Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport marked the fifth anniversary of its relocation on August 12, 2026. Over the past five years, Qingdao Airport Group has focused on the core theme of high-quality development, achieving significant enhancements across party-building leadership, safety operations, service quality, and industrial layout. In 2026, the group is committed to building a world-class international aviation hub, concentrating on six key goals: safety, convenience, warmth, efficiency, intelligence, and ecological sustainability. It is implementing eight priority tasks—strengthening party building, ensuring safety, optimizing services, expanding markets, driving reforms, fostering innovation, pursuing policies, and promoting culture—to secure a strong start to the 15th Five-Year Plan.

Passenger throughput has repeatedly set new records, and the hub's capacity continues to rise. Over the past five years, Qingdao Airport has steadily enhanced its regional influence, expanded its route network, and optimized its transit systems, leading to a steady increase in passenger traffic and a more solid regional aviation hub status. In 2025, the airport handled 193,000 flight movements, with a peak daily volume of 680 flights. Annual passenger throughput exceeded 26.9 million, with a single-day record of over 100,000 passengers, marking an all-time high since operations began. From January to July 2026, the airport facilitated 110,000 aircraft movements and 15.88 million passengers, a 4% year-on-year increase. Since July 27, daily passenger traffic has repeatedly surpassed 100,000, reaching 104,000 on July 29 and 31, setting new records. By August, the "100,000+" figure has shifted from a peak to a regular occurrence.

Route network optimization continues, with domestic and international channels fully open. Currently, the airport operates 210 passenger routes, including 181 domestic routes and 29 international and regional ones. High-frequency domestic routes have been upgraded, with 12 routes now offering over 10 daily flights, forming a dense, bus-like network. The Northeast Asian market remains strong, with flights to South Korea from January to July 2026 totaling nearly 8,000 flights and 1.195 million passengers, up 4% and 15% year-on-year, respectively. Routes to Seoul and Busan rank second nationally in flight and passenger volumes. The Southeast Asian market has seen significant growth, with new and increased frequencies to Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Kuala Lumpur. The share of Southeast Asian routes in international and regional passenger traffic rose from 11% in 2025 to 19%, with passenger numbers surging 98% year-on-year, becoming a new engine for international growth. From January to July, the airport's international and regional passenger throughput exceeded 2.1 million, up 12% year-on-year, securing a top-10 national ranking.

Cargo transformation is accelerating, with the logistics sector emerging strongly. Qingdao Airport is committed to building Shandong's international aviation logistics center, continuously improving its cargo network, innovating products, and fostering new business models. It has resumed all-cargo flights to Zhengzhou, focused on specialty fresh produce transport, and expanded Northeast Asian cargo channels. Leveraging the Civil Aviation Administration's cargo transit capacity pilot program, the airport has strengthened the "Qingyida" transit brand, launched cross-border e-commerce transit services, and established a "Shenzhen-Qingdao-Japan-South Korea" cross-border air corridor. It has also successfully implemented a "London-Qingdao-Sydney" international-to-international single-document transit link, opening a new route for cargo from Europe to Oceania. From January to July, the airport handled 44,000 tons of international and regional cargo and mail, up 4% year-on-year, signaling a stable and positive recovery in the cargo market.

Operational metrics have consistently received A-grade ratings, and service quality remains a leader. Over the past five years, Qingdao Airport has prioritized passenger-centric operations, focusing on efficient operations, meticulous service, and warm hospitality. Its operational indicators have consistently led the industry, with a strong reputation nationwide. From January to July 2026, the airport's on-time flight departure rate, takeoff rate, and gate-bridge utilization rate all received A-grade ratings from the Civil Aviation Administration for seven consecutive months. Public welfare initiatives have been upgraded, extending the service radius. The airport has optimized the travel process across all stages, launching three major products: "Qingyi Deng" (easy boarding), "Qingyi Su" (easy accommodation), and "Qingyi Zhuan" (easy transfer). It offers services like 15-minute fast boarding for passengers without luggage, 24-hour access to key waiting concourses, and reduced minimum transfer times. It has also introduced ten measures to improve entry convenience, streamlining travel processes and enhancing passenger experiences. Combined with inclusive benefits for transit passengers, such as dining, parking, and accommodation, the airport ensures seamless, premium travel for transit passengers. Additionally, the airport has expanded its "high-speed rail + aviation" multimodal transport system, opening five city terminals at Weifang North, Rizhao West, Linyi North, Jiaozhou North, and Fuxin Building stations, allowing nearby residents to "take the high-speed rail to catch a flight."

The transit hub advantage is fully realized. Qingdao Airport collaborates with major airlines like Shandong Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, and Qingdao Airlines, as well as border control agencies, to continuously optimize customs clearance and transit processes. It has streamlined a through-flight network connecting 42 domestic points to 12 international destinations, including Japan and South Korea. Leveraging the 24-hour visa-free transit policy, it has opened multiple routes from Southeast Asian points via Qingdao to Japan and South Korea. As the first airport in China to fully implement "cluster-style" cross-airline international through-transit processes, it has broken down airline barriers, significantly improving transit convenience. From January to July, the airport's annual transit passenger volume exceeded 1.61 million, up 12% year-on-year, with international transit passenger numbers growing by 19%.

Guided by the Six-Aviation Strategy, the airport is embarking on a new chapter of high-quality development. 2026 marks the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, and Qingdao Airport Group is adopting a new development stage with a focus on six guiding principles: party-building leadership, safety assurance, warm service, practical action, innovation, and clean governance. It is fully committed to tackling key tasks and driving high-quality development to new heights. After five years of diligent work, Qingdao Airport Group is marking the relocation anniversary by concentrating on building a world-class international aviation hub. It will continue to leverage Qingdao International Airport's geographical advantages, fully optimize its domestic and international aviation route network, accelerate the development of Shandong's international aviation logistics center, and enhance service quality in areas like transit and entry convenience, contributing more airport strength to the Chinese-style modernization of Qingdao.