Guangzhou Baiyun is the hub of China Southern Airlines, the country's largest airline by passengers carried, and the main gateway to the Pearl River Delta manufacturing region. In 2020 it briefly became the busiest airport in the world — the only year since 1998 that Atlanta lost the title. The current schedule feed lists 245 airports in 51 countries connected to Guangzhou.
It rebounded to ninth globally in 2025, up from 57th in 2022, one of the sharpest recoveries in the industry.
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is the 9th busiest airport in the world — it handled 83,582,952 passengers in 2025, according to ACI World's annual ranking.
The most frequently served routes for Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport connect to Shanghai (SHA), Hangzhou (HGH) and Beijing (PKX).
The longest connected route for Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport reaches San Francisco de Yeso (SQD). This non-stop flight covers a distance of 11,064 miles (17,806 km).