China is Flying High Again: Cirium Survey Shows Remarkable Consumer Confidence for a Travel Restart
Chinese travelers are leading the airline travel recovery, with 96% intending to travel, according to a new survey by Cirium, the aviation analytics company. 81% of respondents say they plan to fly at least once within the next 12 months and 50% plan to fly by this autumn. Of those planning to travel, 73% stated it was for leisure with only 24% planning business travel.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211020005941/en/
Cirium's new Traveler Intelligence Report reveals China is flying high again. (Graphic: Business Wire)
The pent-up demand is also reflected in China’s passenger traffic, which is showing signs of a strong recovery. As of September 2021, China traffic was at 87% of 2019 levels — way ahead the rest of Asia (42%).
The survey revealed that two thirds (66%) of Chinese travelers have taken a domestic flight since the start of the pandemic. Cirium schedules data reveal domestic travel in Q4 is primed to outpace pre-pandemic levels, growing by some 15% compared to Q4 2019.
Following months of restrictions aligned to China’s Zero-COVID policy, pent-up demand for a major return to international and regional travel is palpable.
More than half (61%) of respondents shared that they are ready to travel out of mainland China once borders are open, with Southeast Asia as the region of choice, followed by Europe, Australia/New Zealand and East Asia.
Jeremy Bowen, CEO at Cirium said: “The Cirium survey highlights the Chinese traveler’s confidence in flying domestically and pent-up demand when it comes to flying internationally. There is a clear preference for Southeast Asia, so the challenge faced is to bring back travel to other markets such as East Asia, which was a previous top destination.”
“The results also show the importance of health and safety measures, which will need to be in place to increase the confidence in traveling internationally from China.”
While Chinese travelers show confidence in flying again, 35% of those surveyed claimed that they would be less likely to travel by air, post-pandemic. They were principally concerned over health, hygiene and safety.
Almost all of the respondents (96%) support the mandatory requirement to wear a face mask when travelling by air. And over 85% support the introduction of health passports as a prerequisite to flying, and the use of apps that promote touchless travel.
When choosing an airline, respondents placed importance on mandatory mask wearing (66%), improved cleaning processes in place (65%) and proof of negative pre-departure COVID-19 test (62%).
Chinese travelers were divided when it came to the time spent at the airport. 53% of travelers claimed they will reduce the amount of time they spend at airports, compared to 21% who will look to increase their time at the airport as they feel safer with the COVID-19 safety measures in place.
The survey was carried out by independent market intelligence firm AudienceNet on behalf of Cirium. The firm interviewed over 2,060 adults in mainland China between August 30 and September 8, 2021. The margin of error in the reported data did not exceed +/-3% at the 95% confidence level.
Click here to read the full China Cirium Traveler Intelligence Report.
Additional insights on air travel in the full report include:
- The importance of flying on modern aircraft
- Future use of airport lounges
- Cabin class preferences
- Top destinations outside of mainland China
Ends
For further information please follow Cirium updates on WeChat or visit www.cirium.com.
