
West AirHefei, Nanjing, Zhengzhou
XiamenAirFuzhou, Hangzhou, Quanzhou, Xiamen
Baggage claim area

Cargo

AirlinesDestinations
SF AirlinesColombo–Bandaranaike
YTO Cargo AirlinesBengaluru, Karachi, Lahore
Red for passenger destinations, blue for cargo-only destinations. As of February 2026.

Ground transportation

Car

The airport is connected to Kunming’s urban area via an expressway network, centered on the Airport Expressway (S92), which links the airport with the city and surrounding areas.

Metro

Kunming Metro Line 6 serves Kunming Changshui International Airport, with Kunming Airport Station located beneath Terminal 1 at the B2 level.

Line 6 provides a direct rail connection between the airport and Kunming’s urban area. The line opened together with the airport in 2012 and was later extended westward; since the completion of Phase 2 in September 2020, its western terminus has been Tangzixiang station, closer to Kunming’s city center.

Train operating hours are generally from 06:20 to 23:00.

Airport Shuttle

Kunming Changshui International Airport is served by airport shuttle bus services (branded as Airport Shuttle/空港快线), connecting the airport with Kunming Railway Station and Kunming South Railway Station.

Buses depart from the B1 level of Terminal 1, near Gates 3 and 4, with a fare of CN¥25 per person per trip.

RouteBoarding PointVia/DestinationHoursFrequency
Kunming Railway StationAirportXinying Neighborhood, Taili Hotel, Kunming Railway Station8:00-2:00 the next dayEvery 30-60 minutes; after 23:00, bus departs when full.
Kunming Railway Station - City TerminalNon-stop to Airport5:00-23:00Every 40-60 minutes
Kunming South Railway StationAirportNon-stop to Kunming South Railway Station - North Entrance9:40-17:0030 mintues, or departs when full
Kunming South Railway Station - East SquareNon-stop to Airport10:30-20:00

Long-distance coach

A long-distance coach station is located approximately west of Gate B14 of Terminal 1. The airport is served by dozens of daily coach services to surrounding cities and counties in Yunnan Province, including Anning, Yuxi, Wenshan, Qujing and Mile, among others.

City bus

At present, regular city bus routes 269, Z78, and flexible-demand service L04 serve the airport, stopping at the B1-level bus stops of Terminal 1. These routes mainly serve airport-related facilities, operational areas, and the Changshui Hangcheng residential area to the east of the airport.

Statistics

Annual traffic statistics at Kunming Changshui International Airport
YearPassengers% changeAircraft movementsCargo (tons)
201223,979,25907.7%201,338262,272.3
201329,688,297023.8%255,546293,627.7
201432,230,88308.6%270,529316,672.4
201537,523,098016.4%300,406355,422.8
201641,980,339011.9%325,934382,854.3
201744,727,69106.5%350,273418,033.6
201847,088,14005.3%360,785428,292.1
201948,075,97802.1%357,080415,776.3
202032,989,127031.4%274,433324,989.8
202132,221,29502.3%279,471377,225.4
202221,237,520034.1%193,788310,122.2
202342,033,527097.9%318,586350,469.0
202447,178,347012.2%329,602385,625.0
202549,705,72505.4%340,867413,244.8

See also

External links

  • (Chinese)