China expects record-high air travel during Spring Festival travel rush

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BEIJING -- China's civil aviation sector is expected to handle a record number of 90 million passenger trips during the upcoming Spring Festival travel season, an official from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said on Friday.

During the 40-day travel rush, which runs from Jan 14 to Feb 22, the sector will handle an average of 18,500 flights per day, an 8.4 percent increase from the 2024 level, said Xu Qing, head of the transport department of CAAC, during a press conference.

Xu noted that the Spring Festival is increasingly becoming a time for travel and leisure for many Chinese citizens. Ticketing data indicates a sharp rise in demand for northern "ice-and-snow" destinations like Harbin, Changchun and Urumqi, as well as warm southern cities such as Haikou and Sanya.

International air travel is also poised for a surge, driven by a boom in both inbound and outbound tourism, Xu said. The expansion of China's visa-free policy, a more convenient payment environment for foreign travelers, and other measures to facilitate entry for foreign visitors are fueling this growth. Popular international destinations for Chinese travelers include Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Japan, among others.

Xu said that to meet the growing demand, the CAAC will take targeted measures in safety management, flight capacity, and service support.

According to the administration, industry-wide safety inspections will soon be launched. The focus will be on winter safety protocols, hazard mitigation, and emergency response preparedness to ensure safe, stable, and smooth operations.

To address potential challenges posed by low temperatures and icy conditions, multi-scenario contingency plans have been developed to enable swift responses during the holiday travel period.

In 2024, the civil aviation sector handled a record 730 million passenger trips, driven by the country's economic recovery and pro-consumption policies.