Flight attendants from China Eastern Airlines introduce the Shanghai-Auckland-Buenos Aires route to passengers at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on December 4, 2025. Photo: Courtesy of China Eastern Airlines

China's civil aviation industry has comprehensively surpassed 2019 levels in terms of passenger demand, indicating a solid foundation for recovery, per data released by the major listed airlines in November.  

The international routes have become a new growth engine and competitive battleground, the data also showed. 

In November, the six major listed airlines in China - Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Juneyao Air, and Spring Airlines - collectively transported approximately 48.615 million passengers, representing an 18.4 percent increase compared to the same period in 2019, which indicates that the overall industry demand has entered a new phase of growth, according to industry news outlet carnoc.com on Tuesday.

Compared to the same period in 2019, Air China recorded the fastest recovery with a 40.5 percent growth in passenger traffic, largely benefiting from its international route network advantages, and China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines saw increases of 10.5 percent and 11.3 percent, respectively. 

In November 2025, China's civil aviation international market achieved a comprehensive recovery, with the combined international passenger volume of the six major airlines reaching 6.305 million, marking a 16.6 percent increase compared to the same period in 2019. This signifies that the international route network has not only recovered but also surpassed the levels seen during the same period in 2019, according to carnoc.com on Tuesday. 

This recovery momentum is primarily attributed to the rebound of global economy, the facilitation of cross-border tourism policies, and the continuous increase in international flight frequencies, it said. 

Air China, with its well-established international network, handled 1.637 million international passengers, a 19.7 percent rise compared to 2019. 

China Eastern Airlines carried 1.761 million international passengers, a 24.6 percent increase compared to 2019, largely benefiting from the international transit advantages of its Shanghai hub. 

Notably, the performance of low-cost carriers in the international market has been particularly impressive. Data showed that Juneyao Air transported 313,000 international passengers, representing a significant 67.9 percent growth compared to 2019 and leading the industry in terms of increase rate, demonstrating its proactive expansion strategy. 

Chinese airlines are also busy launching new international routes, increase flight frequencies during winter-spring season.

At 7:08 on Monday, Hainan Airlines flight HU767 from Haikou took off from Haikou Meilan International Airport to Ho Chi Minh City, a latest route for the airline expanding the overseas routes.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced on Monday that the global air travel market has returned to pre-pandemic levels. The industry is optimistic about 2026, with the Asia-Pacific region forecast to lead worldwide traffic growth, and IATA projects that passenger load factors in Asia-Pacific will reach a record regional high of 84.4 percent next year.

IATA reported robust passenger demand, with China and India spearheading regional growth. This resurgence is driven by a revival in tourism and expanding middle-class populations in both countries.

"We are optimistic about the industry's growth outlook," Xie Xingquan, regional vice-president of North Asia at IATA told the Global Times.

Xie added that recent visa facilitation measures - including relaxations for Chinese group tours to South Korea, visa-free access for South Korean visitors to China, and the China-Russia reciprocal visa exemption - are expected to boost short-term inbound travel demand during peak holiday periods.