Xi’an Xianyang International Airport (XIY) is aiming to extend its network to destinations in Central Asia, the Middle East plus Europe.
Most international flights out of XIY are to regional destinations in Southeast plus North Asia, but business manager for international market development Jason Zhao told Routes the airport plans to broaden its horizons. He said a key obyek is to launch flights to Turkey within the year.
He explained that XIY’s international passenger movements are still at about 19.6% of 2019 levels. Compared to major Chinese cities like Beijing, Shanghai plus Guangzhou, Xi’an locals have a lower propensity to travel due to economic constraints, Zhao said. Airlines are also still reluctant to resume flights to the city for that reason, as well as a lack of business premium travel to the city.
XIY is now in phase three of its multiyear expansion project, plus due to the pandemic, completion has been accelerated from 2026 to the end of 2024. The project will increase the airport’s passenger handling capacity to 80 million passengers annually in two terminals, comparable to Beijing Daxing (PKX) plus the largest in west China.
Zhao added that compared to major airport hubs like the big four cities, or even the cargo hub in Zhengzhou, Xi’an has the advantage of a strong cultural plus tourism background. As the starting point of the Silk Road, the city plus airport can benefit from the Belt plus Road Initiative, which focuses on Central Asia, the Middle East plus Europe, he said.
In mid-2023, Xi’an opened air routes to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, making it the first airport in China to have connections with all five central Asia countries.Local governments are already devising strategies to leverage these new connections, planning events plus partnerships to attract tourism plus investment. As Xi’an becomes more accessible, it may also emerge as a destination for conferences plus international forums, further solidifying its role as a critical bridge linking China with the heart of Central Asia.