Ningbo Lishe International Airport. [Photo by Wang Jiabin]
By Jin Lu
Ningbo Lishe International Airport set new records during the 62-day summer travel season from July 1 to August 31, handling more than 3.1 million trips, an average of over 50,000 per day, up 6.3% year-on-year. Aircraft movements—the total number of takeoffs and landings—rose 2.1% to 21,000.
On August 16, the airport saw a record-breaking 55,500 passenger entries and exits. Monthly traffic in August reached 1.59 million, surpassing July and setting a new high.
Strong demand from family and student travelers drove airlines to expand capacity and adjust routes. Domestic flights to popular summer destinations such as Changchun, Chengdu, Guiyang, and Dalian were boosted, with seasonal services added to Turpan and Manzhouli. Northern cities including Dalian and Harbin also attracted travelers seeking cooler climates.
On the international front, the airport continued flights to Tokyo, Osaka, Jeju, Nha Trang, Singapore, Budapest, and other cities, while launching a new route to Hanoi and adding capacity on the Bangkok service. Hong Kong, Macao, and Osaka ranked as the top outbound destinations.
Cross-border travel totaled 209,000 trips, up 5.1% year-on-year. 5,997 foreign arrivals were registered, an all-time high for the airport.