Hainan Airlines released a year-end network update on December 24, outlining new and recently launched services that will run through the 2025-26 winter–spring season and into 2026. Highlights include Haikou – London Heathrow (weekly), Haikou – Brussels (three-weekly via Chongqing), and Haikou – Jeddah—the first direct link between southern China and Saudi Arabia.
Within Asia, the carrier inaugurated Haikou – Nha Trang in late November and Haikou – Ho Chi Minh City on 15 December, each with multiple weekly rotations, alongside a twice-weekly Bo’ao (Qionghai) – Kuala Lumpur service. Together, the additions position Hainan Free Trade Port as an emerging gateway for leisure and business traffic.
![Hainan Airlines Announces Global Route Expansion from Haikou for 2026]()
The airline says the expansion leverages China’s visa-free transit and unilateral visa-waiver policies, which have cut paperwork for passengers transiting Hainan before exploring the Mainland’s 24 provinces. Tourism boards in Belgium and the UK welcomed the extra capacity, noting pent-up demand for China travel following the pandemic.
From a mobility perspective, the new routes give multinationals more one-stop options for moving staff between China and Europe, the Middle East and ASEAN markets, while freight forwarders eye belly-hold capacity for high-value perishables and e-commerce shipments.
Industry analysts caution that sustained success will depend on competitive fares and seamless onward connectivity, but they see the expansion as a vote of confidence in China’s reopening trajectory.
Within Asia, the carrier inaugurated Haikou – Nha Trang in late November and Haikou – Ho Chi Minh City on 15 December, each with multiple weekly rotations, alongside a twice-weekly Bo’ao (Qionghai) – Kuala Lumpur service. Together, the additions position Hainan Free Trade Port as an emerging gateway for leisure and business traffic.
The airline says the expansion leverages China’s visa-free transit and unilateral visa-waiver policies, which have cut paperwork for passengers transiting Hainan before exploring the Mainland’s 24 provinces. Tourism boards in Belgium and the UK welcomed the extra capacity, noting pent-up demand for China travel following the pandemic.
From a mobility perspective, the new routes give multinationals more one-stop options for moving staff between China and Europe, the Middle East and ASEAN markets, while freight forwarders eye belly-hold capacity for high-value perishables and e-commerce shipments.
Industry analysts caution that sustained success will depend on competitive fares and seamless onward connectivity, but they see the expansion as a vote of confidence in China’s reopening trajectory.
Source: Travel and Tour World
