The 2026 Spring Festival travel season commenced on February 2nd and will continue until March 13th, spanning a total of 40 days. During this year's travel rush, Shanghai's Pudong and Hongqiao airports are projected to handle 96,000 flights (65,000 at Pudong Airport and 31,000 at Hongqiao Airport), representing a 1.9% year-on-year increase; passenger throughput is expected to reach 15.53 million (9.96 million at Pudong Airport and 5.57 million at Hongqiao Airport), averaging 388,000 passengers daily, which is a 3.6% rise compared to the previous year.
This Spring Festival travel season sees a further enhancement in the level of fully self-service travel at both Shanghai airports. Building on the existing 24-hour security check and customs clearance services, Pudong Airport's Terminal 2 for domestic departures has implemented "single-document clearance" for security checks using ID cards and facial recognition, alongside a "one-stop re-inspection" system where checked luggage does not need to be returned to the check-in counter for re-screening. At Hongqiao Airport, passengers can now pass through出境 (outbound) areas at T1 and boarding gates at T2 using facial recognition alone. The "Shanghai Airport" WeChat mini-program has strengthened its online-to-offline integration, allowing elderly passengers, pregnant women, and those requiring accessibility services to book comprehensive green channel services from "car door to aircraft door" at both major airports. Business travelers and family groups can also schedule premium "Airport Butler" services for meet-and-greet assistance throughout their journey, ensuring a more secure and convenient travel experience.
Beyond the traditional pattern of returning home for the New Year, this year's Spring Festival travel rush will see outbound/inbound tourism, northern snow and ice tours, and southern warm-weather escapes become popular trends. In response to the increasing number of first-time flyers, family travelers, and elderly passengers during the rush, Pudong Airport continues to optimize service offerings like "Shanghai First Journey" and "Shanghai Companionship," while Hongqiao Airport's "First-Time Flyer Wristbands" are now fully available at all airport information desks and airline check-in counters. To manage large passenger flows and adverse weather conditions, both Shanghai airports will dynamically increase the number of open security check lanes and check-in counters based on real-time situations to reduce waiting times. They will further strengthen coordination with subway, bus, maglev, and taxi companies to enhance transport capacity during peak passenger periods and continue ensuring commercial food and beverage services for delayed flights, upholding the principle that "while flights may be delayed, service never is."
Integrating with the development of its "中国样·China Young" humanistic brand, Shanghai Airport is enhancing the festive atmosphere, continuously optimizing services, and enriching cultural experiences. Both Pudong and Hongqiao airports have installed multiple Lunar New Year of the Horse themed displays in various areas including departure and arrival halls and transportation hubs. Pudong Airport's traditional Chinese-style archway titled "Steed Heralding Spring, Auspiciousness Fills the Door" and Hongqiao Airport's "Horse Leaping onto a New Journey" series of folk art exhibitions have become popular spots for travelers to take photos. Throughout the travel season, both airports will also host multiple interactive events featuring traditional Chinese folk customs for passengers.
With China's visa-waiver "circle of friends" continually expanding, "Celebrating the Chinese New Year in China" is becoming a new trend. The three one-stop comprehensive service centers for foreigners at the two Shanghai airports provide precise, proactive services for inbound travelers across four key modules: payment, culture and tourism, telecommunications, and transportation. Additional amenities such as sleeping pods, free rest areas and shower facilities, and complimentary half-day Shanghai tours are designed to assist passengers transiting or stopping over in the city. Pudong Airport has set up over ten multi-language audio guide scan points labeled "Smooth Journey with Translation" along inbound passenger routes, offering information on arrival procedures, transit connections, and landside transportation. Furthermore, "Little Star of Navigation" foreign language volunteers are stationed in the public arrival areas of both major airports, providing assistance to international travelers with multilingual translation, Wi-Fi connection, and transfer guidance. Shanghai Airport is also actively responding to the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee and Government's initiatives for the "New Year Shopping Season" and "Shanghai Global Gourmet Festival" by creating more vibrant consumption scenes at both airports during the travel rush.
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