Chinese Travel Platform Data: Inbound Flight Bookings for Mid-Autumn and National Day Holidays Rise About 6% Year-on-Year

The latest forecast report from Chinese online travel platform TravelSky, released on the 17th, indicates a continued surge in domestic travel bookings as the 2026 Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays approach. According to the "2026 Mid-Autumn and National Day Holiday Travel Forecast Report," which covers travel between September 25 and October 7, inbound flight ticket bookings have exceeded 1.11 million, marking a year-on-year increase of approximately 6%.

Data from TravelSky's official airline sales platform shows that as of September 14, domestic flight bookings for the holiday period have surpassed 8.58 million, reflecting a growth of over 10% compared to the same period last year. The report also highlights strong demand for long-haul domestic routes, with bookings for flights exceeding 2,000 kilometers reaching more than 1.74 million, up by about 14% year-on-year.

The dual holidays have equally ignited the outbound travel market. The report notes that outbound flight bookings during the holiday window have topped 1.21 million, a year-on-year increase of roughly 4%. Cross-border travel demand is flourishing across multiple fronts, with both long-distance and short-haul destinations seeing a simultaneous rise in popularity. Distant locales such as the United Kingdom and Russia, along with nearby destinations including South Korea and Thailand, are all experiencing travel booms. Specifically, bookings for flights to Seoul have grown by more than 50% year-on-year, while flights to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, and London have each seen increases exceeding 20%.

On the inbound side, robust business and tourism demand, bolstered by the continued implementation of visa facilitation policies, is driving growth. The report identifies the top ten inbound destinations for the holiday period as Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Chongqing, Qingdao, Hangzhou, and Kunming. Among these, inbound flight bookings to Chongqing have surged by approximately 40% year-on-year, Xiamen has seen a rise of about 26%, and bookings to Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen have each grown by roughly 20%.