Jazmin Li
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) is the primary airport serving the city of Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. The airport is located 28 kilometres north of downtown Guangzhou in the city's Baiyun and Handu District. The airport was originally built in the 1930s and was one of the first civil airports in China. Due to the expansion of the city, a new airport was built and opened on 5 August 2004, replacing the 72-year-old former airport, which is now closed. The new airport is nearly five times larger than its predecessor and features four runways. It serves as a hub for several major airlines and was China's third-busiest and world's 13th-busiest airport by passenger traffic in 2017.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Former Name | Canton Civil Airport (White Cloud) or Pai Yuen Airport |
| Location | 28 km north of downtown Guangzhou, in the outskirts of Guangzhou's Baiyun and Huadu District |
| Year of Opening | 2004 |
| Construction Cost | 19.8 billion yuan |
| Area | Nearly five times larger than its predecessor |
| Number of Runways | 4 |
| Accessibility | Metro, rail, bus, or taxi |
| Services | Wheelchair assistance, designated parking spots, accessible facilities, currency exchange counters, and ATMs |
| Historical Significance | One of the first civil airports in China |
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History of the airport
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, formerly known as Canton Civil Airport (White Cloud) or Pai Yuen Airport, has a long history dating back to the early days of civil aviation in China. The original airport, which was one of the first civil airports in the country, served the city of Guangzhou, the capital of South Central China's Guangdong province.
The airport's history can be traced back to 1932 when construction first began. It officially opened its doors in November 1933 and quickly became an important aviation hub. During the Canton Operation, the Japanese Navy invaded the airport and expanded the runway, showcasing its strategic significance. In 1963, the People's Liberation Army Air Force moved away from the airport, making it exclusively for public use. The airport underwent a name change to "Baiyun", derived from the nearby Baiyun Mountain, which translates to "White Cloud" in Chinese.
Between 1964 and 1967, the airport underwent significant expansion, adding a substantial area of 725,300 square meters (7,807,000 square feet) and extending the runway to 2,500 meters. This development reflected the growing demand for air travel and the airport's importance in the region. During the 1980s, further renovations and expansions took place, including upgrades to oil storage depots, aprons, terminal buildings, boarding bridges, and maintenance hangars. These improvements ensured that the airport met the standards of international first-class airports.
However, despite these expansions, the airport faced challenges in meeting the ever-increasing passenger demand due to the surrounding buildings and mountains restricting its ability to expand further. This led to the decision to build a new airport to accommodate the growing aviation needs of the region. On August 5, 2004, the new Baiyun Airport opened its doors, and the old airport was closed. The new airport, located on the outskirts of Guangzhou, was built at a cost of 19.8 billion yuan and is nearly five times larger than its predecessor.
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$19.9
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Transport options
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (IATA: CAN), formerly known as Canton Civil Airport, is located 28 kilometres (17 miles) north of downtown Guangzhou. The airport is accessible via multiple transportation options, including metro, rail, bus, and taxi.
The metro is one of the best ways to get to the airport, and passengers can also take a bus or taxi to the new transport centre (GTC) on the south side of Terminal 2. A new Asia-Pacific hub for FedEx Express is located at the airport, providing delivery services to 20 major cities in Asia and linking these cities to more than 220 countries and territories.
The airport is the primary airport serving the city of Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province. It is the major airport of Guangzhou and serves as a hub for several airlines, including China Southern Airlines, FedEx Express, 9 Air, Hainan Airlines, and Shenzhen Airlines. In 2017, the airport was China's third-busiest and the world's 13th-busiest airport by passenger traffic, handling 65,806,977 passengers.
Guangzhou is a city with contrasting characteristics, with one part of the city embracing the ancient era and the other boasting modernity. The airport is located near Baiyun Mountain ("Baiyun" in Chinese means "white cloud"), and both airport codes were inherited from the former Baiyun Airport. The IATA code (CAN) is derived from Guangzhou's historical romanization, Canton.
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Facilities
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport offers a range of facilities for passengers. The airport is located 28 kilometres north of downtown Guangzhou and serves as a major hub for transportation in the Guangdong province.
