Three major airports in Hainan FTP see record passenger growth in 2025

The combined passenger throughput of the three major airports in the Hainan Free Trade Port — Haikou Meilan International Airport, Sanya Phoenix International Airport and Qionghai Boao International Airport — has exceeded 50 million passenger trips in 2025 for the first time, setting a new annual record, as of Tuesday, according to Hainan Airport Group.

As an island province, air transportation plays a dominant role in Hainan's inbound and outbound traffic, with nearly 80 percent of passengers choosing air travel. Following the launch of island-wide special customs operations in the Hainan FTP on Dec 18, the civil aviation industry has entered a new stage of development.

Serving as aviation gateways that combine the functions of Hainan's open ports and the "second-line" customs ports under the Hainan FTP framework, Meilan, Phoenix and Boao airports — operated by Hainan Airport Group — hold an irreplaceable position as core hubs and play a pivotal role in the special customs operations of the Hainan FTP.

In 2025, Hainan Airport Group adopted a series of coordinated measures, which included optimizing air routes, service support, strengthening coordination with other airlines and introducing innovative marketing solutions. These efforts aim to build a regional aviation gateway hub facing the Pacific and Indian oceans and promote the dual circulation of domestic and international economies.

In terms of domestic route layout, the airports focus on major passenger hubs in China's leading cities and provide express routes linking Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Chengdu and other key destinations. At the same time, new services have been added to provincial capital cities across Central and West China, achieving full coverage of all domestic provincial capitals as well as major tourist destinations.

At present, Meilan, Phoenix and Boao airports serve a total of 136 destinations. The passenger load factor of domestic routes has risen to 85 percent.

On the international front, direct flights to London, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Minsk in Belarus were launched in 2025, while the flight frequency of key routes to Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership member states, including Bangkok in Thailand, Singapore and Seoul in South Korea, have been increased.

To date, more than 90 international and regional passenger routes have been opened, connecting 45 cities in 23 countries across Asia, Europe, Oceania and the Middle East, as well as China's Hong Kong and Macao. The route network largely covers all RCEP member states and links countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Notably, on Dec 21, Flight DV481 operated by Kazakhstan's SCAT Airlines departed from Sanya Phoenix International Airport for Prague, the Czech Republic. This marked the launch of China's first passenger route operating under the "Seventh Freedom of the Air", which allows an airline to carry passengers between two countries without returning to its home country.

In terms of port services, Hainan Airport Group has upgraded infrastructure and established service centers for overseas visitors. In cooperation with customs authorities, it has advanced smart travel inspection and introduced new supervision models, including one-stop outbound inspections and contactless inbound customs clearance.

With a focus on passenger-oriented service, Haikou Meilan International Airport has been rated a "Five-Star Terminal" for eight consecutive years by Skytrax, a globally renowned air travel rating and review institution. Sanya Phoenix International Airport has been included in Skytrax's World's Top 100 Airports list released in 2025.

In the future, Hainan Airport Group said it will align with the development framework of the Hainan FTP, strengthen coordination with civil aviation stakeholders and enhance resource integration. By transforming passenger flow advantages into broader industrial competitiveness, the group aims to support high-quality economic development and solidify its role as a regional aviation gateway hub facing the Pacific and Indian oceans.