Airport reports booming cross-border traffic
2025-08-11 19:08:41
By Yan Wanqin.
From January to July, Yichang Sanxia International Airport handled more than 78,000 passengers, a 21.9 percent year-on-year increase.
From January to July, Yichang Sanxia International Airport handled more than 78,000 passengers, a 21.9 percent year-on-year increase.
Travelers wait in line at the Inbound and Outbound Border Inspection Station at Yichang Sanxia International Airport. Photo by Wang Tingting.During the same period, the airport operated over 640 flights, up 51.7 percent compared to the previous year. In July alone, 11,000 passengers traveled through the airport, a 10 percent rise compared to the same period last year.
The growth was driven mainly by China's recent visa-free policies and Yichang's rising popularity, which is drawing a growing number of foreign visitors. So far this year, the airport has welcomed over 49,000 foreign travelers, accounting for 62.8 percent of the total cross-border traffic. Most of these visitors came from Thailand, Vietnam, and South Korea for tourism or business.
To handle the increased traffic, the airport’s Border Inspection Station has streamlined procedures and adopted smart technologies to improve efficiency.
Zhao Jingyi contributed to this story.
