While Spring Festival in China traditionally centres around families and friends celebrating Chinese New Year together, this year marks the longest Spring Festival holiday in history, making it easier than ever to get away during the break.
The extended holiday covers a nine-day period from Sunday 15th – Monday 23rd February which, with some careful planning, means a two-week break is possible.
A longer than usual break widens the range of travel options immensely, and there are many combinations available to travellers. According to OAG’s latest data, domestic capacity is almost 8% higher this February than last year, meaning there’s more choice than ever about where to go.
There will inevitably be a surge of travel domestically as families come together for the holidays, and we will likely see many travellers choosing to do this. But there will also be those that take advantage of the long holiday to pack in a city break either in China or elsewhere in Asia.
Which Chinese Cities Are Better Connected for Spring Festival in 2026?
The cities currently seeing fastest growth in China demonstrate the move underway to enable better connectivity. All of the cities on the map below have seen the number of flights operated from their airports grow by over 50% compared to last February, but some have seen flights increase by up to eight times last year’s growth rate. Notably:
- Weihei in China’s eastern Shandong province.
- Wuyishan, the UNESCO world heritage site in northwest Fujian, which has seen flight growth of more than 6.5 times last year’s levels.
Altay's Ascent
There is also considerable growth in connectivity from some of China’s peripheral cities, especially to Altay in northern Xinjiang which is known as the Switzerland of the East, perfect for winter tourism if you’re inspired by the Winter Olympics. Altay is growing in importance as a must-visit destination for skiing and enjoying the mountains, and in February 2026 there are over 1,500 flights to Altay from destinations all over China.
New services to Altay since February 2025 include Shanghai Pudong, Beijing Capital, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Yinchuan and Wuhan.
Mangshi is Having a Moment
Yunnan Province is a vibrant part of China, and for those keen to return home there or discover its Southeast Asian style architecture, travel between Guangzhou (CAN) and Mangshi (LUM) in Yunnan Province is also now much easier, with six daily flights between the two cities. Mangshi is having a moment, in flight terms anyway, with more than double the amount of flights this February than last, to destinations all over China.
Which International Markets are Growing for Chinese Travellers?
For those looking to travel internationally, especially given the longer holiday this year, the world is wide open. The strongest growth is to some destinations which remain relatively untapped – South Asia, Central Asia – which are small markets but fast growing. The delights of countries such as India, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan offer adventure, cultural experiences and lots to post about on WeChat on your return.
There is also strong capacity growth taking place during the Spring Festival month to more familiar destinations closer to home – Southeast Asia remains very popular, with an uplift in capacity of almost one third this February compared to last year. Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam all have strong growth in seats added this year, whilst Australia, the UAE and Russia look to be proving popular this holiday.
2026 will usher in the Year of the Fire Horse, a symbol of energy and bold forward movement. China's aviation sector appears to be galloping ahead with renewed vigor, and the expansion of both domestic and international air travel options for this Spring Festival reflects China's growing appetite for exploration, signaling a confident outlook for travel in the year ahead.
