Travelers at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on April 3, 2026 Photo: VCG

During the Qingming Festival holiday, China's national ports recorded an average of 2.26 million daily inbound and outbound trips, a year-on-year increase of 9.1 percent, official data showed on Tuesday. 

The National Immigration Administration (NIA) announced that a total of 6.779 million inbound and outbound trips were made by Chinese and foreign travelers during this year's Qingming holidays from April 4 to 6.

The peak single-day crossings occurred on April 6, reaching 2.334 million, the NIA said. 

The number of such trips made by foreigners reached 843,000, up 20.9 percent compared with the same period in 2025, the NIA said, adding that 319,000 inbound foreigners entered under visa-exemption policies, an increase of 30.7 percent year on year.

This year, Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, falls on April 5. A traditional Chinese occasion, it is dedicated to mourning the deceased and honoring ancestors. Meanwhile, the brief holiday also offers people a chance to relax and appreciate the vibrant spring scenery of fresh foliage and blooming flowers.

During the three-day Qingming Festival holiday in 2026 from April 4 to 6, Beijing Daxing International Airport handled a total of 2,696 transport flights and served 409,500 inbound and outbound passengers, both hitting record highs for the same period. 

The figures represented year-on-year increases of 5.27 percent and 6.28 percent respectively, reflecting efficient operations and a high on-time performance.

Passenger traffic peaked on April 6, with 970 flights and 150,400 passengers handled in a single day.

In addition, data showed that March of 2026 marked the busiest month for domestic flights since the airport's opening, with a total of 27,542 domestic flights processed, the airport said.

The first quarter of 2026 became the busiest quarter on record for both domestic flight volume and domestic passenger traffic at Daxing Airport. A total of 80,983 domestic flights were handled, carrying more than 12.39 million domestic passengers, according to the airport.

From April 4 to 6, China recorded a significant year-on-year increase in inter-regional travel during the holidays, according to the Ministry of Transport on Tuesday.

A total of 842.7 million inter-regional passenger trips were made nationwide, averaging 280.9 million per day — a 5.6 percent rise compared to the same holiday period in 2025.

Global Times