About Cirium
Cirium brings together powerful data and analytics to keep the world moving. Delivering insight, built from decades of experience in the sector, enabling travel companies, aircraft manufacturers, airports, airlines and financial institutions, among others, to make logical and informed decisions which shape the future of travel, growing revenues and enhancing customer experiences. Cirium is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. The shares of RELX PLC are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211020005941/en/
Contact information
For media enquiries please contact:
June Lee (APAC) / Rachel Humphries (Global)
media@cirium.com
Mindy Wang (China) at Dan Communications
shumei.wang@cirium.com
Kyoko Ishida (Japan) at Train Tracks
cirium@traintracks.jp
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
MediaKind and Harmonic’s Video Business to Combine, Creating a Leading Streaming-Infrastructure Platform8.12.2025 16:37:00 EET | Press release
MediaKind, a global leader in cloud-based video streaming technology, today announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire the Video Business of Harmonic Inc. (NASDAQ: HLIT) for approximately $145 million. Following a French employee works council consultation process, the parties would immediately execute a purchase agreement, and the transaction would be expected to close in the first half of 2026, subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. The transaction creates a world-class independent SaaS streaming infrastructure provider by combining two established video technology organizations with complementary strengths in SaaS streaming, appliance platforms, and cloud AV workloads. The combined company will serve a blue-chip customer base, generate more than $100 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR), over $150 million in annual appliance revenue, and, as a business 100% focused on video, create an enhanced foundation for long-term growth. Additionally,
Andersen Consulting Elevates Cybersecurity Offering with the Addition of S-RM8.12.2025 16:30:00 EET | Press release
Andersen Consulting enters into a Collaboration Agreement with S‑RM, a global intelligence and cybersecurity consultancy, strengthening its ability to support global clients with risk resilience, incident response, and strategic advisory. Headquartered in the UK, S-RM delivers integrated services spanning cyber advisory, digital forensics, incident response, corporate intelligence, and pre-transaction due diligence. The firm serves family offices, private equity, Fortune 500, and mid-market clients in industries such as financial services, oil, and healthcare, offering hands-on cybersecurity management and custom risk platforms. With 24/7 incident response and deep investigative expertise, S-RM helps organizations strengthen resilience and make informed decisions in complex environments. “In an era where threats evolve constantly, organizations must be proactive, not reactive,” said Heyrick Bond Gunning, CEO of S‑RM. “Through our collaboration with Andersen Consulting, we will better e
Boomi Named a 2025 Geo and Global AWS Partner Award Finalist8.12.2025 16:00:00 EET | Press release
Boomi™, the leader in AI-driven automation, today announced it is a finalist for a 2025 Geography and Global AWS Partner Award, recognizing leaders around the globe that are playing key roles in helping their customers drive innovation and build solutions on Amazon Web Services (AWS). Boomi is excited to announce it has been named a finalist for Rising Star Partner of the Year (Technology), which honors the top AWS Partner that has seen significant year-over-year growth in their Technology business. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251208700959/en/ Boomi Named a 2025 Geo and Global AWS Partner Award Finalist The Geography and Global AWS Partner Awards recognize a wide range of AWS Partners that have embraced specialization, innovation, and cooperation over the past year. Geo and Global AWS Partner Awards commend partners whose business models continue to evolve and thrive on AWS as they support their customers.
iFIT and F45 Training Announce Global Partnership to Bridge Digital and Studio Fitness8.12.2025 16:00:00 EET | Press release
iFIT, a global leader in connected fitness, content, and equipment, and F45 Training, a leading global fitness community and franchise, today announced a new global partnership that will redefine the member experience by seamlessly integrating at-home digital training with in-studio community fitness. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251208170773/en/ Launching December 8, the collaboration combines F45 Training’s world-class, high-intensity functional training methodology with iFIT’s immersive workout production capabilities and expansive global platform. Integrated Fitness Collaboration This strategic partnership is built on two key pillars designed to drive engagement for both platforms: Premium Digital Content Access: iFIT will license and feature a curated collection of F45 Training’s signature functional, at-home workouts on its global streaming platform. This immediately brings F45’s acclaimed, results-dr
PHOTRON LIMITED Announces Acquisition of AOS Technologies AG8.12.2025 16:00:00 EET | Press release
PHOTRON LIMITED, a global leader in high-speed and scientific imaging solutions, today announced its acquisition of AOS Technologies AG, a Swiss-based designer and manufacturer of advanced high-speed imaging systems serving automotive, aerospace, industrial, and defense markets. Founded in 2002, AOS Technologies has earned worldwide recognition for its engineering innovation, rugged imaging platforms, and application expertise. The acquisition strengthens PHOTRON’s global strategy to expand technical capabilities, accelerate innovation, and grow its presence across high-performance imaging markets. “AOS Technologies brings engineering depth and a strong product portfolio that is complementary to PHOTRON’s long-term vision,” said Takashi Takimizu, President of PHOTRON LIMITED. “As PHOTRON continues to strengthen its growth strategy through targeted M&A activity and strategic business alliances, this partnership reflects our commitment to building a broader, more innovative global imagin
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom