[Aviation News] Starting from March 29, China’s civil aviation sector has officially entered the 2026 summer–autumn schedule. While overall operational scale remains stable, the domestic network continues to be optimized and the international market is showing clear signs of accelerated recovery, with flight volumes increasing by approximately 1.8% year-on-year. The industry’s focus is increasingly shifting toward global network restoration and structural optimization.
On the domestic front, airlines are strengthening hub systems and improving trunk–feeder connectivity. A total of 61 carriers will operate around 97,000 weekly domestic passenger flights in the new season, with 434 new routes launched. Connectivity between regions such as Xinjiang, Northwest, Northeast and Southwest China and core hubs in East and Central-South China is being enhanced, further improving the “hub-and-spoke” network and stimulating regional mobility and tourism demand.
Internationally, route recovery and structural adjustments are progressing in parallel. A total of 191 airlines will operate approximately 21,000 weekly international flights, covering 86 countries, with new destinations including Cyprus added to the network. Flight volumes to more than 50 countries, including Canada and Kenya, have recorded year-on-year growth. Regionally, Asia has seen the most significant recovery, with increased frequencies across China–Japan–Korea and Southeast Asia routes, making it the main driver of passenger traffic recovery. The European network continues to improve with steady growth in flight volumes, while Africa and the Middle East are gradually recovering amid ongoing capacity adjustments, with some routes still subject to geopolitical uncertainties.
Notably, routes related to the Belt and Road Initiative have become a key driver of international growth. Chinese carriers now account for 74.7% of capacity on these routes, representing an increase of over 30% year-on-year. At the same time, inbound travel demand is rebounding, with flight volumes to major source markets such as South Korea, the United States and Malaysia rising by more than 13% year-on-year, and key inbound routes increasing by over 17%. Overall, China’s international aviation network is transitioning from a phase of “capacity recovery” to one of “structural optimization,” with Asia and emerging markets gaining increasing strategic importance.
#summer-autumn aviation season #domestic route #international route #China aviation market growth #airline PR agency China #route network expansion
