China Mid-Autumn travel surges as domestic flight bookings jump over 60% year-on-year
China's Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, starting September 25, 2026, saw a major travel surge driven by a "take 3 off, get 13 off" leave strategy. Domestic flight bookings on the first day rose over 60% year-on-year, with long-haul routes to autumn scenery destinations like Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang leading demand. Local and short-distance travel accounted for over 60% of bookings, while Chinese-style night tours and county-level tourism also saw significant growth.
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Qunar Travel: Mid-Autumn Festival Night Tour Bookings Surge 200% Week-on-Week
On September 27, Qunar Travel released data showing that the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday is nearing its end. According to the platform, bookings for 'autumn-chasing routes' increased by 1.8 times week-on-week, while night tour bookings surged by 2 times. The report highlights that 'Chinese-style romance' and 'immersive national-style tours' have become top trends for the festival, with Chinese-themed amusement parks surpassing international IP parks in popularity. The data was sourced from Securities Times and published on East Money's industry and economy channel.
Read sourceMid-Autumn Festival Travel Surges: Domestic Flight Bookings Up Over 60% on First Day
On the first day of the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, China's travel market saw a significant surge, driven by a combination of early long-haul travelers originally planning for National Day,返乡探亲 (returning home for family reunions), and周边微度假 (short-distance micro-vacations). Data from Qunar Travel shows domestic flight bookings on September 25 increased by over 60% year-on-year, while searches for 'Mid-Autumn moon viewing' and 'autumn travel' rose 3.1 times week-on-week. Tongcheng Travel reported that long-haul flight orders over 1,200 km grew 46% compared to the first day of the Dragon Boat Festival, with popular domestic destinations including Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Gansu. The 'chasing autumn' theme was prominent, with searches for related routes up 170% week-on-week. Railway stations also saw peak passenger flow, with Shanghai Station expecting 746,000 passengers. Local and周边游 (short-distance travel) accounted for over 60% of bookings, and county-level tourism surged, with hotel check-ins in small towns rising over five times year-on-year. The article, citing data from multiple platforms, forecasts that travel demand will continue to release as National Day approaches.
Read sourceMid-Autumn Holiday Sees Surge in Domestic Flight Bookings, Long-Haul Travel Starts Early
The Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in China, starting September 25, 2026, has seen a significant surge in travel activity, driven by a 'take 3 off, get 13 off' leave strategy that allows workers to combine annual leave with the holiday for an extended break. According to Qunar Travel data, domestic flight bookings on the first day of the holiday increased by over 60% year-on-year, with long-haul routes originally planned for the National Day holiday starting early. Qunar analyst Yang Han noted that over 20% of travelers are booking only outbound tickets, creating a 'peak on day one, no concentrated return' pattern. Tongcheng Travel data shows long-haul flight orders (over 1,200 km) rose 46% compared to the Dragon Boat Festival, with popular domestic destinations including Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, and Yunnan. International travel is focused on Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Europe. The holiday is also characterized by a rise in 'quality small group tours' (2-8 people), a preference for nearby and suburban travel, and strong demand for cultural night tours at venues like Shanghai's Yuyuan Garden and Xi'an's大唐不夜城. Hotel bookings for family rooms rose 21%, and 'hotel + experience' packages saw a 19% increase. The health food sector also benefited, with Dingdong Maicai reporting a projected 30% increase in HPP beverage sales for the travel season.
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Mid-Autumn Festival Travel Surges as Chinese Workers Combine Leave for 13-Day Holiday
A surge in Chinese travelers combining annual leave with the Mid-Autumn Festival to create a 13-day holiday has driven a significant increase in travel bookings. According to Qunar Travel data, searches for 'Mid-Autumn moon viewing' and 'autumn travel' keywords rose 3.1 times week-on-week, and domestic flight bookings for the first day of the festival (September 25) increased over 60% year-on-year, making it the busiest Mid-Autumn Festival on record. Qunar analyst Yang Han noted that over 20% of travelers are booking only outbound tickets, planning spontaneous itineraries, leading to a unique travel pattern with a peak on the first day and no concentrated return. Tongcheng Travel data shows long-haul flight bookings (over 1,200 km) for September 25 rose 46% compared to the Dragon Boat Festival, with popular domestic destinations including Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, and Yunnan, and international destinations in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Europe. The trend also includes a rise in travel to smaller towns, with Qunar reporting hotel stays in over 1,000 county-level destinations. Local and周边游 (peripheral travel) also saw a peak, with bookings for local and周边游 accounting for over 60% of the total, driven by a pattern of 'returning home for reunion first, then taking nearby vacations.' The report highlights a preference for 'staying overnight to celebrate the festival,' with hotel bookings for family rooms up 21% year-on-year and 'hotel + experience' package bookings up 19%. The Tongcheng Research Institute characterized the travel as 'localized and quality-oriented,' emphasizing the importance of cultural atmosphere in attracting tourists. Additionally, health foods suitable for travel and camping saw increased sales, with Dingdong Maicai reporting a projected over 30% increase in HPP beverage sales.
