Airports in China welcome travel surge during Spring Festival holiday

Airports in China are experiencing a surge in passenger flows during this year’s Spring Festival holiday.

The travel rush, known as ‘chunyun’ in Chinese, is considered the world’s largest annual human migration for family reunions during the Spring Festival holiday. It lasts from Jan 14 to Feb 22.

According to Hainan Airport Group, the three major airports on Hainan Island – the Haikou Meilan International Airport, the Sanya Phoenix International Airport and the Qionghai Boao International Airport – are set to operate 9,489 flights and transport over 1.65 million passengers during the holiday from Jan 28 to Feb 4, which is expected to set a new record.

As of Jan 27, the Haikou Meilan International Airport had handled more than 100,000 passengers daily for 10 consecutive days. The airport is estimated to experience its post-holiday travel peak on Feb 4, with a planned passenger flow of over 118,000.

“My parents live here, and I came here to celebrate the Chinese New Year with them and feel the atmosphere of the Spring Festival in Hainan. We plan to visit various scenic spots in Hainan and surrounding areas and take a look at the local customs and traditions,” said a Singaporean tourist.

Meanwhile, the Sanya Phoenix International Airport is expected to operate 3,573 flights and transport 680,000 passengers during the holiday.

“From the start of the 2025 Spring Festival travel rush to Jan 28, the daily passenger flow of the Sanya Phoenix International Airport had surpassed 80,000 for 12 consecutive days,” said Chen Lei, deputy general manager of the Marketing Department of the Sanya Phoenix International Airport.

The Qionghai Boao International Airport is also anticipated to manage 2,150 takeoffs and landings, serving an estimated 290,000 passengers.

The Baiyun International Airport in south China’s Guangdong Province is expected to handle over 61,000 flights and nearly 9.5 million passengers, in addition to 238,000 tons of cargo and mail.

Cross-border travel is also booming thanks to enhanced visa-free policies, with three new international routes now connecting Guangzhou to Jeju, Bangkok, and Osaka.

Border inspection officials predict a daily increase of 5 to 10 percent in passenger traffic, reaching as many as 49,000 passengers per day.

Peak outbound travel is happening right now and expected to continue through Saturday, while inbound travel will likely peak from next Tuesday to Saturday.

With the Year of the Snake just unfolding its first day, dignitaries from multiple countries shared their festive greetings, extending warm wishes to the Chinese people for a happy and prosperous Spring Festival.

The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, is the most important traditional holiday for the Chinese people, which is an occasion of family reunions and new beginnings. The 2025 Chinese New Year falls on Wednesday, ushering in the Year of the Snake.

Taneti Maamau, president of Republic of Kiribati, said that “The Spring Festival is an important traditional festival of China, symbolizing reunion, harmony and new hope. And the Year of the Snake symbolizes wisdom and dynamism, and I look forward to continuing this robust relationship under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, leading the world to inclusive modernization and making new and greater contributions to peace and positive transformation for mankind.”

Morgan Quero, minister of education of Peru, expressed similar hopes for closer ties between the two countries.

“It is with great joy that I address you all. At this special moment, we welcome the Year of the Snake. The snake symbolizes wisdom and renewal, which inspires us to further consolidate the deep ties between Peru and China,” said Quero.

Robert Aldridge, Lord Provost of Edinburgh, extended invitation to the Chinese people to visit his city in the new year.

“I wish you all a prosperous and joyful Year of the Snake, and we look forward to continuing to welcome Chinese guests to our great city throughout the year and to further strengthening the bonds of friendship and cultural exchange,” said Aldridge.