Chinese carriers and regional airports are kicking off 2026 with a wave of new international routes aimed at restoring global connectivity to 2019 levels. Hainan Airlines will launch a daily Chongqing–Bangkok service on 12 January, followed by Chongqing Airlines’ four-times-weekly flights on 1 February (ramping up to daily in March). Meanwhile, Chengdu plans to inaugurate a nonstop link to Brussels this March, complementing expanded frequencies to Kuala Lumpur and Sihanoukville.(globaltimes.cn)
Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) data show international passenger traffic grew 21.6 % year-on-year in 2025, reaching over 90 % of pre-Covid volume. Southeast Asia now accounts for 73 % of China’s outbound flights, underscoring the commercial gravity of regional corridors for both tourism and supply-chain travel.
![China Accelerates International Flight Recovery with New Chongqing–Bangkok and Chengdu–Brussels Routes]()
For corporate travel managers, the added capacity eases pressure on premium-cabin inventory during Canton Fair season and shortens transit times for engineers shuttling between Tier-2 manufacturing hubs and ASEAN plants. Cargo divisions also benefit: the new belly-hold space supports just-in-time export of high-value electronics from the Chongqing–Chengdu twin-city economic circle.
Airport authorities in Chongqing and Chengdu are offering slot incentives and fast-track immigration channels to attract foreign carriers, signalling intensified competition among inland cities to serve as China’s next-generation gateways.
Travel teams should update routing guides: direct Chongqing–Bangkok fares are currently 18 % lower than comparable itineraries via Guangzhou, while Chengdu–Brussels will cut door-to-door transit for pharma shipments to under 13 hours.
Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) data show international passenger traffic grew 21.6 % year-on-year in 2025, reaching over 90 % of pre-Covid volume. Southeast Asia now accounts for 73 % of China’s outbound flights, underscoring the commercial gravity of regional corridors for both tourism and supply-chain travel.
For corporate travel managers, the added capacity eases pressure on premium-cabin inventory during Canton Fair season and shortens transit times for engineers shuttling between Tier-2 manufacturing hubs and ASEAN plants. Cargo divisions also benefit: the new belly-hold space supports just-in-time export of high-value electronics from the Chongqing–Chengdu twin-city economic circle.
Airport authorities in Chongqing and Chengdu are offering slot incentives and fast-track immigration channels to attract foreign carriers, signalling intensified competition among inland cities to serve as China’s next-generation gateways.
Travel teams should update routing guides: direct Chongqing–Bangkok fares are currently 18 % lower than comparable itineraries via Guangzhou, while Chengdu–Brussels will cut door-to-door transit for pharma shipments to under 13 hours.
Source: Global Times
