The 2026 Spring Festival travel rush will officially commence on February 2nd, spanning 40 days and concluding on March 13th. To handle the travel surge anticipated from the "longest Spring Festival holiday," China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines have recently announced significant increases in their flight capacity within the Hubei market. They are deploying measures such as adding new routes, increasing flight frequencies, and optimizing transfer services to fully manage the passenger flow during the peak season. The image is provided by China Southern Airlines Hubei Branch. China Southern Airlines plans to operate over 8,440 inbound and outbound flights in Hubei, offering an average of more than 23,000 seats daily. On domestic routes, catering to the characteristics of the Spring Festival travel demand, China Southern Airlines is focusing on adding popular routes from Wuhan to destinations like Shanghai Pudong, Altay, Sanya, Changbai Mountain, Hangzhou, and Beihai. The airline has also optimized schedules for high-frequency routes such as the "Wuhan-Guangzhou Express" and "Wuhan-Daxing Express." Specifically, the "Wuhan-Guangzhou" route can reach up to 18 round trips daily, and the "Wuhan-Beijing Daxing" route can reach up to 14 round trips daily, achieving a "bus-like" frequency that greatly facilitates passengers traveling on short notice. 2026 is a peak year for solar activity, significantly increasing the frequency of aurora sightings within China. In addition to increasing flights to traditional winter destinations like Altay and Changbai Mountain, China Southern Airlines is specially launching "Aurora Routes" during the Spring Festival travel period. These routes provide convenient air travel options for passengers heading to aurora viewing locations such as Xinjiang, Heilongjiang, Mongolia, and Northern Europe, helping travelers unlock a dreamy winter adventure. It is reported that these flights are designed to offer passengers the opportunity to view the aurora up close. The flights will select appropriate routes and timings based on the geographical areas and temporal patterns of aurora occurrences, typically flying to high-latitude regions to allow passengers to observe the aurora phenomenon directly from the air. For instance, China Southern Airlines has previously operated aurora routes to areas like Northeast China and Northern Europe, where passengers can enjoy the aurora during their flight. Information regarding domestic flights. Information regarding international flights. On international routes, China Southern Airlines is increasing flights to destinations like Bangkok and Phuket. Flights from Wuhan to Bangkok will increase to 4 per week, Wuhan to Phuket to 3 per week, Wuhan to Ho Chi Minh City will be increased to 7 per week, and Wuhan to Seoul will be increased to 3 per week. Furthermore, China Southern Airlines has comprehensively upgraded its transfer services; passengers at Wuhan Tianhe Airport can enjoy through-check-in and baggage transfer services for seamless connections. China Eastern Airlines continues to boost its capacity in the Hubei market. During this year's Spring Festival travel period, the total number of flights planned for Hubei Province has increased by 2.65% compared to the same period in 2025, with nearly 900 additional flights scheduled. The peak number of daily round-trip flights is expected to reach 190. The image is provided by China Eastern Wuhan Company. Domestically, targeting the hot market for winter tourism, China Eastern Airlines plans to launch new routes from Wuhan to northern winter destinations like Yanji, Shenyang, and Dalian. Simultaneously, it will increase frequencies on routes from Wuhan to warmer southern destinations such as Kunming, Boao, Shenzhen, Quanzhou, and Zhanjiang, catering to diverse passenger needs including returning home and tourism. Additionally, China Eastern Airlines will maintain stable flight services at other stations within Hubei Province, such as Yichang, Enshi, Jingzhou, and Shiyan, strengthening regional connectivity and enhancing the accessibility and convenience of the air network. For international and regional routes, China Eastern Airlines plans to add 158 international flights in Wuhan, with a focus on increasing capacity to popular destinations like "Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand." During the Spring Festival period, routes from Wuhan to Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Singapore are planned to increase to one flight per day, achieving comprehensive, high-frequency coverage of these three popular Southeast Asian tourist cities and better meeting the diverse needs of passengers for overseas travel and visiting relatives during the holiday. In anticipation of increased numbers of unaccompanied minors, first-time flyers, and passengers requiring special assistance, China Eastern's "Little Swallow" special service team is fully prepared and on standby to provide services like guidance and companionship throughout the journey. Concurrently, the "Pets in Cabin" service on outbound flights from Wuhan has been fully implemented, allowing passengers to travel with their pets. During the Spring Festival travel rush, multiple passenger streams—including those visiting family, traveling, and migrant workers returning home—will converge. Peak travel periods are expected around the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month to Lunar New Year's Eve, and from the fourth to the tenth day of the first lunar month. Demand will be concentrated on routes from Wuhan to cities like Shenzhen, Kunming, Sanya, and Harbin. Airports remind passengers to plan ahead, check flight status and purchase tickets through official airline channels, and arrange their itineraries reasonably.
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