Domestic airlines are ramping up their international services as China broadens its visa-free entry policies to more nations, offering a substantial boost to both inbound and outbound travel.
China Southern Airlines announced on Monday that it will launch a Shenyang-Guangzhou-Dubai route starting December 28, with weekly round trips scheduled on Saturdays.
Recently, the airline has also increased flight frequencies to Southeast Asia. For example, the Guangzhou-Phuket route now operates 14 round trips per week, effective December 13, while the Guangzhou-Sabah route has also doubled to 14 round trips per week starting December 18.
In Australia and New Zealand, China Southern resumed its Guangzhou-Adelaide route on December 11, offering three round trips per week. Flights between Guangzhou and Auckland have similarly doubled to 14 round trips per week. Additionally, a new Beijing Daxing International Airport-Sydney service began on December 13, providing four round trips weekly, along with three weekly round trips from Beijing Daxing to Melbourne.
Shanghai-based Juneyao Airlines also introduced a Shanghai-Melbourne route on December 20, in anticipation of the upcoming travel surge. Initially operating three flights per week, the frequency is set to increase to daily flights starting in January to meet growing demand. According to Juneyao Airlines Vice Chairman Zhao Hongliang, this new route will foster greater cultural and interpersonal exchanges between the two nations. He added that Shanghai’s newly extended visa-free transit period of up to 240 hours will further stimulate regional vitality.
Between December 16 and 22, ten new international passenger routes were launched, and three previously suspended routes resumed, as per data shared by VariFlight on Monday. The industry data provider reported that international and regional flights operated by domestic airlines have recovered to approximately 90 percent of 2019 levels, comprising 65 percent of China’s total domestic and international flights. Civil Aviation Administration of China data revealed that the international aviation market has sustained a recovery rate exceeding 90 percent for five consecutive months since July 2024. By December 15, passenger numbers on international routes surpassed 60 million, reflecting a 130 percent year-on-year increase, equating to nearly 88 percent of 2019’s figures for the same period.
Experts credit the surge in flights and routes to robust demand, driven by proactive government efforts to attract foreign travelers.
The latest wave of flight expansions coincides with China’s December 17 announcement of an extended visa-free transit policy. The permitted stay for eligible foreign travelers has increased from the previous 72 or 144 hours to 240 hours (10 days), as reported by Xinhua News Agency.
As part of the revised policy, 21 additional ports now allow visa-free entry and exit, while transit travelers can access a broader range of destinations, according to a statement from the National Immigration Administration.
Between January and November 2024, China welcomed nearly 29.22 million foreign visitors, an 86.2 percent year-on-year increase. Of these, 17.45 million entered visa-free, representing a remarkable 123.3 percent year-on-year growth.
