The second annual "Beijing Capital International Airport Travel Festival" kicks off at the airport on Dec 27, 2024. [Photo by Tao Ran/For chinadaily.com.cn]
The second annual "Beijing Capital International Airport Travel Festival" kicked off on Friday, with a series of events and announcements aimed at enhancing passengers' travel experience.
Held at the airport, the two-day festival is a joint initiative by over 30 partners, including the Beijing Capital International Airport, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, various airlines and online travel platforms.
The opening ceremony saw the airport collaborating with Air China, Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines to unveil upgraded services for travelers on the Beijing-Hong Kong Express route. The new offerings include exclusive check-in counters and the promotion of electronic boarding passes to streamline the travel process from check-in to boarding.
Among the highlights of the upgraded services, Air China introduced a flexible policy for eligible passengers, allowing free date changes without additional fees. Frequent flyer members of Air China's Phoenix Miles program will also receive bonus reward points for specific flights. Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific launched self-service check-in kiosks and quick, electronic boarding pass processing to reduce wait times, while Hong Kong Airlines shortened its check-in cutoff time to just 40 minutes, alongside a full suite of digital boarding options.
In a move to showcase Beijing's cultural allure, travel platform Ctrip introduced a free "Beijing Half-Day Tour" for international passengers in transit at the Beijing Capital International Airport, offering them a chance to explore the city during their layover.
The second annual "Beijing Capital International Airport Travel Festival" kicks off at the airport on Dec 27, 2024. [Photo by Tao Ran/For chinadaily.com.cn]
The Beijing Capital International Airport achieved a milestone by reaching 100 million annual passenger trips on Dec 28, 2018. To mark the achievement, the airport began hosting the annual travel festival on Dec 28, 2023.
Following a historic growth trajectory, the airport's traffic recovery has accelerated this year, with the number of peak daily passenger trips approaching 230,000 — the highest in four years. The airport expects to handle a total of 430,000 flights and over 67 million passenger trips by the end of this year.
The airport's network now connects to 217 destinations across 54 countries, with 90 international and regional destinations, including 48 intercontinental destinations. New and expanded international routes to cities like Seattle, Toronto and Riyadh have been introduced this year to offer travelers more options.
This year's festival not only celebrates the airport's achievements but also signals China's warm and open embrace of international travelers. With a growing number of global connections, enhanced services and a welcoming atmosphere, China opens its arms to the world, inviting tourists to explore its rich culture, vibrant cities and picturesque landscapes.
The second annual "Beijing Capital International Airport Travel Festival" kicks off at the airport on Dec 27, 2024. [Photo by Tao Ran/For chinadaily.com.cn]
The second annual "Beijing Capital International Airport Travel Festival" kicks off at the airport on Dec 27, 2024. [Photo by Tao Ran/For chinadaily.com.cn]
