Air China Plans Over 70,000 Flights in 2026, Boosting Capacity and Domestic Routes

Kathmandu. China's major national carrier, Air China, has announced plans to operate over 70,000 flights during the 2026 travel period.

According to the airline, this number represents a 10.1 percent increase compared to the same period in 2025, reflecting the growing demand for domestic and international air travel.

Air China stated that it will further strengthen flight services between China's key economic and densely populated regions. High-frequency flights will be centered on city clusters such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the Chengdu-Chongqing area. This is expected to facilitate trade, tourism, and family travel.

The airline announced that passenger capacity on flights to Northeast China will be increased by 15 percent compared to last year's travel period. Additional seat capacity has been added to manage passenger traffic to the region due to the cold weather and popular tourist destinations.

Furthermore, Air China stated that all flights to high-demand tourist destinations such as Sanya will be operated using wide-body aircraft, which will bring significant improvements in passenger comfort and carrying capacity.

During peak travel periods, Air China also plans to utilize nine domestically developed C919 aircraft in commercial operations.

These aircraft will be operated from Beijing to major cities such as Hangzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan, and Xi'an. The use of domestic aircraft is expected to further strengthen the technical capability and self-reliance level of China's civil aviation industry.

Air China also indicated that it is paying special attention to expanding its international flight network. To address the growing demand for cross-border travel, additional flights will be added to major international destinations such as Sydney, Auckland, Singapore, Seoul, and Bangkok. This move is expected to further promote international tourism, business connections, and cultural exchange.

Air China reiterated its commitment to providing passengers with a safe, convenient, and efficient travel experience through sufficient flight numbers, capacity expansion, and service quality improvement.