A total of 90 freight routes were launched in the first half of this year in China, with 70 being international routes.
According to the latest statistics from the Aviation Logistics Branch of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing:
In terms of newly opened freight routes, a total of 90 freight routes were launched across the country in the first half of this year, over 70 of which were international routes. Among these, 16 domestic freight routes and 74 international freight routes were opened, gradually improving the freight route network. On the international front, there were 39 Asian routes (over half of the total), 17 European routes, 15 North American routes, 2 African routes, and 1 Oceania route.
In terms of air cargo turnover, the total air transport turnover reached 70.3 billion ton-kilometers in the first half, up 32.2% year-on-year. Domestic routes accounted for 470.4 billion ton-kilometers, an increase of 16%, while international routes saw 232.6 billion ton-kilometers, a significant rise of 84.1%. Both domestic and international markets experienced rapid growth. Airport logistics also maintained a positive trend, with the four major airport clusters—Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and Chengdu-Chongqing—operating efficiently, each recording double-digit growth in throughput.
In terms of cargo throughput, the aviation industry handled 4.174 million tons of cargo in the first half of this year, up 27.4% year-on-year. International routes processed 1.651 million tons of cargo, up 34.3%, with the share of international route cargo reaching 39.6%, a 2 percentage point increase year-on-year.
In terms of bellyhold flights, services to 154 destinations in 71 countries were provided in the first half, with flight volumes increasing 2.9 times year-on-year. Additionally, 26,700 scheduled freight flights were operated in the first half, up 6% year-on-year. Regular freight flights were maintained to 48 destinations in 42 countries, with Chinese airlines operating 8,784 flights (32.9% market share) and foreign airlines operating 17,900 flights (67.1% market share).
In terms of export business and categories, goods such as cross-border e-commerce, electric vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products have become major categories in air freight, demanding timeliness and flexibility. The number of irregular international freight flights has also shown a growing trend, with 3,300 international charter flights executed in the first half, up 9% year-on-year and 8.5 times higher than in the same period in 2019. According to IATA analysis, cross-border e-commerce goods currently account for 20% of global air freight volume, expected to grow to 30% by 2027. The rapid development of cross-border e-commerce provides a solid foundation for the growth in demand for air logistics.
Top 20 Freight Flights for Week 31 Revealed
The top 20 airports in terms of freight flights for the 31st week of 2024 (July 29 - August 4) have been released! Shanghai Pudong, Shenzhen Bao'an, Ezhou Huahu, and Guangzhou Baiyun rank in the top four, with no changes in their positions compared to last week, and the number of flights increased year-on-year. Airports that showed negative growth on a week-to-week basis include Zhengzhou Xinzheng, Beijing Capital, Qingdao Jiaodong, Wuxi Shuofang, Tianjin Binhai, Wenzhou Longwan, and Yantai Penglai.
Detailed data is as follows: Shanghai Pudong (896 flights), Shenzhen Bao'an (715 flights), Ezhou Huahu (678 flights), Guangzhou Baiyun (599 flights), Zhengzhou Xinzheng (420 flights), Nanjing Lukou (328 flights), Hangzhou Xiaoshan (305 flights), Beijing Capital (246 flights), Chengdu Shuangliu (199 flights), Nanning Wuxu (136 flights), Qingdao Jiaodong (118 flights), Ningbo Lishe (116 flights), Wuxi Shuofang (113 flights), Xiamen Gaoqi (113 flights), Chongqing Jiangbei (89 flights), Kunming Changshui (85 flights), Tianjin Binhai (71 flights), Nantong Xingdong (71 flights), Wenzhou Longwan (58 flights), and Yantai Penglai (54 flights).