Jazmin Li
China is undergoing a rapid expansion of its aviation industry, with the country building eight new airports every year. As of 2024, there were 259 certified civil airports and 106 certified general airports in the country. China plans to build 74 new civil airports by 2020, taking the total to 260. This rapid growth is driven by the surge in passenger numbers, with China set to become the world's largest aviation market by 2022. The country's economic prosperity and growing middle class have fuelled demand for air travel, and China is now home to some of the world's largest and most important airports.
What You'll Learn
China is building 8 new airports every year
China: Building 8 New Airports Every Year
China is undergoing a rapid expansion in its aviation industry, with eight new airports being built each year. This development is aimed at meeting the surging demand for air travel in the country and stimulating future demand. China's air industry is experiencing a boom as its citizens take to the skies in rapidly increasing numbers. This trend is driven by the country's growing middle class and government support for the aviation sector.
Keeping Up with Demand
To cope with the surge in passengers, China plans to build 74 new civil airports by 2020, taking the total number of airports in the country to 260. This ambitious construction programme includes billions of dollars in investments to build new runways and terminals, ensuring China's connectivity to the global transport network. The country currently has around 235 airports, but this infrastructure is inadequate to accommodate the projected increase in passenger numbers.
A Strategic Move
The expansion of China's aviation industry is a strategic move by the government to future-proof against demand and boost economic growth. By investing in new airports and improving connectivity, the government aims to stimulate demand for air transportation and support the country's economic development. This strategy is particularly evident in the construction of Beijing's new Daxing International Airport, which is designed to handle over 100 million passengers annually and is expected to become one of the world's busiest airports.
Enhancing Connectivity
China's new airports will enhance connectivity within the country and internationally. Some of the upcoming facilities will be located in regions with high populations, such as the Yangtze River Delta region and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area. These regions currently rely on a few hub airports, but the new airports will provide world-class infrastructure for individual population centres. Additionally, new airports in western China will aid in the region's development for business and tourism and strengthen Beijing's influence over distant regions.
Embracing Innovation
China's new airports are designed to meet modern expectations and incorporate innovative features. For example, the Daxing International Airport in Beijing, designed by renowned architect Zaha Hadid, boasts the world's largest single terminal and is known for its unique layout and short walking distances for passengers. Other technological features in new airports include radio-frequency identification for baggage tracking, geothermal heat pumps, and facial recognition security access.
China's rapid construction of eight new airports annually reflects its commitment to meeting the growing demand for air travel and its vision for the future. With a focus on enhancing connectivity, stimulating economic growth, and embracing innovation, China is poised to become a global leader in the aviation industry.
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China's aviation industry is expanding rapidly
To put this into perspective, China is building eight new airports every year, with 74 new civil airports planned by 2020. This will bring the total number of airports in China to 260, up from 175 in 2010. The country's aviation industry is on track to overtake the United States as the world's biggest air travel market within the next few years.
The expansion of China's aviation industry is particularly notable in Beijing, which recently opened its second international airport, Beijing Daxing International Airport. This airport, designed by the renowned architect Zaha Hadid, features the world's largest single terminal and is expected to handle over 100 million passengers annually.
The development of new airports in China is not limited to major cities like Beijing. More remote regions, including Inner Mongolia, Guizhou, Xinjiang, Sichuan, and Heilongjiang, have also seen significant aviation infrastructure growth, with five or more airports built in these areas over the last decade.
The growth of China's aviation industry has important implications for both domestic and international travel. It will boost the country's three largest airlines—Air China, China Southern Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines—challenging the dominance of American airlines. Additionally, it will provide more efficient and comfortable travel options for Chinese citizens and tourists alike, further enhancing China's appeal as a popular tourist destination.
However, there are concerns about whether China's economic growth will be sufficient to support all the planned airports. There are also challenges related to staff shortages and airspace management, which could impact the efficiency of the aviation industry's expansion. Nonetheless, China's rapid aviation development underscores the country's commitment to meeting the growing demand for air travel and its ambition to become a major global superpower.
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Beijing Daxing International Airport
The airport covers 2,679 hectares (6,620 acres) and has four civilian runways and one military runway. The airport's terminal, designed by renowned British architect Zaha Hadid, is the largest single-building airport terminal in the world, covering 700,000 m2 (7,500,000 sq ft). The terminal's unique star shape structure was designed with the traveller's experience in mind, with a maximum walking time of eight minutes from the terminal's centre to any retail store or boarding gate. The airport also features a ground transportation hub, providing links to high-speed rail, metro, expressways, Beijing Airport Bus routes, local buses, and an inter-airport transportation system.
The airport was completed on June 30, 2019, and began operations on September 26, 2019, with a capacity of handling 75 million passengers by 2025. The construction of the airport cost CN¥120bn (approximately US$17bn), with other peripheral projects bringing the total cost to CN¥450bn (US$63bn). The airport is expected to serve over 100 million passengers in the future.
The airport serves as a hub for SkyTeam alliance airlines and some Oneworld members, while Hainan Airlines and most Star Alliance members remain at Beijing Capital International Airport. Ten passenger airlines and one cargo airline signed agreements with the Capital Airport Group to enter the new airport.
