BEIJING: China’s civil aviation sector has logged a record number of passenger flights in 2025, marking a shift from the volatile post-pandemic rebound to a period of normalised, high-quality expansion, industry data show.
According to a 2025 development report released recently by aviation data provider VariFlight, Chinese mainland airlines operated 5.37 million flights last year, a 2.96% increase from 2024.
Total booked seat numbers also climbed to a historic high of 935.8 million, up 2.48% year-on-year (y-o-y).
Analysts said the single-digit growth, compared to the nearly 9% surge seen in 2024, indicates a maturing market where supply is being carefully calibrated to meet demand.
The International Air Transport Association said global passenger demand and capacity growth remain positive but are now expanding at more typical levels compared with the sharp rebounds seen in 2023 and early 2024, as markets return to pre-Covid-19 comparisons.
Analysts at China Merchants Securities said the slowdown is a sign of normalisation rather than weakness.
Furthermore, carriers are prioritising a balance between bringing aircraft back into service and maintaining stable load factors.
International and regional routes remained the main driver of expansion. — China Daily/ANN
