Airlines collectively "launch new" routes, and "May Day" holiday ticket demand heats up

Source: Shanghai Securities News Author: Chen Mengna

China’s civil aviation summer and autumn flight seasons will begin on March 29, 2026. Coupled with spring holiday policies across various regions and expectations of rising fuel surcharges, many travelers are purchasing tickets early to take advantage of the holidays to visit mountains and seas, enjoy spring outings, flower viewing, and family trips. Airlines are collectively launching new routes, and many regional feeder airports will welcome peak passenger flows during the “May Day” holiday and summer vacation.

“May Day” Holiday Ticket Prices Rise

Shanghai Securities News reporters found on OTA platforms that ticket prices for the “May Day” holiday have increased to varying degrees compared to previous periods. Data from Qunar Travel shows that bookings for flights during the “May Day” holiday have increased by nearly 20% year-over-year.

Qunar Travel data indicates that, as of now, the top ten most popular destinations for the “May Day” holiday are Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Kunming, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Urumqi, and Nanjing. In terms of early booking growth, the fastest-growing routes for the holiday are flights to Wenzhou, Ningbo, Guangzhou, Nanning, Hefei, Shanghai, Yining, Shenzhen, Zhengzhou, and Xishuangbanna, with increases exceeding 25% year-over-year.

Analysis by Qunar Big Data Research Institute suggests that in the past, “May Day” flight bookings typically started about two weeks in advance. This year, due to expectations of rising fuel surcharges, there has been a significant increase in travelers locking in tickets early for the holiday. It is expected that bookings for “May Day” and summer flights will continue to grow next week.

Spring Break and Off-Season Ticket Sales Boost

This year’s Qingming holiday (April 4-6), combined with nationwide spring breaks for primary and secondary schools, generally adopting a “3 days of spring break + Qingming holiday” continuous holiday pattern, has significantly increased travel demand from April 1 to 6.

According to Flight Manager, spring holiday policies now cover many cities nationwide, with 13 cities achieving seamless connection between spring break and Qingming holiday. From April 1 to 6, most cities implementing spring break have seen steady growth in scheduled flights, with Changzhou, Chengdu, and Nanjing leading in increases.

“This data confirms that spring holiday policies directly boost airline capacity demand, effectively filling the capacity gaps during the traditional off-season, turning April into a new peak for civil aviation travel,” said an expert from Flight Manager DAST to Shanghai Securities News. The spring holiday provides a systemic foundation for large-scale travel demand release, and policies targeting students in compulsory education directly stimulate a large increase in family group travel, becoming a core driver of civil aviation demand growth.

Many families are choosing to start their spring break early. Qunar Travel data shows that, in terms of numbers, more travelers depart by plane on April 1 than on April 4 (the first day of Qingming). Office workers tend to travel on April 3 (the day before Qingming), creating a second small peak. Additionally, the overlap of family travelers and working professionals results in a return peak on April 6.

Ticket prices show that departures on April 1 are generally cheaper than on April 3. For example, on popular routes, the lowest bare fare from Chengdu to Sanya on April 1 is about 800 yuan, higher than last week but roughly half the price of tickets during the “May Day” holiday.

“Ticket prices for civil flights in cities implementing spring holidays are generally rising, significantly improving industry profitability. This breaks the price ‘involution’ during the off-season, and with demand support, route fare elasticity is fully activated, providing strong support for airline operational improvements,” the expert said. The demand for spring holiday travel is highly linked to cultural tourism and educational activities, which set higher standards for cross-sector cooperation and product innovation in the civil aviation industry.

Small Airports May Enter Peak Season

From rapeseed flower seas to blooming cherry blossoms, from Jiangnan misty rain to Central Plains historic sites… As the domestic route network continues to expand and improve across regions, travelers can reach diverse destinations via feeder airports, further opening growth opportunities in lower-tier markets and regional airlines.

Qunar Big Data Research Institute analysis indicates that the upcoming “May Day” holiday and summer vacation are peak travel periods, especially for small airports in the northwest, which are expected to see a busy season. From the summer and autumn flight schedule changes, many small airports in Xinjiang will see the most significant increase in flight frequency. Additionally, the popular tourism destination Quanzhou in Fujian will also see a notable rise in flight volume.

In terms of domestic route deployment, major airlines are increasing capacity in line with tourism trends. China Eastern Airlines is opening new routes mainly to Xinjiang, Yunnan, and Guangxi, with a total of 41 new domestic routes planned and 65 routes in operation. Air China will launch routes from Beijing to Yulin, Hanzhong, and Jiaxing. China Southern Airlines will add new flights from Beijing Daxing to Yining, Korla, and Quanzhou. Juneyao Airlines, responding to spring and summer travel demand, has launched 7 new routes focusing on scenic coastal and mountain destinations. Huaxia Airlines has established multiple air corridors connecting Central China and the Yangtze River Delta, offering travelers more options.

A Huaxia Airlines representative stated that the company will continue to optimize its route network, improve service quality, and provide convenient, efficient, and comfortable travel experiences, injecting new momentum into local economic development, tourism, and cultural exchanges.