China-Russia Flight Boom: Regional Airports Lead the Way in 2025

The busiest and most promising air routes between Russia and China in 2025 are those linking Russian regional airports with Beijing and Shanghai, according to Yulia Elrikh, general director of Siberian Airports. Speaking to RIA Novosti, Elrikh highlighted that routes from cities like Sochi, Krasnoyarsk, Vladivostok, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, and Novokuznetsk to China’s major hubs are seeing the strongest demand. She also noted that tourist flights from Russian regions to Hainan Island remain consistently popular.

“Our analysis shows that routes connecting Russian regional airports with Beijing and Shanghai, as well as cities with traditional ties to Russia like Harbin, Dalian, and Manzhouli, are the most in demand,” Elrikh said. She emphasized that bringing Chinese airlines onto routes from China to Russian regions is now a top priority. This move would expand flight geography, increase frequency, and ease the pressure on Russian carriers facing a shortage of aircraft.

Earlier, Maxim Reshetnikov, head of Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development, stated that Russia is steadily expanding direct air links abroad. To boost tourist flow from China, he said, the country needs an additional 100 flights per week. With regional airports emerging as key players, the Russia-China aviation market is set for continued growth.