A plane takes off from Hangzhou International Airport in Xiaoshan district. [Photo provided to ehangzhou.gov.cn]

Hangzhou International Airport is set to welcome over 9.1 million passengers and handle 56,000 flights during the 2025 summer travel season, marking year-on-year increases of 3.5 percent and 1.5 percent respectively, which would set new seasonal records.

With strong demand for family trips, graduation tours, and educational travel, the airport has added and increased flights to popular destinations. Cool-weather routes to cities like Qingdao, Kunming, and Changchun will see at least four extra daily flights, while trendy destinations such as Xi'an and Urumqi are getting nearly 20 percent more flights. For the first time, direct summer flights to Dunhuang and Yining will be available.

A bird's-eye view of Hangzhou at nightfall. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

International travel is also surging, with visa-free destinations like Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand in high demand. The airport has resumed routes to Sabah and Jakarta, while flights to Japan and South Korea have been expanded. Emerging outbound markets like Dubai, Doha, Almaty, and Tashkent are seeing 80 percent year-on-year growth.

To support young solo travelers, a special reception station for unaccompanied minors will launch on July 1, offering one-stop guidance services. Additional staff and service counters will also be deployed to reduce wait times and ensure a smooth passenger experience.