Best Chinese Airlines List – Major, Minor, & Cargo

When it comes to official Chinese Airlines which hold an air operator certificate, there are a total of 9 major airlines and more than 28 minor airlines in Mainland China. There are also more than 200 airports in China which continues to grow. Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan also have their own airlines as well. All of the Chinese airlines in this list below have registered certificates with the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

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Major Airlines In China

Air China was founded in 1998 and is hardhearted in the capital of China, Beijing. It’s main hubs are Beijing and Chengdu with Shanghai as a secondary hub. The focused cities of this airline are Chongqing, Hangzhou, Hohhot, Shenzhen, and Tianjin. This is the largest fleet of our entire best Chinese Airlines list, which is why it’s listed as number 1.

See Also >> Air China Review

China Eastern Airlines is headquartered at the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport in Changning District, Shanghai. Founded over 30 years ago in 1988, it’s main hubs are Shanghai, Kunming, and Xi’an. With Secondary hubs in Beijing and Qingdao. The airline focus on these cities in China: Chengdu, Dalian, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Harbin, Hefei, Hong Kong, Lanzhou, Nanchang, Nanjing, Ningbo, Taiyuan, Wuhan, and Yantai.

See Also >> China Eastern Airlines Review

China Southern Airlines founded in 1988 is headquartered in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China. Main hubs of the airline are Beijing and Guangzhou city. Secondary hubs are Chongqing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Urumqi. Focused cities are: Bangkok, Changchun, Chengdu, Changsha, Dalian, Guiyang, Haikou, Hangzhou, Harbin, Seoul, Jieyang, Kunming, Sanya, Shenyang, Wuhan, Xi’an, Zhengzhou, and Zuhai.

See Also >> China Southern Airlines Review

Hainan airlines is the 4th largest airline in China when it comes to fleet size. Founded in 1993, it’s headquarters are in Haikou, Hainan, China. It has main hubs in Beijing, Haikou, and Xi’an. Focused cites for this Chinese airline are Changsha, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Lanzhou, Sanya, Shenzhen, Taiyuan, and Urumqi. With 110 total destinations.

See Also >> Hainan Airlines Review

Shandong airlines which was founded in 1994 is headquartered in in the Shandong Airlines Center in Jinan, Shandong, China. It operates out of it’s main hubs in Jinan and Qingdao. Focus cities for this airline are Beijing, Chongqing, Xiamen, and Yantai. This airline has 60 destinations which include other countries such as India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea.

Shanghai airlines is an airline hardhearted at the Hongqiao Airport in Shanghai, China which merged together with China Eastern Airlines in 2010.  Although they have merged together, both airlines continue to operate separately. The airline itself was founded in 1985 and it’s main hub is in Shanghai at Pudong and Hongqiao international airports. The fleet size is 104 aircraft carriers with 140 travel destinations. They operate both domestically and international flights.

See Also >> Shanghai Airlines Review

Shenzhen Airlines, founded in November 1992, is headquartered at the Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport in Shenzhen, China. It’s main operating hub is in Shenzhen. It is also one of the two Chinese airlines which is in the global airline network along with Air China. Secondary hubs the airline operates out of are Guangzhou, Nanjing, Nanning, Shenyang, Wuxi, Xi’an, Zhengzhou, and Chengdu. Shenzhen airlines focuses mainly in 3 cities of Beijing, Quanzhou, and Yangzhou. Total domestic  travel destinations are 74.

See Also >> Shenzhen Airlines Review

Sichuan Airlines is headquartered in the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in Chengdu, China. Founded in September of 1986, this airline is listed as number 8 in our list of best Chinese Airlines. It operates out of it’s main hubs in Chengdu, Chongqing, and Kunming city. With it’s focused cities on Beijing, Harbin, Hangzhou, Sanya, Xi’an, and Nanning. Operating as both domestic and international flights, it has 94 total travel destinations and 151 aircraft carriers in it’s fleet.

See Also >> Sichuan Airlines Review

XiamenAir or also known as “Xiamen Airlines” is a Chinese domestic and International Airline located in Xiamen, Fujian, China. Founded in July of 1984. Main operating hubs for XiamenAir are Xiamen, Fuzhou, and Hangzhou city. Focus cities in China for the airline are Beijing, Changsha, Quangzhou, and Tianjin. China Southern Airlines owns 55% of XiamenAir. With 170 total carriers in it’s fleet and 70 traveling destinations which include routes to Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

See Also >> Xiamen Airlines Review

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Major Airlines In Hong Kong

Cathay Dragon Airlines is major airline based in Hong Kong which was formally known as Dragonair. Founded in May of 1985, it’s main hub operates out of Hong Kong International Airport. The parent company of this Chinese airline is Cathay Pacific. Total number of carriers in it’s fleet is 48 with 51 destinations which include charter.

Cathay Pacific is the biggest carrier in headquartered in Hong Kong. It’s main hub is also based out of the Hong Kong International Airport. The airline was founded in September of 1946, and it also owns and operates Cathay Dragon Airlines (DragonAir). This large domestic and International airline hosts a fleet size of 153 total carriers and makes destinations to 77 cities across the world.

Hong Kong Airlines was founded in 2006 and bases it’s main headquarters in Tung Chung district with it’s main hub at the Hong Kong International Airport. This domestic and International airline focus travels over 30 across the world. Some cities are Auckland, Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Chongqing, Bangkok, Bali, Taipei, Tokyo, Vancouver, and Los Angeles. Total number of carriers in it’s fleet is 43.

See Also >> Hong Kong Airlines Review

HK Express Airways is an airline based in Hong Kong which was founded in 2004. It’s a lower cost airline which has flight destinations to more than 26 cities across Asia. Some of the counties include China, Japan, Korea, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Thailand. Total number of aircraft carriers in it’s fleet is 24.

Minor Airlines In China

Cargo Airlines In China

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