China which is one of the most populous countries in the world right now is home to over 250 airlines that operates within and outside the shore of the country. This year, Skytrax has ranked China Southern Airlines as the best airline in China. This ranking was based on passengers’ experience, comfort, safety, and customer relation while they are onboard with different airlines in the country.
There are other airlines that were ranked alongside China Sothern Airlines, we will be writing extensively on other best airlines in China and all you need to know.
10 Best Airlines in China Right Now [2023 Skytrax Rating]
1. China Southern Airlines
Among airlines, China Southern Airlines stands out as one of the largest in the world. It is the largest in Asia in terms of both fleet size and passenger volume and is either the fourth- or sixth-largest in the globe.
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It has a massive fleet of 489 planes and serves 193 airports worldwide, with a primary focus on the Asia-Pacific and a secondary focus on the North American market.
In addition to its massive size, this airline has definitely perfected the art of customer service, as seen by its huge success in the World Airline Awards poll.
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2. Hainan Airlines
As one of just eight Asian carriers to receive a perfect five-star rating from UK-based consultancy Skytrax, Hainan Airlines has proven itself to be among the very best in the industry. It is the first airline to offer nonstop flights between Boston and China and operates flights to 500 destinations from its hub in Haikou. The airline has been particularly inventive in its expansion of overseas destinations.
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Not only did it receive top honors in China, but it also made the global top 10 for cabin personnel and business class, and came in at number 19 overall.
3. China Eastern Airlines
Located in Shanghai’s Changning District, China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited (often referred to as “China Eastern”) operates out of the China Eastern Airlines Building at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport.
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4. Xiamen Airlines
XiamenAir is a Chinese passenger airline headquartered in Xiamen, Fujian Province. They mostly fly out of Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport but also use Beijing Daxing International Airport, Fuzhou Changle International Airport, and Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport for their scheduled passenger flights.
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China Southern Airlines (55%) is the majority shareholder, followed by Xiamen Construction and Development Group (34%), and Fujian Investment & Development Group (11%). XiamenAir owns a majority (60%) stake in Jiangxi Airlines and a majority (99.47%) ownership in Hebei Airlines.
On July 25, 1984, the airline began operations within China as a domestic carrier, with the primary goal of serving as a conduit between Fujian and the rest of the country. The growth of China’s aviation industry allowed the airline to extend its services to new regional Asian destinations, while the arrival of wide-body Boeing 787 Dreamliners made it possible for the airline to begin offering transcontinental flights.
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Starting July 26, 2015, the airline began offering service to Amsterdam, and on December 11, 2018, it began offering service to Paris, marking its first foray into an entirely new continent.
On November 30, 2015, services expanded to Sydney, and a year later, services were introduced in Melbourne. On July 26, 2016, the company began offering service to Vancouver, British Columbia, its first North American destination. The city of Seattle was XiamenAir’s first US destination, followed by the cities of Los Angeles and New York.
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Fuzhou Changle International Airport, Nanchang Changbei International Airport, Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, Tianjin Binhai International Airport, Changsha Huanghua International Airport, Beijing Daxing International Airport (to replace Beijing Capital International Airport in 2020), Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport, Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport all served as hubs for the airline by early 2020.
5. Juneyao Airlines
Formerly known as Juneyao Airlines, Shanghai-based carrier Juneyao Air offers domestic and international flights from two airports. The company, which began as a spin-off of Shanghai JuneYao Co., Ltd. in 2005, officially opened for business in September 2006.
6. Spring Airlines
The Homeyo Hotel in Shanghai, China’s Changning District serves as the headquarters for budget airline Spring Airlines Co., Ltd. The original Chinese name for the corporation, from which the English term “Spring Airlines” was derived, is “Spring Autumn Airlines.”
7. Air China
Air China is one of Asia’s three major airlines, but it has only been around since the late 1980s. In 2013, its 324 planes carried 83 million passengers.
It has its headquarters in Beijing, and it provides flights all throughout the northern hemisphere, as well as to Southeast Asia, Australia, and Brazil. Despite being one of the top five airlines in China, the company’s executives may be a little disheartened by the ranking, especially given the number of major prizes the airline has won in the past, such as Spain’s “Plaque for Tourist Merit” in 2010.
8. West Air
Empire Airlines operates the Fresno, California-based airline West Air, Inc. It acts as a feeder for FedEx Express throughout the state of California and some of the neighboring states of Nevada and Utah.
9. Shenzhen Airlines
Having started off serving just internal routes, Shenzhen Airlines has expanded in recent years to offer service to nine international destinations across east and southeast Asia.
The airline has expanded significantly, but it is still headquartered in Shenzhen, China, and serves primarily domestic routes within China. It was also among the top ten best regional airlines in a list compiled by the World Airline Awards in 2014.
10. Tianjin Airlines
Although it only began operations in 2004, Tianjin Airlines has already cemented its place as a major player in the Chinese domestic market by providing service to all corners of the country from its hub in the country’s northernmost city.
In 2012, the airline made headlines when six men claiming to be Uyghur attempted to hijack one of its planes. However, the passengers and crew were able to successfully thwart the hijacking. But these days, it is best renowned for its superb intra-China service, which helped it join Shenzhen Airlines in 2014’s top ten list of regional airlines.
Which Is The Best Airlines In China?
The best airline in China is China Southern Airlines.
What Is China’s Biggest Airline?
The biggest airline in China is the China Eastern Airlines
What Is The Busiest Airport In China?
The busiest airport in China is the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
How Many Airlines Are In China?
A total of 298 airlines fly under the Air China banner, 71 of which provide international routes, 15 serve regional routes, and 212 serve domestic routes. There are 154 destinations that passengers of Air China can reach, including 104 within China and 50 abroad.
How Many International Airports Are In China?
To get to the various cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xian, Guilin, Lhasa, Chongqing, Kunming, Lijiang, Shangri-La, Hangzhou, Huangshan, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Wuhan, Urumqi, Kashgar, Guiyang, Hohhot, Harbin, etc., there are currently more than 200 airports in China.
Conclusion
British aviation consultancy Skytrax has been holding an annual awards ceremony for the airline industry since 1999. Over 18 million passengers took the consultancy’s study in preparation for the 2022 awards, which are based on the responses of passengers themselves.
Awards are given out in a wide variety of categories, from cabin cleanliness to in-flight entertainment to the smoothness of check-in and boarding processes, making this ceremony a one-of-a-kind look at the year’s best in the airline business.
It also lists the top-performing airlines worldwide and by area. In this article, we will outline the top ten airlines in China according to the study results from the consultancy, a country where the aviation industry has expanded at a dizzying rate, giving rise to a small number of the world’s largest airlines.
