China’s domestic airline capacity is surging well beyond pre-pandemic levels

The continuing strength of China's domestic market is helping to drive improvement in Chinese airline financial results, and is also helping to offset the slow recovery in key international markets.

Domestic capacity is now significantly beyond 2019 levels, as growth has not only resumed since the COVID-19 pandemic, but has accelerated.

Because China was more cautious in removing pandemic-era travel restrictions, its airlines are trailing others in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of financial recovery.

However, the "big three" airlines from mainland China have either narrowed their losses considerably in the first quarter, or have returned to profitability.

Economic trends and political issues are hindering international demand, but the domestic market is not as affected by these factors, so the impressive capacity growth rate continues.

This is one of the world's most important domestic markets, as the rankings tables for routes and overall capacity in this analysis illustrate.