MKsport capital of China, Dec. 27, 2024. On Dec. 17, China announced a significant relaxation of its visa-free transit policy, extending the permitted stay for eligible foreign travelers from the initial 72 hours and subsequent 144 hours to 240 hours, or 10 days. China recorded nearly 29.22 million inbound foreign visits between January and November 2024, up 86.2 percent year on year. Of these, 17.45 million entered the country visa-free, marking a significant 123.3 percent year-on-year growth. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)" src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2024/2024-12-23/742bc606-2e7c-4a40-8da6-f0954e51ab6a.jpeg" />

Foreign tourists go through customs at the Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 27, 2024. On Dec. 17, China announced a significant relaxation of its visa-free transit policy, extending the permitted stay for eligible foreign travelers from the initial 72 hours and subsequent 144 hours to 240 hours, or 10 days. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province, is set to become one of China's major cities with dual airports, according to a press conference held on Tuesday, highlighting a broader push by Chinese cities to enhance air connectivity.

In a transportation hub development plan released by the local authorities, Nanjing aims to develop a comprehensive sea, land and air flight transportation network that connects closely with many domestic and overseas cities by 2035. 

In terms of improving the city's external connectivity, Nanjing will focus on developing a regional gateway plus an aviation hub, consolidating its status as an international goods and services hub. 

With the third phase of Nanjing Lukou International Airport now under construction, the city will enhance global connectivity, and bring Nanjing Ma'an Airport into civilian use, which would make Nanjing the fourth Chinese city with two airports following Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu, news portal jiemian.com reported. 

As Nanjing's main aviation hub, Lukou airport has continued to grow in passenger traffic in recent years. It experienced peak passenger traffic during the Spring Festival in 2025, with record-high single-day passenger numbers. 

The construction of the third phase of Lukou airport aims to further enhance its global link capabilities, especially the coverage of intercontinental direct routes, jiemian.com said. 

China's leading airports are experiencing surging traffic due to rising demand. 

In 2024, Shanghai's two airports handled 803,000 inbound and outbound flights, a year-on-year increase of 15 percent, while passengers processed surpassed 124 million, marking a 29 percent year-on-year increase and setting a record high. 

In 2024, Beijing's two airports, Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport handled 117 million passengers, a year-on-year increase of 26.2 percent and a 12.9 percent increase from 2019.

China aims to develop a group of world-class aviation enterprises and hubs by 2050, according to an August 2024 guideline from the Civil Aviation Administration of China  and the National Development and Reform Commission, the top economic planner of the government.

The guideline outlines a three-phase roadmap for establishing international aviation hubs, with key milestones set for 2025, 2035, and 2050.

The long-term vision for 2050 is to develop multiple world-class aviation enterprises and hubs, enhance and expand China's international aviation hub network, and solidifying China's status as a global aviation leader with the world's first-class infrastructure, high public satisfaction, and strong industry competitiveness.

Chinese airlines have reported rising international demand. During the recent Chinese Spring Festival holiday, China Eastern Airlines operated 3,257 flights to Japan, a year-on-year increase of 55.54 percent, and carried out 698 flights to Australia, a year-on-year increase of 12.58 percent. 

China Southern Airlines said its international and regional routes saw strong growth, operating 978 international and regional flights, carrying 197,900 passengers, an increase of 29.19 percent and 27.01 percent, respectively, highlighting the continued recovery of international and regional air travel.


Global Times