Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport recently wrapped up a record-breaking summer travel season, serving 5.98 million passengers between July 1 and Aug 31 — a 6 percent year-on-year increase and a new all-time high.

August alone saw passenger volume hit 3.1 million, marking the first time monthly traffic surpassed the 3-million mark. On average, the airport handled 102,000 passengers per day during the summer months, with 25 days exceeding 100,000 travelers.

Route network expansion has been a key driver of summer travel. Domestically, Qingdao strengthened its air and rail routes to Shanghai, Chengdu, and Chongqing, boosting traffic on these routes by 7 percent. The airport also launched or expanded more than 30 direct flights to popular destinations such as Nanning, Urumqi, and Ordos — fueling a 98 percent surge in passenger traffic to Guangxi and a 42 percent increase to Xinjiang.

International markets performed exceptionally well. Qingdao now operates 29 international and regional routes. The South Korea market continues to dominate, with 39 daily flights — the Seoul route now ranks first in China for flight frequency. Southeast Asian passenger volume rose 34 percent year-over-year, with Thailand and Malaysia seeing jumps of 47 percent and 15 percent respectively. European routes grew by 39 percent year-on-year.

From Oct 2, Qingdao will resume direct flights to Vancouver, offering a new option for travelers heading to North America.

Summer travel from outside the province increased 13 percent year-over-year, driven by events like the Qingdao International Beer Festival and concert tours across the city.

Qingdao airport sets new summer records with 5.98 million passengers and 29 international routes, as travel surged across Asia and beyond. [Photo/Guanhai News]