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Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

Compiled by Bill Gao

Guangzhou (Huadu), Guangdong Province (China)

IATA: CAN ICAO: ZGGG

Longest Active Runway

12,467 ft

3,800 meters

Field Elevation

50 ft

15 m MSL

Runway Inventory

5 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

23.3924°, 113.2990°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

How ranks work →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

tied #112 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#206 of 7558

Top 2.8% percentile worldwide

For airports with equal runway length, the worldwide order does not indicate a length difference.

National Standing (China)

tied #9 of 55 in CN

same length as 7 others; nearest SZX, 53 NM · #26 of 264 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+24.7%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 CAN in numbers: 12,467 ft longest runway · tied #112 of 650 published · #206 of 7,558 worldwide (top 2.8%) · tied #9 in China.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is one of the world's most prolific passenger and cargo transit centers. Its three parallel runways provide immense movement capacity, supporting China Southern's intercontinental network connecting Europe, Oceania, and the Americas. Positioned at 50 ft elevation in the Pearl River basin, CAN provides optimal sea-level engine performance and massive widebody freight facilities.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Three active parallel runways: 01/19 (11,811 ft), 02L/20R (12,467 ft / 3,800 m), and 02R/20L (12,467 ft / 3,800 m), with 4th and 5th runways under construction.

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Relocated in August 2004 from historical Baiyun Airport in downtown Guangzhou to an immense greenfield site 15 miles north. Opened Terminal 2 in 2018, anchoring China Southern Airlines' 'Canton Route'.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Premier civil aviation mega-hub in mainland southern China, operating in closely coordinated airspace alongside Hong Kong (HKG, 72 NM southeast) and Shenzhen (SZX).

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Manages dense sub-tropical summer thunderstorm lines and typhoon bands with high-capacity triple-parallel precision instrument approach paths.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) · Aeronautical Information Service China (NAIP)

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Longest runway ≥10,500 ft

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Elevation & National Context

Lowland Aerodrome (<2,000 ft)

CAN lies at 15 m (50 ft), #514 of 650 published airports by elevation and 19.2 percentile among 7,558 worldwide. It is 175 ft below the China median (225 ft, 54 airports); RKZ is highest at 12,408 ft, 12,358 ft higher than CAN.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

4 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity

Closest of 4 paved-runway (≥5,000 ft) neighbours within 100 NM: Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (SZX), 53.1 NM, 12,467 ft. Next: HKG 73.3 NM, MFM 76.4 NM, ZUH 83.3 NM. ZUH has the radius's longest runway, 1,050 ft more than CAN.

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Runway Inventory & National Standing

Primary Runway: 12,467 ft (3,800 m)

CAN runways: 02R/20L 12,467 × 197 ft concrete (con); 02L/20R 12,467 × 197 ft asphalt (asp); 01R/19L 11,811 × 148 ft concrete (con); 03/21 11,811 × 148 ft concrete (con); 01L/19R 11,155 × 148 ft concrete (conc). National standing: tied #9 of 55 in China with XNN/XIY/CKG/CSX/PEK/PKX/SZX at 12,467 ft; RKZ leads by 3,937 ft (16,404 ft). +24.7% vs the 10,000 ft baseline.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
02R/20L	12,467 ft (3800 m / 3.800 km)	197 ft (60m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
02L/20R	12,467 ft (3800 m / 3.800 km)	197 ft (60m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
01R/19L	11,811 ft (3600 m / 3.600 km)	148 ft (45m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
03/21	11,811 ft (3600 m / 3.600 km)	148 ft (45m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
01L/19R	11,155 ft (3400 m / 3.400 km)	148 ft (45m)	`Concrete (CONC)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🧭 Comparative Aerodromes (100 NM Radius, ≥5,000 ft Paved)

Great-circle Haversine spatial proximity matching for commercial facilities with paved runway capacity within 100 NM.

Aerodrome Name	IATA	Distance	Longest Runway	Lighting
Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (Shenzhen)	`SZX`	53.1 NM (98.3 km)	12,467 ft	✅ Lighted
Hong Kong International Airport (Hong Kong)	`HKG`	73.3 NM (135.8 km)	12,467 ft	✅ Lighted
Macau International Airport (Nossa Senhora do Carmo)	`MFM`	76.4 NM (141.5 km)	10,544 ft	✅ Lighted
Zhuhai Jinwan Airport (Zhuhai (Jinwan))	`ZUH`	83.3 NM (154.3 km)	13,517 ft	✅ Lighted

🛡️ Source: OurAirports Open Aviation Database, snapshot 2026-09-01 · Provenance →