China's Commercial Airports: A Comprehensive Overview

China's aviation industry is booming. As of January 2024, there were 259 certified civil airports and 106 certified general airports in the country. Beijing Capital International Airport, one of the world's busiest airports, is China's largest airport, with flights to over 200 destinations. The country's other major airports include Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, and Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport.

China's busiest airports

China has about 200 airports, with 229 commercial airports as of December 2017. The country's rapid growth in air travel is expected to increase this number to 240 by 2020.

Beijing Capital International Airport

Beijing Capital is China's largest airport and the busiest in Asia by passenger traffic. It is located 20 miles from Beijing's city centre and has three terminals for domestic and international flights. In 2016, it served over 94.3 million passengers and registered 606,000 flight movements.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport

Shanghai Pudong International Airport is one of the three biggest airports in China and a major hub for international aviation. It is located 19 miles from Shanghai's city centre and has two terminals. The airport handled over 66 million passengers and 3.4 million metric tons of cargo in 2016.

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

The New Baiyun Airport in Guangzhou is almost five times larger than the old airport and is often called "New Baiyun" to distinguish it from its predecessor. It served about 59.8 million passengers and handled 1.7 million metric tons of cargo in 2016.

Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport

Chengdu Shuangliu Airport is an important aviation hub for western China and is located 10 miles from downtown Chengdu. It handled over 46 million passengers and 382,000 metric tons of cargo in 2016, with over 320,000 flight movements.

Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport

Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport is a hub for Shenzhen Airlines and a focus city for China Southern Airlines and Hainan Airlines. It offers flights to about 80 destinations, including international and regional destinations such as Osaka, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok.

Other Notable Airports

• Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport: The main domestic airport serving Shanghai and a hub for several airlines.
• Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport: The hub for Loong Air and Xiamen Airlines and a focus city for several major airlines.
• Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport: A major airport serving the city of Chongqing.
• Kunming Changshui International Airport: A national gateway hub airport and the gateway to Southeast and South Asia.
• Xi'an Xianyang International Airport: The largest airport in Northwest China and a hub for several airlines.

The role of Hong Kong and Macau airports

As of 2017, there were 229 commercial airports in China. This figure does not include the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau, which have their own civil aviation regulators.

Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is an international airport on the island of Chek Lap Kok in western Hong Kong. It is the world's busiest cargo gateway and one of the world's busiest passenger airports, serving as a hub for several major airlines. HKIA is an important contributor to Hong Kong's economy, generating around 10% of Hong Kong's GDP in 2018. The airport has undergone several expansion projects, including the addition of a third runway, to accommodate the increasing air traffic demand.

Macau International Airport, located in the special administrative region of Macau, is situated at the eastern end of Taipa Island. It serves as a vital link between the Pearl River Delta and the rest of the world, particularly for freight and express cargo in the Asia-Pacific region. Macau International Airport is a 24-hour airport with the capacity to handle long-haul flights and has established itself as a preferred entry point to the Chinese market.

The growth of China's air passenger market

China's air passenger market has experienced rapid growth in recent years, solidifying its position as one of the largest and most important aviation markets globally. As of 2024, there were 259 certified civil airports and 106 certified general airports in the country, serving a vast network of domestic and international destinations.

China's civil aviation industry has come a long way since the early days of aviation pioneers like Qin Guoyong and Li Ruyan, who established the country's first airline service in 1914. The market has grown exponentially, with the number of passengers increasing by 47% between 2009 and 2014, reaching 390,878,784. By 2014, China was second only to the United States in terms of total passenger numbers.

Beijing Capital International Airport, one of the largest and busiest airports in the world, serves as a key hub for international passenger traffic, offering flights to 206 destinations. Other major airports in China include Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, and Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. These airports play a crucial role in facilitating the country's strong export industry and booming tourism sector.

However, China's aviation industry faces challenges, particularly regarding military control of airspace, which causes frequent flight delays. Additionally, the industry has experienced stagnation in recent years, with growth rates lagging behind those of neighbouring countries. Nevertheless, China remains a key player in the aviation market, and its future prospects remain promising.

The history of Chinese aviation

The beginnings of Chinese aviation can be traced back to the end of the Qing Dynasty, when the Nanyuan Airport was first established in Beijing. In 1913, Chinese aviation pioneers Qin Guoyong and Li Ruyan founded a flight school at the airport, and the following year, they established the first airline service with a route between Beijing and Baoding. This marked the start of civil aviation in China. Unfortunately, in 1922, the country experienced its first airliner crash when a Handley Page aircraft, likely modified for passenger use, crashed on approach to Beijing-Nanyuan, killing all 14 people on board.

During the 1930s and 1940s, China's aviation industry continued to develop, with the establishment of joint ventures with international airlines such as Pan American World Airways and Lufthansa. The country also witnessed the founding of Civil Air Transport (Air America) in 1946 by General Claire L. Chennault and Whiting Willauer for the relief of the Republic of China. However, the Chinese Civil War led to a change in dynamics, as the Chinese Communist Party took control of mainland China, and Civil Air Transport moved to Taiwan along with the Kuomintang (KMT)-controlled ROC government.

In 1949, the new communist government established the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China, taking control of the country's aviation authority and operations. With assistance from the Soviet Union, China built and expanded airports in major cities during the 1950s. However, it was only in the 1980s that air travel became accessible to the general public in China, as previously only senior officials, academics, or foreigners could typically travel by plane.

Since then, China's aviation industry has grown exponentially. As of 2024, there are over 250 certified civil airports and 100 certified general airports in the country. Beijing Capital International Airport, which opened in 1980, is China's largest and one of the busiest in the world, capable of handling over 100 million passengers annually. The country is also home to several other major airports, including Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, which play crucial roles in international air traffic.

China's passenger airline industry is dominated by three state-owned carriers: Air China, China Southern Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines. These airlines, along with the country's efficient airport infrastructure, have contributed to China having the fastest-growing passenger air market in the world in terms of total passenger numbers.

China's busiest airlines

As of December 2017, there were 229 commercial airports in China, with 500 airports of all types and sizes in operation in 2007. China's passenger airline industry is dominated by three state-owned airlines: Air China, China Southern Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines.

China Southern Airlines is the largest airline in China in terms of scheduled passenger traffic and fleet size. In 2021, it served 96.90 million passengers and had a fleet of 629 aircraft. China Southern Airlines has 11.6 million seats, making it the biggest of the top three airlines for domestic capacity in China, which collectively operate 58% of China's domestic capacity.

China Eastern Airlines is the second-largest airline in China, with 10.5 million seats. It is based at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, which is another central hub for international aviation.

Air China is the third-largest airline in China, with 8.4 million seats. Its key hubs are Beijing Capital International Airport, which is the largest airport in China and one of the busiest in the world, and Chengdu Airport, with Beijing Capital being the third busiest in the country and Chengdu the fourth.

Other major airlines in China include Beijing Capital Airlines, China Express Airlines, and Hainan Airlines.

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