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China's busiest airports
China is currently building hundreds of airports to accommodate the surge in passengers. The country plans to build 74 new civil airports by 2020, taking the total to 260.
- Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
- Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport
- Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport
- Kunming Changshui International Airport
- Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport
- Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport
- Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
- Shanghai Pudong International Airport
- Xi'an Xianyang International Airport
- Chengdu Tianfu International Airport
- Beijing Capital International Airport
- Changsha Huanghua International Airport
- Nanjing Lukou International Airport
- Wuhan Tianhe International Airport
- Haikou Meilan International Airport
- Beijing Daxing International Airport
- Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport
- Ürümqi Diwopu International Airport
- Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport
- Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport
- Sanya Phoenix International Airport
- Harbin Taiping International Airport
- Shenyang Taoxian International Airport
- Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport
- Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport
- Changchun Longjia International Airport
- Nanning Wuxu International Airport
- Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport
- Ningbo Lishe International Airport
- Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport
- Tianjin Binhai International Airport
- Fuzhou Changle International Airport
- Hefei Xinqiao International Airport
- Wenzhou Longwan International Airport
- Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport
- Taiyuan Wusu International Airport
- Nanchang Changbei International Airport
- Hohhot Baita International Airport
- Zhuhai Jinwan Airport
- Yinchuan Hedong International Airport
- Sunan Shuofang International Airport
- Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport
- Jieyang Chaoshan Airport
- Jieyang, Chaozhou, Shantou
- Yantai Penglai International Airport
- Lijiang Sanyi Airport
- Xining Caojiabao Airport
- Lhasa Gonggar Airport
- Xishuangbanna Gasa Airport
- Changzhou Benniu Airport
- Guilin Liangjiang International Airport
- Nantong Xingdong Airport
- Mianyang Nanjiao Airport
- Yangzhou Taizhou Airport
- Xuzhou Guanyin Airport
- Zhanjiang Wuchuan Airport
- Yichang Sanxia Airport
- Luzhou Yunlong Airport
- Hulunbuir Hailar Airport
- Xichang Qingshan Airport
- Linyi Qiyang Airport
- Xiangyang Liuji Airport
- Yibin Wuliangye Airport
- Weihai Dashuibo Airport
- Dehong Mangshi Airport
- Huizhou Pingtan Airport
- Baotou Donghe Airport
- Taizhou Luqiao Airport
- Yuncheng Zhangxiao Airport
- Yancheng Nanyang Airport
- Ganzhou Huangjin Airport
- Yulin Yuyang Airport
- Chifeng Yulong Airport
- Huai'an Lianshui Airport
- Zhoushan Putuoshan Airport
- Zunyi Xinzhou Airport
- Ordos Ejin Horo Airport
- Luoyang Beijiao Airport
- Nanyang Jiangying Airport
- Zunyi Maotai Airport
- Beihai Fucheng Airport
- Jiamusi Dongjiao Airport
- Wanzhou Wuqiao Airport
- Nanchong Gaoping Airport
- Lianyungang Huaguoshan International Airport
- Enshi Xujiaping Airport
- Liuzhou Bailian Airport
- Baoshan Yunrui Airport
- Changde Taohuayuan Airport
- Xingyi Wanfenglin Airport
- Ulanhot Yileleeteuk Airport
- Dazhou Jinya Airport
As of 2019, Beijing Capital International Airport was the busiest airport in China, serving over 95 million passengers in 2016.
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China's airports are among the world's largest and most important
Beijing Capital International Airport, for example, is China's largest airport and one of the busiest in the world, capable of handling over 100 million passengers per year. It is served by numerous airlines and acts as a gateway to China's interior, enhancing its strategic importance. Shanghai Pudong International Airport is another central hub, particularly for international cargo traffic.
China's airports are known for their efficiency and punctuality. The country's economic prosperity has led to a surge in air passengers, with an expanding middle class fuelling demand for flights and airport construction. To cope with this surge, China is building eight new airports every year and plans to have around 450 airports by 2035.
The new Beijing Daxing International Airport, which opened in 2019, is a testament to China's ambition. With the world's largest single terminal, it is designed to handle more than 100 million passengers annually and features state-of-the-art technology, including facial recognition security access.
Other notable airports in China include Guangzhou Baiyu International Airport, which was the busiest in the world in terms of passenger traffic in 2020 due to the pandemic; Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, recognised as the 25th busiest airport in the world in 2019; and Hong Kong International Airport, which ranks as the world's busiest cargo gateway.
China's aviation industry is expanding rapidly, and the country is set to become the world's largest aviation market by 2022 or 2025. With a growing number of airports and increasing demand for air travel, China's airports are undoubtedly among the world's largest and most significant.
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Frequently asked questions
China has over 200 airports in total.
China is building eight new airports every year.
China plans to build 74 new civil airports by 2020, taking the total to 260.
Government officials estimate that China will need around 450 airports by 2035.
Some of the new airports being built in China include the Beijing Daxing International Airport, Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, and a new airport in the Chongqing and Chengdu city clusters.
