Travelers complete border clearance procedures at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on September 2, 2026. Photo: IC

China's daily cross-border passenger traffic is expected to exceed 2.4 million at its peak as the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays approach, with daily inbound and outbound travelers forecast to average 2.25 million during the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, according to the National Immigration Administration (NIA). 

In particular, cross-border passenger flows are expected to peak on September 25, September 27, October 1 and October 4, the NIA said in a statement on Tuesday. 

Major international airports nationwide are expected to see steady growth in cross-border passenger traffic during the upcoming holidays, with Shanghai Pudong International Airport projected to handle the most passengers, averaging 105,000 inbound and outbound travelers a day during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday and 107,000 during the National Day holiday, according to the NIA. 

The three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday runs from September 25 to 27, while the week-long National Day holiday runs from October 1 to 7. 

As Guangdong, the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions will host a range of large-scale events, including lantern festivals, fireworks displays and concerts during the holidays, land border checkpoints between the three places are expected to see a significant increase in passenger flows amid overlapping travel by people returning home to visit family and cross-border tourists.

Zhuhai's major checkpoints are expected to see heavy cross-border traffic during the holidays, with Gongbei projected to handle the highest daily average at 383,000 passengers during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday and 388,000 during the National Day holiday. 

Shenzhen's Luohu checkpoint is expected to handle an average of 263,000 passengers per day during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday and 250,000 during the National Day holiday. 

Meanwhile, the Center for Consular Assistance and Protection of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminded Chinese citizens planning to travel overseas during the upcoming holidays to remain alert to potential risks and travel safely and responsibly, according to a notice published on Tuesday.  

Global Times