Image of passengers passing through the Nanjing-Chengdu Express Air Service channel at Nanjing Lukou International Airport.

On March 29, the Nanjing-Chengdu Express Air Service was officially launched at Nanjing Lukou International Airport. This is the airport’s third premium express service, following its express routes to Guangzhou and Shenzhen. It marks the upgrade of its express network from a single route to a full-fledged network, further strengthening air connectivity between key cities in China.

As a vital axis of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and a core corridor for east-west coordinated development, the Nanjing-Chengdu express air service will form a T-shaped framework together with the express routes to Guangzhou and Shenzhen. This will provide strong support for industrial collaboration, trade exchanges, and personnel mobility between the Yangtze River Delta region and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as well as the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle.

With the implementation of the Spring Holiday policy, the traditional off-season pattern in the civil aviation market, which lasts from the end of Spring Festival to May 1, has been broken. The operation of the Nanjing-Chengdu express air service will greatly meet the travel needs of family and leisure groups. The route is operated by six airlines, including Sichuan Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, and Shenzhen Airlines, covering Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and Chengdu Tianfu International Airport. There are 140 flights departing from Nanjing per week, averaging 20 flights per day.

To enhance the quality of the express air service, Nanjing Lukou International Airport has set up check-in zones and dedicated security checkpoints, and deployed close-to-gate resources. Passengers without checked baggage can complete their boarding process by arriving at the gate 15 minutes prior to departure. Looking ahead, Nanjing Lukou International Airport will build on its three express routes to Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chengdu to further enhance service standards and explore the feasibility of introducing express services on routes to other key hubs such as Kunming.