Rise in International Traffic Boosts China’s Civil Aviation Sector in 2026

Beijing: Data released by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) shows that the civil aviation sector maintained steady growth in the first half of 2026, with total traffic volume increasing by 6.4% year-on-year to reach 83.37 billion ton-kilometers. According to Yemen News Agency, the sector handled 380 million passengers from January to June, a 1% increase compared to the same period last year, while cargo and mail volume rose by 6% to 5.073 million tons. International traffic saw significant expansion, with China adding seven new international passenger destinations and 19 new international cargo destinations. Passenger and cargo traffic carried by Chinese airlines in the Asia-Europe market increased by more than 20% year-on-year, according to the CAAC. Passenger traffic to Central Asia, South Asia, and Latin America also jumped by 79.8%, 42.3%, and 78.5% respectively. Data indicated an improvement in the sector's operational efficiency, as the on-time performance rate reached 93.5% during the first half of the year. The average number of daily flights increased with the start of the summer travel season to about 18,000 flights, with the number of daily passenger flights remaining stable at more than two million flights.