Chinese New Year 2026
Chinese New Year 2026 Travel Hits Record High
China’s 2026 Spring Festival holiday has set new historical records for travel and tourism. According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 596 million domestic trips were made nationwide during the nine-day holiday (February 15–23). Total domestic tourism spending reached 803.483 billion yuan (US$117.16 billion).
Compared to the 2025 Spring Festival period, this represents:
+95 million additional trips
+126.481 billion yuan (US$17.5 billion) in spending
Both traveler numbers and total consumption reached all-time highs.
Aviation Traffic Breaks Records
Air travel saw strong growth throughout the holiday:
22.05 million passengers transported
171,000 flights handled
Passenger traffic up 7.7% year-on-year
Flight volume up 4.4% year-on-year
Flight regularity rate reached 95.8%
February 23 alone set a new single-day record with 2.668 million passengers transported.
The busiest airports included Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou Baiyun, Beijing Capital, Shenzhen Bao’an and Chengdu Tianfu. Popular domestic routes connected major hubs such as Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and Guangzhou.
International Travel Expands
Outbound travel was concentrated in destinations such as Thailand, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Australia. Long-haul routes to Turkey, Spain, New Zealand and Russia also recorded strong growth.
Inbound tourism continued to recover, with rising visitor numbers from South Korea, Vietnam, Russia and Mongolia.
JD Campaign Activity Ahead of the Holiday
In the lead-up to the 2026 Spring Festival travel rush, Travel Sentry launched a campaign on JD.com timed to coincide with the peak booking and purchasing window ahead of the holiday. The activation extended beyond promoting Travel Sentry-approved luggage, with visibility across JD’s travel booking platforms as well, ensuring presence at every stage of the customer journey, from trip planning to luggage purchase and departure preparation.
The 2026 JD campaign also featured a high-visibility activation at Beijing Daxing International Airport, one of the world’s most advanced aviation hubs. As a key gateway for both domestic and international travelers during the Spring Festival, Daxing served as a critical touchpoint for the brand. Daxing International has integrated the Travel Sentry system into its security infrastructure, allowing passengers departing from or transferring through the iconic “Starfish” terminal to benefit from non-destructive security screening when using Travel Sentry-approved luggage.
China’s record-breaking Spring Festival travel season reflects the strong momentum of global travel, which aligns with the continued expansion of the Travel Sentry system. The system is now recognized by security agencies in more than 80 countries worldwide, and that number continues to grow.
The growing demand for convenient, non-destructive security screening is particularly evident in China’s market, where travelers increasingly seek solutions that ensure their luggage can be inspected without locks being cut, especially during peak travel periods such as the Spring Festival.
With 596 million trips and over 803 billion yuan in spending, the 2026 Spring Festival confirms the continued strength and momentum of China’s domestic and international travel market, setting a new benchmark for future holiday travel seasons.