2024 marked the third anniversary of the relocation and operation of the Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport. There were 193,000 flights in 2024, with a passenger throughput of 26.18 million and a cargo and mail throughput of 279,000 metric tons, setting new historical records since the opening of the airport.

With a focus on facilitating pleasant travel experiences for passengers, Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport continuously enhanced the efficiency of aviation passenger and cargo transportation development, accelerating its production and operations.

By the end of 2024, Qingdao airport had a total of 228 domestic and international passenger routes connecting to 128 cities worldwide. Within a three-hour flight, it could reach 90 percent of China's provincial capitals, major cities, as well as Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. It could also reach Japan and South Korea.

Regarding international flight routes, Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport continued to strengthen its characteristics as a gateway hub for Japan, South Korea, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization region, establishing a high-frequency flight operation model akin to a bus service.

The Seoul express flight volume rose to the top nationwide, and the number of Japanese and South Korean passengers ranked third in the country. With the implementation of visa-free policies for Japan and South Korea, the number of tourists coming from outside China mainland including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan increased by 96 percent from the year before to approximately 2.67 million passengers.

Last year, Qingdao airport resumed international transit flights for the first time since relocation, reducing passenger transfer connection times by more than 40 minutes. Through multiple trial runs, this service expanded to major international passenger destinations in South Korea, the Middle East, Europe, and Australia.

During 2024, Qingdao airport opened and operated a total of 16 cargo routes, with the full upgrade of the Qingdao-Osaka-Memphis fifth freedom international cargo route, officially establishing Qingdao as FedEx's fifth international hub operating center on the Chinese mainland.

Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]