Read sourceMid-Autumn Festival Travel Surges: Domestic Flight Bookings Up Over 60% as Long-Haul Tourists Start Early
On the first day of the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, September 25, China's travel market saw a significant surge, driven by long-haul tourists starting their trips early, combined with homecoming travelers and short-distance vacationers. Data from Qunar and Tongcheng Travel shows domestic flight bookings rose over 60% year-on-year, with long-haul routes (over 1,200 km) up 46% compared to the Dragon Boat Festival. Popular destinations include Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Yunnan, and Guizhou for autumn scenery. 'Autumn-chasing' routes saw a 170% week-on-week increase in searches. Railway stations in Shanghai expected to send 746,000 passengers, with 59 additional trains scheduled. Local and short-distance travel accounted for over 60% of bookings, with scenic spots like Shanghai Yu Garden and Xi'an's Tang Paradise popular for night tours. Tourism also extended to smaller counties, with hotel bookings in destinations like Jiuzhaigou and Wuyuan rising over fivefold. China Southern Airlines added capacity at Shanghai airports. The article attributes these trends to the 'take 3 days off for 13-day break' strategy ahead of the National Day holiday.
Read sourceTongcheng Travel: Local and Short-Distance Trips Surge on Mid-Autumn Holiday
On September 25, the first day of the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in China, a travel peak emerged as family visits and short-distance leisure trips combined, according to data from Tongcheng Travel. Cross-city travel orders departing on the day before and the day of the holiday increased by 18% compared to the same period of the Dragon Boat Festival holiday (June 18 and 19). Local and short-distance (周边游) travel bookings accounted for over 60% of total holiday bookings. On the first day of the holiday, bookings for tickets to nearby scenic spots on Tongcheng's platform rose 36% compared to the first day of the Dragon Boat Festival. The data was reported by Securities Times and published on East Money's business observation channel.
Read sourceMid-Autumn Festival Travel Surges as '3 Days Off, 13 Days Holiday' Trend Boosts Bookings
A 'take 3 days off, get 13 days holiday' trend is driving a surge in travel for China's Mid-Autumn Festival, with the first day of the holiday (September 25) seeing domestic flight bookings rise over 60% year-on-year, according to Qunar travel data. The trend has pulled long-haul travelers originally planned for National Day forward. Qunar data shows searches for 'Mid-Autumn moon viewing' and 'autumn travel' jumped 3.1 times week-on-week. Premium small-group tours (2-8 people, 5-8 days) saw booking growth of 2.2 times year-on-year, with popular destinations including the Northwest Loop, Western Sichuan, and Xinjiang. Over 20% of travelers booked only outbound tickets, creating a 'peak on day one, no concentrated return' pattern, per Qunar analyst Yang Han. Tongcheng Travel data corroborates the trend, noting a 46% increase in long-haul flight orders (over 1,200 km) compared to the Dragon Boat Festival, led by post-90s and post-00s travelers. Domestic destinations focus on autumn scenery in Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Gansu, while cross-border travel targets Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Europe. Interest in niche towns is also rising, with Jiuzhaigou, Burqin, Wuyuan, Antu, and Anji seeing high hotel occupancy. Local and周边游 (peripheral travel) also peaked, with cross-city orders up 18% from the Dragon Boat Festival. Local and周边游 accounted for over 60% of holiday bookings, showing a 'return home for reunion, then nearby vacation' pattern. Scenic spot ticket bookings for周边游 rose 36% from the Dragon Boat Festival, with gardens, ancient towns, museums, and theme parks popular. Chinese-style night tours, such as Shanghai Yu Garden and Xi'an's大唐不夜城, are particularly sought after. Hotels near gardens, river views, and ancient towns saw rising search interest, with亲子房型 (family room) bookings up 21% year-on-year. The 'hotel + scenario' micro-vacation model boosted package bookings by 19%. Tongcheng Research notes the 2026 Mid-Autumn holiday travel is characterized by 'localization and quality', with strong cultural attractions performing best. Health foods for camping and travel are also selling well, with Dingdong Maicai's HPP beverage sales expected to rise over 30% month-on-month.