For travellers entering and exiting the country, the airport provides immigration services, although the process can be time-consuming, taking approximately 15 to 30 minutes to clear. The airport also offers assistance services, including wheelchair assistance, designated parking spots, and accessible facilities throughout the terminals.
Passengers can find a variety of shopping options at the airport, ranging from apparels and accessories to perfumes, cosmetics, toys, souvenirs, electronics, and jewellery. There are also snacks available for purchase. The airport provides access to free internet, and business class lounges for those seeking a comfortable space to relax during layovers. Additionally, there are several currency exchange counters and ATMs available for passengers needing to exchange money.
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport also has a range of transportation options for travellers. The airport is accessible via metro, bus, or taxi services. For those seeking accommodation near the airport, there are several hotels in the vicinity offering comfortable stays.
The airport has continued to expand and develop over the years. In 2004, a new airport was built to replace the former 72-year-old airport, which could not accommodate the growing passenger demand due to surrounding buildings and mountains. The new airport features four runways, with the third runway opening in 2015, significantly increasing the airport's capacity. Additionally, a new transport centre (GTC) is under construction on the south side of Terminal 2, providing even more transportation options for passengers travelling to and from Guangzhou.
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Former airlines
The former Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, also known as Canton Civil Airport or Pai Yuen Airport, served the city of Guangzhou, the capital of South Central China's Guangdong province. It was one of the first civil airports in China, originally opening in November 1933. The airport underwent renovations and expansions in the 1980s to meet international standards, including the addition of oil storage depots, terminal buildings, and maintenance hangars.
During its operation, the former airport served a variety of domestic and international airlines. Some of the notable airlines that utilised the airport back in the 1980s and 1990s include Pakistan International Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, Air France, Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, Philippine Airlines, and Thai Airways International.
The former airport also witnessed several significant events. On December 24, 1982, a CAAC Flight 2311, an Ilyushin Il-18B, was destroyed by fire after landing, resulting in the deaths of 25 out of 69 people on board. On October 2, 1990, Xiamen Airlines Flight 8301, a Boeing 737-247, was hijacked while en route to Guangzhou from Xiamen.
Due to the expansion of the city of Guangzhou, the airport eventually reached its limits and was unable to expand further to accommodate the growing passenger demand. As a result, a new airport with the same name was built and opened on August 5, 2004, located 23 kilometres north of the former airport. The former airport was closed, and its facilities are being repurposed, with the former terminal being converted into a large shopping mall, and the surrounding areas being developed for various functional purposes.
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FedEx hub
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is a critical logistics and transportation hub in China and globally. It is located in Guangdong Province, which is one of China's most significant manufacturing and commercial regions. The airport is essential for international trade, offering direct flight connections to major global markets.
FedEx recognised the importance of Guangzhou as a hub for international trade and decided to establish its Asia-Pacific hub at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. On 13 July 2005, FedEx Express signed a contract with the airport authority to relocate its Asia-Pacific hub from Subic Bay International Airport in the Philippines to Baiyun Airport. The new hub covers an area of approximately 63 hectares (160 acres) with a total floor space of 82,000 square metres (880,000 sq ft).
The FedEx APAC Hub at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport has been a major regional hub since its initiation in 2009. The facility currently operates more than 240 international flights and 700 trucks per week, reaching over 220 countries and territories. The Guangzhou hub was, at the time of its opening, the largest FedEx hub outside the United States.
FedEx has continued to invest in the expansion of its Guangzhou hub. In 2022, it announced the development of the FedEx South China Operations Centre, which will be located within the FedEx APAC Hub. The new facility, slated to begin operating in 2027, will more than double the size of the current Guangzhou Gateway. It will include offices, sorting systems, operations areas, and a warehouse. The sorting capacity will increase to 25,000 packages and documents per hour, a significant improvement from the current 24,000 packages per hour.
The FedEx hub at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is a testament to the growth of trade between China and the rest of the world. It enables FedEx to better manage and control its aircraft movements, delivering higher standards of efficiency and reliability.
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Frequently asked questions
The airport code for Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is CAN.
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is one of the three largest air hubs in China, with more than 48 million passengers in 2012.
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is connected to downtown Guangzhou by the S41 Guangzhou Airport Expressway. There is also a free shuttle bus that runs between Terminals 1 and 2.
