La population totale de l'aviation dépasse 500 millions, témoignant d'un développement de haute qualité

问AI · Aviation population exceeding 500 million how to promote the upgrading of the aviation industry?

Li Xiaojin

Chinese Civil Aviation Administration data shows: During the Spring Festival travel period in 2026, the cumulative number of passengers transported by civil aviation nationwide reached 94.39 million, a 4.6% increase compared to the same period in 2025, setting a historical high for the same period. This marks the third consecutive record high for civil aviation passenger transport since 2024.

Among the growing civil aviation passenger flow, one data point stands out: By 2025, China’s total aviation population will exceed 500 million, making it the largest aviation population country in the world.

What is the aviation population? It refers to the number of people who have taken at least one civil aviation flight during the statistical period. The scale of the aviation population is a “barometer” of national and regional economic development, reflecting the operation of the national economy and the disposable income of residents from a side perspective. Microscopic, this indicator is also a “testing measure” of civil aviation product quality, which can verify whether civil aviation can meet consumer travel demands in terms of safety levels, supply capacity, service quality, etc.

The reason why China can currently become the world’s largest aviation population country is not only due to its large population base but also closely related to the high-quality development of its economy and the civil aviation industry itself.

Thanks to the continuously strengthening role of China’s consumption as a “main engine,” inter-regional business exchanges, cultural travel, and other economic activities remain active, directly generating growth in civil aviation market demand, especially as many third- and fourth-tier cities and remote areas have welcomed more travelers relying on civil aviation. For example, during the Spring Festival travel period this year, travel platform data showed that the ticket booking volume for flights to Altay in Xinjiang, Beihai in Guangxi, and Mangshi in Yunnan increased by 44%, 24%, and 22% year-on-year, respectively. At the same time, the civil aviation industry actively undertakes passenger flow, continuously improves flight safety and on-time performance, weaves a dense route network, and launches differentiated products such as “aviation + cultural tourism,” aviation express lines, and air-rail intermodal transport, better matching the personalized and diversified travel needs of consumers.

Becoming a major aviation population country has multiple positive impacts on China’s economic and social development, conducive to shaping many new advantages.

From the perspective of the aviation industry, the steady development of the civil aviation market directly benefits aviation equipment manufacturing enterprises. By the end of 2025, the number of domestically produced civil aircraft used by China’s civil aviation will reach 220, an increase of about 30 aircraft compared to 2024, thereby driving the synchronous upgrading of supporting industries such as aircraft engines, aviation materials, and onboard equipment, propelling the rapid development of China’s aviation industry.

From the perspective of expanding domestic demand, safe, convenient, and economical civil aviation services continuously benefit the business culture, foreign trade logistics, and other industries. For example, during the Jiangsu City Football League in 2025, around the competition dates, passenger volume at Nanjing Lukou International Airport increased by about 29% year-on-year, while Yangzhou Taizhou International Airport saw a year-on-year increase of about 21%, showing significant consumption promotion effects.

From the perspective of radiation effects, the economic development speed in areas where airports are located is relatively fast. According to statistics from the Civil Aviation University of China, the average GDP growth rate of urban areas where airports are located in the first three quarters of 2025 was 7.5%. Behind this, it is inseparable from the airport’s role in driving and supporting high value-added airport industries.

From the perspective of market potential, there is still considerable room for growth in China’s aviation population in the future. On the one hand, young travelers are becoming the “new force in civil aviation,” with a significant increase in the proportion of “first-time” flyers aged 13-18; at the same time, the travel frequency and distance of the elderly group are steadily increasing. During this year’s Spring Festival holiday, the number of passengers over 60 purchasing their “first airline ticket” on some travel platforms increased by 20%.

Although China’s aviation population scale is already leading, we still have room for improvement in terms of operational efficiency and economic benefits compared to some of the world’s strong aviation transport countries.

For example, in terms of safety production, safety must be regarded as an unshakeable bottom line; in improving services, focus on passengers and cargo owners, using smart civil aviation services as a guide to provide more personalized, diversified, and quality services; in operational efficiency, empower airlines, airports, and air traffic management systems with technologies such as artificial intelligence to enhance airspace resource guarantee capabilities; in economic benefits, through comprehensive rectification of “involutionary” competition, standardize market order, and improve unit revenue.

In the long run, exceeding 500 million aviation population is just a new starting point. Data from China Aviation Information Technology Co., Ltd. shows that in the first two months of this year, there were an additional 8.38 million “first-time” civil aviation passengers. As China’s domestic demand accelerates release, industries become more complete, and the level of openness is higher, we are confident that we can lead longer with the record of having the most aviation population among all countries in the world.

(The author is the director of the Aviation Economy and Development Research Institute of Civil Aviation University of China, and this article is based on an interview with our reporter Qiu Chaoyi.)

《People’s Daily》(March 24, 2026, Page 10)