China’s airlines to add 288 domestic routes over winter period

Chinese airlines plan to add 288 domestic routes for the 2026-27 winter-spring travel season, reports the South China Morning Post. Tropical Hainan and ski destinations in Xinjiang are popular among travellers and international flights to some countries are also set to rise by 40%.

Most of the new domestic routes will connect coastal cities with tourist hotspots in central and western China, according to figures from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The new flight season began on Sunday and runs until March 27.

The expansion comes as China’s civil aviation sector continues to face financial pressures, despite recovering traffic. Stubbornly weak domestic demand and uneven growth across industries continue to hinder its return to pre-Covid peaks, while the country’s sprawling, still-expanding high-speed railway network presents formidable competition.