As the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays draw near, travel demand for tourism and family visits is expected to remain strong, with passenger flow on popular routes and during peak periods projected to stay elevated across the civil aviation sector.

This year, the two holidays are separated by only three working days, making the "take three days off, rest for 13" leave strategy increasingly popular among travelers. This approach creates an extended travel window of nearly half a month, encouraging many to plan long-haul trips such as cross-province journeys or outbound travel, which in turn benefits the civil aviation market.

Data from the official direct-sales platform of the civil aviation authority shows that, as of September 10, domestic flight ticket bookings for travel dates between September 25 and October 7 have surpassed 6.88 million, marking a year-on-year increase of approximately 12%. Meanwhile, bookings for international and regional flight routes have exceeded 2.18 million, reflecting a growth of about 7% compared with the same period last year.

Looking at domestic booking figures, the top ten popular destinations for the holiday period are Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Kunming, Hangzhou, Chongqing, Xi'an, and Urumqi. Among these, bookings for flights to Hangzhou have surged roughly 34% year-on-year, while those for Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Chongqing have each climbed more than 20%. The domestic travel market shows a pattern of broad-based growth across multiple destinations.

For outbound travel, data from the same platform indicates that the most sought-after international destinations during the holidays are Seoul, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, London, Moscow, Hanoi, and Sydney. Nearby Asian destinations remain highly popular, while long-haul European routes are also gaining momentum.

As the peak travel period approaches, ticket prices on popular routes have experienced some fluctuations. The official direct-sales platform now offers a "buy high, refund free" policy for holiday flights, allowing passengers who purchase tickets with the "price-drop refund" tag to buy a cheaper new ticket within 24 hours and receive a full refund on the original booking. Additionally, the platform is running a special promotion for Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day tickets, where travelers can book discounted fares before September 22 and enjoy savings of up to 100 yuan after purchase.