Mid-Autumn Holiday Domestic Flight Bookings Surge Over 60% YoY, Dining Coupon Orders Jump Nearly 80%

By Securities Times reporter Cao Chen

As the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday concludes and the National Day holiday approaches, China's domestic cultural tourism and consumer market has experienced a significant boom. Driven by the popular "take 3 days off for 13 days off" leave strategy and a range of distinctive cultural tourism activities, long-haul travel demand has been released ahead of schedule.

According to Securities Times reporters visiting shopping districts, the Mid-Autumn Festival dining market saw strong demand, with a notable increase in family reunion dining consumption.

"Take 3 Off for 13" Strategy Fuels Early Travel Demand

Wang Peng, an associate researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told reporters that the popularity of the "take 3 off for 13" leave plan has stimulated early release of tourism demand. The extended holiday period has lengthened travelers' itineraries, boosted long-haul and in-depth travel, and pushed forward booking schedules. This has extended the consumption cycle of the Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays, alleviated the pressure of concentrated passenger flow during traditional long holidays, and created sustained growth opportunities for the cultural tourism, accommodation, and dining industries.

Air Ticket Bookings Surge Over 60%

Data released by Qunar Travel on September 27 shows that, driven by the leave-stacking trend, domestic flight bookings on the first day of the Mid-Autumn holiday increased by more than 60% year-on-year. On the platform:

• Bookings for "autumn-chasing routes" grew 1.8 times week-on-week
• Night tour bookings increased by 2 times
• "Chinese-style romance" and "immersive national-style tours" became top trends
• Chinese-themed parks saw popularity surpass that of international IP parks

The data also shows that destinations such as Altay (with golden birch forests), Xilinhot (grassland mowing season), Nyingchi (snow-capped mountains and colorful forests), and Dali Xizhou (golden rice waves) saw flight bookings double during the holiday.

For outbound travel, the "take 3 off for 13" strategy helped long-haul destinations such as London and Los Angeles enter the top 10 most popular outbound destinations.

Tongcheng Travel data further indicates that from the first day of the Mid-Autumn holiday, leave-stacking travelers began departing. On September 25, long-haul flight orders (over 1,200 km) increased by 46% compared to the first day of the Dragon Boat Festival.

Tuniu's 2026 Mid-Autumn Holiday Consumption Review shows that, combined with the leave-stacking trend, the tourism market has heated up significantly. Domestic and outbound long-haul travel saw notable growth during the Mid-Autumn holiday.

In addition to long-haul travel, short-distance周边游 also peaked during the holiday, driven by a combination of family visits and nearby vacation demand.

Cultural Tourism Consumption Heats Up

According to Tongcheng Travel data:

• Local and short-distance travel bookings accounted for nearly 60% of total holiday bookings
• Cross-province travel orders increased by 21% compared to the Dragon Boat Festival period
• Local scenic spot ticket bookings rose 17% year-on-year
• City lantern festivals, ancient town tours, and museum exhibitions were popular among family and young travelers
• Scenic spots with strong cultural attributes and deep-travel experiences performed particularly well

The travel boom also boosted sales of health foods suitable for short trips. During the holiday travel season, Dingdong Maicai's HPP beverage sales are expected to grow by more than 30% month-on-month. To meet holiday demand, the platform increased its stock of travel and camping-related products by 20% compared to normal days, covering categories such as picnic snacks, ready-to-eat meats, and fresh juices.

Distinctive cultural tourism activities also served as a key driver for long-haul travel. Tongcheng Travel reports that local events such as "Autumn in the Greater Khingan Range" in Hulunbuir and "Autumn Scenery Along the Ahe Route" in Altay significantly boosted local air travel and accommodation demand.

The Tongcheng Research Institute believes that Mid-Autumn travel is shifting from sightseeing to "scenario-based experiences and quality consumption." Composite products such as night tours, agricultural experiences, and performances are gaining popularity. Travelers are placing greater emphasis on cultural experiences and interactive participation. The competitiveness of destinations is shifting from resource endowment to product integration capabilities. As the National Day holiday approaches, autumn cultural tourism consumption is expected to see another round of growth.

Dining Consumption Heats Up

During the Mid-Autumn holiday, dining consumption saw a significant surge, with demand for "reunion dinners" growing rapidly.

On September 25, a Securities Times reporter visited the Changyang Outlets in Fangshan, Beijing. The third-floor dining area was bustling, with many restaurants already having customers queuing for tables. For example, at the Hong Kong-listed restaurant chain Xiaocaiyuan, by 5:30 p.m., the venue was fully booked, with many families waiting for large reunion tables.

A restaurant staff member told the reporter that customers had begun arriving as early as 4:30 p.m. to wait for large tables. The concentrated release of Mid-Autumn family dining demand brought peak customer flow significantly earlier than usual.

A Xiaocaiyuan representative said that to prepare for the dual-holiday consumption peak, the brand has increased ingredient reserves and added service staff at all stores to ensure the supply of family reunion meals.

According to a recent Mid-Autumn and National Day consumption outlook released by Douyin Life Services, demand for the "double holiday" has exploded, with local consumption remaining strong. Specifically:

• Douyin dining group-buy orders increased by nearly 80% year-on-year
• Orders for Mid-Autumn "reunion dinners" surged by more than 105% year-on-year

Editor: Jiang Yuhan