China’s civil aviation sector is bracing for 31.19 million passenger trips from Sept 25 to Oct 7, 2026, averaging 2.4 million daily during an extended Golden Week holiday.
An ultra-long holiday window has upended typical travel schedules across the region this year. The combined National Day holiday from Oct 1 to 7 and the Mid-Autumn Festival from Sept 25 to 27 create a 10-day break, surpassing last year’s eight-day span. Many workers seized the opportunity to stretch their absence to 13 days by taking leave during the three interim days, sparking a massive wave of movement both domestically and across borders.
Civil Aviation Volumes and Peak Airport Flows
National demand is driving record-breaking numbers across China’s airspace. According to Ma Bing, deputy head of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the civil aviation sector anticipates handling 31.19 million passenger trips from Sept 25 to Oct 7, averaging 2.4 million daily. That volume marks a 3.6 percent increase compared to the previous year, with daily peaks projected to exceed 2.6 million travellers.
Major transport hubs are bearing the heaviest strain. Beijing Capital International Airport anticipates handling over 1.66 million passenger trips during the holiday window, averaging 237,000 daily. The airport expects to manage 9,448 flights, or about 1,350 per day, with traffic peaking on Oct 1 and Oct 7 at over 245,000 trips each day, according to the civil aviation sector briefings. Meanwhile, Beijing Daxing International Airport prepares to handle 11,040 flights and 1.79 million passenger trips during the broader travel period, forecasting its busiest day on Oct 1 with approximately 180,000 passenger trips and 1,150 flights.
Domestic Hotspots and International Flight Growth
Travelers are casting a wide net for destinations. Domestically, popular routes focus on major economic and cultural centers alongside scenic regional getaways. Popular domestic destinations include Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Chongqing, and Guiyang. Meanwhile, traffic surges of over 30 percent are hitting seasonal regional hotspots including Dehong in Yunnan province, Altay in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, and Hulunbuir in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Average daily bookings at the 10 major aviation hubs exceed 490,000, representing a 3.9 percent year-on-year increase.
International travel is proving to be a particularly strong growth engine. Holiday period bookings for international flights rose 22.5 percent year-on-year. Services to nearby nations such as Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Malaysia grew by 20 percent, whereas extended journeys to Germany, the UK, and Spain expanded by 15 percent. Bangkok, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, and Bali stand out as top international choices for outbound flyers.
Destination Campaigns Across Asia
Regional tourism boards moved quickly to capture the outbound wave. On Sept 14, Thailand rolled out the Nihao Month 2026
campaign to deepen engagement with Chinese travellers. South Korea launched a Seoul Welcome Week: Autumn Edition
running through Oct 11 to greet international visitors, while businesses in the Maldives and Bali deployed targeted marketing efforts.
These coordinated arrivals arrive at a crucial moment for regional tourism. Gary Bowerman, managing director of the weekly industry newsletter Asia Travel Re: Set, noted that the potential surge is vital for Asian destinations dealing with challenges stemming from the Middle East conflict and rising oil prices. An Yong-ju, formerly a professor specializing in global leisure and tourism at South Korea’s Sun Moon University, further noted that stronger bilateral ties served as a driver for rising tourism interest, highlighting that Seoul secured the top spot for holiday flight reservations on digital travel platforms.
Booking Trends and Traveler Budgets
Online travel platform data illustrates shifting booking habits ahead of the formal holiday start. According to a report released on Sept 21 by Trip.com, more than half of all outbound flight bookings made by Chinese travelers scheduled departures before Golden Week officially began on Oct 1. Alongside traditional favorites in East and Southeast Asia, long-haul destinations in Australia and New Zealand gained clear traction in the booking rankings.