China is significantly expanding its international flight network for the upcoming winter-spring travel season, responding to a surge in demand for cross-border travel and inbound tourism. According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the new schedule, effective from October 25, 2026, to March 27, 2027, will include 16,654 international passenger flights per week, connecting China with 84 countries.
The expansion includes increased flight frequencies across Central Asia, South Asia, North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Notably, services between China and 17 countries, such as India, Kazakhstan, Canada, and Belgium, have increased by more than 40% compared to the previous year. Additionally, airlines are adding scheduled passenger routes to new destinations, including Iceland, Madagascar, and Jordan.
This development reflects the growing demand for travel to and from China, with flight services connecting China to major inbound tourism markets like Singapore and Malaysia experiencing a 14.4% increase year-on-year. Major Chinese airlines are also expanding their networks; for example, Air China is introducing new routes from Beijing to Reykjavik via Copenhagen, and destinations like Bali and Hanoi. Meanwhile, China Southern Airlines is increasing flights to destinations such as Jeju Island and Langkawi, and augmenting services to Australia and New Zealand.
Beijing airports are enhancing their international operations as well. Beijing Capital International Airport is set to handle an average of 252 international and regional flights daily, while Beijing Daxing International Airport plans to cover 44 international and regional destinations during the new season.
Domestically, Chinese airlines are launching 288 new routes, connecting smaller cities and regional destinations with major economic centers. This includes boosting services to winter tourism hotspots such as Yanji in Jilin province and Altay in Xinjiang.
Overall, the winter-spring season will see 216 Chinese and international airlines operating approximately 116,000 passenger and cargo flights weekly. This expansion aims to support tourism, business travel, and broader international exchanges, aligning with China’s biannual revisions of airline schedules to meet seasonal travel demands and enhance connectivity.