Hainan's airports reported a combined annual passenger throughput exceeding 50 million for the first time on December 30, 2025. (Source: Hainan Daily)

On December 30, 2025, Hainan's three international airports, Haikou Meilan, Sanya Phoenix, and Qionghai Boao airports, reported a combined annual passenger throughput exceeding 50 million for the first time, not only setting a new record for the province, but also reaching a historic milestone.

The 50 million passenger mark is recognized in global aviation as the threshold for major international hubs. Achieving this goal signifies Hainan's official entry into the ranks of the world's busiest aviation hubs.

Rapid network expansion with significantly enhanced international connectivity

By the end of 2025, Hainan had established domestic routes connecting 136 cities. Leveraging Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) policies on freedoms of the air, the province has launched 92 international and regional passenger routes, serving 45 cities across 23 countries and regions in Asia, Europe, Oceania, the Middle East, as well as the nation's Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions.

Since 2025, Hainan's airports have added new intercontinental routes directly connecting to international capitals, including London, Jeddah, and Minsk, and increased frequencies on key routes in RCEP countries, such as Bangkok, Singapore, and Seoul.

Sanya Phoenix International Airport successfully launched China's first seventh-freedom passenger route, "Sanya ⇌ Prague," operated by Kazakhstan's SCAT Airlines, on December 21, achieving the nation's highest level of air rights expansion. This route enables direct connections between Hainan and Europe, bypassing the airline's home country, and its launch represents a significant boost to the autonomy and influence of Hainan's international aviation network.

Service and efficiency upgrades create a first-class travel experience

To support record passenger flows, Hainan's airports have improved service efficiency across the board. Haikou has led the way in direct transfers, with domestic-to-international transfers via Hainan's capital now covering 11 routes and international-to-international transfers serving eight routes, all offering through-ticketing and baggage check-through services.

In 2025, Haikou handled 560,000 international transfer passengers, ranking among the nation's most efficient. Smart clearance systems have significantly improved immigration and cargo flows. By implementing facial recognition, intelligent baggage inspection, and adopting the one-time security checks for departures and contactless clearance for arrivals, passenger processing time has been reduced by over 50%. Cargo clearance has also been fully digitalized, cutting clearance time by approximately 30%.

Exceptional service quality has gained international recognition, with Haikou Meilan maintaining its SKYTRAX 5-star rating for nine consecutive years, and Sanya Phoenix being listed among SKYTRAX's Top 100 Global Airports.

Airlines actively expand operations to share in FTP development opportunities

Hainan's booming aviation market hasn't gone unnoticed internationally. Since 2025, over 70 domestic and international airlines have operated passenger and cargo routes in the Hainan FTP.

Aeroflot, Russia's largest aviation group, has launched 11 cross-border routes, operating 42 weekly flights via its main fleet and subsidiaries. In 2025, it conducted 2,176 flights, transporting nearly 450,000 passengers, 230,000 of which were bound for Sanya. The average cabin occupancy rate for the carrier's Sanya-bound routes remained stable above 88%, maintaining its leading position in Sanya's international aviation market share.

"Over 50 million passengers in one year! That's the dynamism of the Hainan FTP at work," stated a spokesperson for Aeroflot. Leveraging FTP policies and Sanya's tourism resources, the airline launched its first Moscow-Sanya route in late 2023. In 2025, it added new destinations, including Ufa and Kazan, becoming a key cross-border contributor to the record-breaking passenger flows.

Open policies drive growth and support island-wide special customs operations

The explosive growth in air passenger traffic has benefited from Hainan's continued opening to the world. Currently, visa-free access to Hainan is available for ordinary passport holders of 86 countries, and the range of entry purposes has been expanded beyond tourism to cover practically everything, including business, medical treatment, participating in exhibitions, etc.—except employment or study.

In 2025, the number of cross-border foreign arrivals and departures reached 1.46 million, exceeding the previous record set in 2019 by 16%. Foreign nationals accounted for 54% of all inbound and outbound travelers, with visa-free entries representing 90% of arrivals. Both metrics rank among the highest in the nation.