Read sourceMid-Autumn Festival Local and Nearby Travel Bookings Exceed 60 Percent, Data Shows
According to data from Tongcheng Travel released on September 25, the first day of the 2026 Mid-Autumn Festival holiday saw a peak in travel for family reunions and nearby vacations. Cross-city trips departing on the day before and the day of the holiday increased by 18 percent compared to the same period during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday (June 18 and 19). Local and nearby travel bookings accounted for over 60 percent of the total, with tourists showing a two-stage pattern of 'returning home for reunion first, then taking nearby vacations.' Popular attractions on the first day included gardens, ancient towns, cultural venues, and theme parks. Chinese-style night tours were particularly popular, with destinations like Shanghai Yu Garden, Nanjing Qinhuai River, Xi'an Tang Paradise, Suzhou Pingjiang Road, and Chongqing Hongya Cave ranking high in search interest. The Tongcheng Research Institute noted that the holiday travel is characterized by a 'nearby and quality-oriented' trend, with higher consumption density in local cultural tourism scenes. The key to attracting nearby tourists is converting festive atmosphere into experiential and stay-worthy vacation products.
Read sourceMid-Autumn Holiday Sees 60% Surge in Domestic Flight Bookings as Extended Leave Boosts Travel
The Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in China, starting September 25, 2026, has seen a significant surge in travel, driven by a 'take 3 off 13' leave strategy that allows workers to combine annual leave with public holidays for a 13-day break. According to Qunar Travel data, domestic flight bookings on the first day of the holiday increased by over 60% year-on-year, with long-haul routes to destinations like Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Yunnan, and Guizhou being most popular. Tongcheng Travel data corroborates the trend, showing a 46% increase in long-haul flight orders compared to the Dragon Boat Festival, primarily among post-90s and post-00s travelers. The holiday is characterized by a 'two-stage' pattern of returning home for family reunions followed by nearby leisure trips. Local and周边游 (peripheral travel) accounts for over 60% of bookings, with high demand for scenic hotels, garden-view accommodations, and cultural night tours. Popular 'autumn-viewing' small towns include Jiuzhaigou, Burqin, and Wuyuan. The Tongcheng Research Institute notes that the 2026 Mid-Autumn holiday travel is marked by 'peripheral and quality-oriented' characteristics, with consumers preferring to celebrate the festival well in high-quality local or nearby destinations.
Read sourceMid-Autumn Holiday Sees 60% Surge in Domestic Flight Bookings as '3-Off-13' Strategy Drives Early Travel
The Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in China began with a significant surge in travel activity, driven by a 'take 3 off, get 13 off' leave strategy that shifted long-haul trips originally planned for National Day to September 25. According to Qunar Travel data, domestic flight bookings on the first day of the holiday increased by over 60% year-on-year, while searches for 'Mid-Autumn moon viewing' and 'autumn travel' rose 3.1 times week-on-week. Premium small-group tours saw a 2.2-fold increase in bookings, with 5-8 day itineraries for destinations like the Northwest Loop, Western Sichuan, and Xinjiang being most popular. Qunar analyst Yang Han noted that over 20% of travelers booked only outbound tickets, opting for spontaneous itineraries, creating a 'peak on day one, no concentrated return' pattern. Tongcheng Travel data showed long-haul flight orders (over 1,200 km) rose 46% compared to the Dragon Boat Festival, with top domestic destinations including Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, and Yunnan. Cross-city travel orders grew 18% versus the Dragon Boat Festival, and local and周边游 bookings accounted for over 60% of the total. Hotel bookings in county-level scenic towns like Jiuzhaigou and Wuyuan also surged, while中式夜游 (Chinese-style night tours) at venues like Shanghai Yu Garden and Xi'an's大唐不夜城 saw high demand. The holiday also boosted sales of health foods and camping-related products, with Dingdong Maicai reporting a 30% increase in HPP beverage sales.
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