China aviation market

Explore Chinese flight statistics at a glance

Here's an overview of the top statistics from China's aviation market this month:

• The busiest airport: Baiyun International (CAN)
• Top Chinese airline (domestic): China Southern
• The busiest domestic air route in China: Beijing Capital Airport to Shanghai Hongqiao (PEK-SHA)
• China's biggest city for air capacity: Beijing
• The top country Chinese travellers fly to: The Republic of Korea
• Scroll down for more data from each category.

Top 10 busiest airports in China

Which are China's biggest airports?

• Baiyun International (CAN) remains China's busiest domestic airport this month, with 3.4m seats, capacity has increased by 1.5% vs last year.
• Shenzhen (SZN) is the second busiest airport with 3.1m, an increase of 2.8% in capacity. 
• Capacity grew at the fastest rate in Shanghai Pudong vs last year, increasing by 7.8%.
• Capacity reduced by 4.3% at Beijing Capital International Airport.
• READY TO VIEW: The World's Busiest Airports of 2025

Top 10 domestic airlines in China

What are China's top airlines?

• China Southern is the busiest airline this month with 10.3m seats and representing 15% of the domestic market in May 26.
• A close second, China Eastern Airlines also holds 15% share of the domestic market ,with 10.2m seats in May 26.
  
• Sichuan Airlines and Shandong Airlines reduced capacity by 5.5% and 5.4% respectively vs May 25.
• Spring Airlines increased capacity at the fastest rate of 13.8%.

Top 10 busiest airline routes in China

Which are the most flown airline routes in China?

• Beijing Capital Airport to Shanghai Hongqiao (PEK-SHA) route remains the busiest route this month - with 634,900 seats - despite a 3.5% reduction in capacity.
• Shanghai Hongqiao to Shenzhen (SHA - SZX) is the second busiest route with 628,600 seats, an increase of 6.4% vs  May 25.
• Capacity increased most this month on the Hangzhou-Shenzhen (HGH-SZX) route, increasing by 11.3% to 398,500 seats and taking it to 5th busiest route.
• Capacity reduced most on the Guangzhou Baiyun to Beijing Capital (CAN-PEK) route followed by the Beijing Capital to Shenzhen (PEK-SZX) route, a reduction of 8.4% and 7.9% respectively vs May 25.

China's busiest cities by airline capacity

Which Chinese cities are key for air travel?

• Beijing remains the busiest city this month with 5.3m seats through the 2 main airports in May 26, representing 8% of the market.
• Capacity at Shanghai, the second busiest city with 4.9m seats, represents 7% share of the market.
• Capacity at the city of Urumqi grew at the fastest rate of 9% taking it to 10th busiest city and displacing Nanjing from the Top 10 Domestic Cities.
  

What percentage of Chinese airline capacity is domestic?

Distribution of China's international airline capacity by country

Which countries do Chinese travellers visit?

• The Republic of Korea is the busiest international market with 1m seats, up 13% vs last year.
• Hong Kong is the second busiest markets, with 714,600 seats, also increased by 13% vs May 25 respectively.
• Capacity to Japan continues to reduce significantly by 50% to 561,200 seats.
• International capacity increased at the fastest rate to Türkiye and the Philippines by 62% and 43% respectively.  Both remain smaller markets with 94,000 to/from Türkiye and 104,500 seats to/from the Philippines.
• Russia and Malaysia continue to be fast growing international markets, increasing by 25% and 21% respectively vs May 25.

Top 10 Chinese provinces by seat capacity

• The largest province for scheduled domestic airline capacity remains Guangdong Province, accounting for 8.1m seats which is 12% of all scheduled departing capacity in May 26.  This represents 2.8m more seats than Beijing province, the second largest province.
  
• Capacity grew at the fastest rate again in Xinjiang Province this month, by 7% vs last year.
  

More resources from OAG