During the 2026 summer travel season, Eastern Airports Group completed a total passenger throughput of approximately 10.16 million. Notably, Nanjing Airport set new daily passenger records five times and broke its historical monthly peak, while Yangzhou-Taizhou Airport refreshed its daily record twice. Both airports saw summer traffic growth rates exceeding the national airport average.
Seizing the summer window period, the group planned ahead and coordinated with airlines to increase capacity deployment. Nanjing Airport added new routes to Hailar, Chaoyang, and Busan, Xuzhou Airport introduced a Yan'an route, Changzhou Airport added Qingdao and Hohhot routes, Lianyungang Airport launched a Guangzhou route, Yancheng Airport added an Ordos route, and Yangzhou-Taizhou Airport introduced Yantai and Yibin routes. Meanwhile, several popular routes were restored or expanded to fully meet passenger travel demand. Since the start of the summer season, popular tourism routes have remained extremely busy. Nanjing Airport's domestic routes to Guangzhou, Chongqing, Kunming, Chengdu, and Lanzhou, as well as international and Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan routes to Hong Kong, Seoul, Jeju, and Busan, all achieved departure load factors exceeding 90%.
In response to peak-hour operations, each airport continuously improved efficiency. Nanjing Airport shortened the check-in cut-off time for domestic departing passengers without checked baggage to 30 minutes. Xuzhou Airport launched a "paperless" boarding service for smoother and more efficient travel. Changzhou Airport reduced the cut-off time for international and Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan flights to 33 minutes, while Lianyungang and Yancheng airports both shortened domestic departure cut-off times to 25 minutes. Yangzhou-Taizhou Airport deployed mobile check-in PDA devices, completing check-in procedures in as fast as tens of seconds. Nanjing Airport's "Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Chengdu" rapid service operates an average of over 60 flights daily, achieving the fastest full-process customs clearance in 15 minutes. It also pioneered a nationwide first cross-airline transfer service with near-zero barriers, allowing more travelers to enjoy the convenience of "arrive and go." Recently, Nanjing Airport's Huzhou city terminal was launched, achieving a closed-loop cross-province air-rail intermodal transport and further upgrading the Yangtze River Delta aviation service network.
This summer, extreme heat combined with consecutive adverse weather conditions. The staff of Eastern Airports Group maintained operations smoothly and orderly with a strong sense of responsibility. Each airport built a comprehensive safety net, conducting thorough hazard inspections across runways, aprons, lighting and navigation facilities, and other critical areas and equipment. They reinforced perimeter fencing, implemented key protections like facility waterproofing, cleared drainage channels in advance, and stocked flood prevention supplies. Teams continuously tracked typhoon dynamics, issued timely and accurate warnings, and dynamically adjusted response plans, preparing thoroughly for every challenge and shielding travelers with responsibility and commitment.
"This indoor waiting area is excellent—charging and resting are so convenient," a traveler said at the P2 ride-hailing waiting zone. Integrating thoughtful service and humanistic care throughout the entire travel process, a range of passenger-friendly measures made journeys warmer. Nanjing Airport's "five-color wristband" system allows first-time flyers and pregnant passengers to be "recognizable at a glance," while airport buses cover three major university towns, offering free rides for students traveling home or back to campus during the summer. Changzhou Airport upgraded its "cloud bus" service with more airport bus stops and extended operating hours to match all flight schedules. Lianyungang Airport provides free blood pressure and blood oxygen screenings. Huai'an Airport's "love kit" offers reading glasses, band-aids, and other small items for passengers to use anytime. Yancheng Airport's "cloud guardianship" pushes real-time journey updates to parents of unaccompanied children. Yangzhou-Taizhou Airport launched a dedicated service for children with autism and introduced a "door-to-door" luggage service so travelers can travel light.
Beyond passengers, Nanjing Airport extended services to taxi drivers within the airport area, renovating waiting lots, opening budget-friendly restaurants, and creating a volunteer "warm bee station." "With this station, I can rest and cool off while waiting for customers, and there are free health check-ups and haircuts. I never expected the airport to serve us so well—impressive," a taxi driver said with a thumbs-up. From cooling measures to precise care, from inside the terminal to every corner of the airport area, "Everything for you, with all we have!" became vividly real this summer.
Bringing regional culture into travel scenes adds charm to journeys and brings cities to life. A traveler was pleasantly surprised upon landing: "I never expected to step onto the 'Plane Tree Avenue' the moment I got off the plane, encountering the most beautiful Nanjing." Recently, Nanjing Airport moved the "Zhonghua Gate" city wall art installation and the "Plane Tree Avenue" feature landscape into the terminal, while Deji Art Museum's cultural and creative IPs also launched in the airport's duty-free shops, making Jinling aesthetics within reach at the airport. Changzhou Airport introduced new boarding passes featuring the city IP "Changbao," with the China Dinosaurs Park cultural creative pop-up store and peach pop-up store debuting simultaneously, embedding the city's image into these details. Xuzhou Airport launched a romantic Qixi Festival themed photo spot online, while Huai'an Airport held a music carnival, Yancheng Airport hosted an aviation science open day and a "Salt Journey: Intangible Heritage Handicraft" market, continuously unlocking "new experiences" for passengers during waiting times and making airports the "first window" for travelers to feel a city's heartbeat and warmth.