Cambodia reports 2.43 million passengers

Cambodia’s State Secretariat of Civil Aviation said on May 15 that the country handled nearly 2.43 million international air passengers in the first four months of 2026, a 4% decline from the same period a year earlier. The government data covered traffic through the country’s three international airports and included transit passengers. The same report showed flight movements rose 2% year on year to 23,204 in January through April, while air cargo volume climbed 36% to 30,448 tonnes. The figures point to a mixed start to the year for Cambodia’s aviation market, with passenger traffic easing even as flights and freight increased. ### Which airports handled that traffic? Cambodia has three international airports in operation: Techo International Airport serving Phnom Penh, Siem Reap Angkor International Airport and Sihanouk International Airport, the civil aviation report said. Phnom Penh and Siem Reap handled the bulk of international passenger traffic, according to officials cited in local and regional reports about the data release. (english.news.cn) Techo International Airport replaced Phnom Penh International Airport in 2025 and has become the main gateway for the capital. In 2025, Phnom Penh’s airport system handled 5,337,506 passengers, compared with 1,478,292 for Siem Reap Angkor International Airport and 172,461 for Sihanouk International Airport, according to figures published in January. (english.news.cn) ### How does the January-April figure compare with last year? The 2.43 million passengers recorded in January-April 2026 were down 4% from the same period of 2025, the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation said. That decline came after Cambodia reported nearly 6.99 million inbound and outbound air passengers for full-year 2025, up 12% from 2024. (kiripost.com) January 14 data from the aviation authority showed 64,821 flights operated in 2025, up 11% from the previous year, while cargo volume rose 21% to 93,889 tonnes. That makes the early-2026 passenger decline notable mainly because it follows a year of double-digit growth in overall traffic. ### What else moved in the aviation data besides passengers? (english.news.cn) The civil aviation report said 33 international and domestic airlines operated 23,204 flights to Cambodia’s three international airports in the first four months of 2026. That was a 2% increase from a year earlier. Air cargo rose faster than any other measure in the report. (english.news.cn) The State Secretariat of Civil Aviation said freight volume reached 30,448 tonnes in January-April, up 36% from the same period last year. Kampuchea Thmey, citing the same official data, said Civil Aviation Minister Mao Havannall described the sector as important for tourism, trade, investment and regional connectivity. (english.news.cn) ### How broad is Cambodia’s airline network right now? Sinn Chanserey Vutha, secretary of state and spokesperson for the aviation authority, said 29 international and four domestic airlines were operating flights to Cambodia during the January-April period. He said those carriers connected Cambodia with other ASEAN member states as well as China, South Korea, Japan, Qatar, India and the United Arab Emirates, among others. (english.news.cn) January figures from the same authority showed Cambodia’s aviation market was served by 36 airlines linking the country to 46 cities in 17 countries. That earlier count reflected a broader full-year snapshot, while the May data described airlines operating during the first four months of 2026. ### What should readers watch next in the data? (english.news.cn) May 15 is the date on the latest civil aviation report cited by Xinhua and other regional outlets, and later monthly or quarterly releases from the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation will show whether passenger traffic returns to growth. Cambodia’s tourism and aviation agencies also publish separate updates on foreign visitor arrivals and airport activity during the year. (en.freshnewsasia.com) January 2026 is the benchmark for the most recent full-year aviation data, and the next comparable milestone will be Cambodia’s 2026 annual traffic report from the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation. That report will show whether gains in cargo and flight frequency offset the weaker passenger start recorded through April. (english.news.cn 1) (english.news.cn 2)