♦ International Passenger Routes
According to Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), In the first quarter of 2025, China's international route network continued to expand, and the number of international flights and passengers further increased. As of May 13, a total of 28 Chinese carriers and 100 foreign airlines operated international passenger routes in China, with a cumulative total of 78 countries and regions, a net increase of 4 countries and regions over 2019.
In terms of flight volume, the number of flights from China to 35 countries including Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy has exceeded the level of 2019, and the recovery rate of flights between China and the countries participating in the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative is 94.5%, which is 10.6 percentage points higher than the average.
In terms of passenger volume, in the first quarter, Chinese airlines transported a total of 18.925 million international passengers, a significant increase of 34% year-on-year. Passenger transport volume from China to Northeast Asia, West Asia, Central Asia, Europe, Africa and other places increased by 20%, 91%, 233%, 71% and 241% respectively compared with 2019.
♦ International Cargo Routes
According to China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP), since the beginning of this year, China's international air cargo routes have continued to increase. As of April 30, a total of 75 new international cargo routes were opened nationwide this year, with more than 162 round-trip flights added each week. The routes are mainly to Asia and Europe, including 35 routes to Asia, 31 routes to Europe, 6 routes to North America, 2 routes to South America, and 1 route to Africa. The transported goods are mainly cross-border e-commerce goods, fresh goods, electronic products, and auto parts.
CAAC will continue to promote the international routes to increase the number of flights. On one hand, for the traditional market, it will focus on optimising structure, improving quality and ensuring stability, guiding airlines to differentiate their competition; on the other hand, for the emerging market, it will encourage airlines to actively expand their route network and accelerate the construction of the Air Silk Road.
