Data released at the 2026 National Civil Aviation Work Conference reveals that, as of 2025, China's aviation-experienced population—that is, the number of individuals who have boarded a flight—has surpassed 500 million. This places China at the forefront globally in terms of the sheer number of air travelers. Considering China's total population stands at 1.408 billion, this implies that around 900 million people have never flown, constituting roughly 64.5% of the populace.

In 2025, the civil aviation sector reported a profit of 6.5 billion yuan, reflecting enhanced operational efficiency. Over the course of the year, it accomplished a total transport turnover of 164.08 billion ton-kilometers, ferried 770 million passengers, and processed 10.172 million tons of cargo and mail. These figures represent year-on-year growth of 10.5%, 5.5%, and 13.3%, respectively. Notably, the number of international flights has rebounded to over 90% of the pre-pandemic (2019) levels, with international passenger traffic witnessing a 21.6% year-on-year surge.

The Civil Aviation Administration has outlined its objectives for 2026, aiming to transport 810 million passengers. Additionally, it plans to expedite the establishment of a low-altitude flight service station system, fostering an uptick in the localization rate of the aviation industry supply chain.