As the capital of Shaanxi province, Xi’an was the eastern terminus of the Silk Road and a vital transportation hub in northern China. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/Joshua Davenport
The Chinese city of Xi’an has been announced as the host for the 22nd edition of Routes Asia in 2026. The event, dedicated to advancing air service development across the Asia-Pacific region, will be organised by Informa Markets as part of the Aviation Week Network, with China West Airport Group as the official host.
As the capital of Shaanxi province, Xi’an holds historical significance as the eastern terminus of the Silk Road and a vital transportation hub in northern China. Xi’an Xianyang International Airport, which handled over 47 million passengers in 2019, has seen passenger throughput recover to pre-pandemic levels in 2024, reaching 47.03 million.
The event is expected to play a critical role in bolstering Xi’an’s aviation connectivity. Steven Small, director of Routes, highlighted its potential impact, stating: “Routes Asia will attract even more international tourists to Xi’an, and promote trade and investment development. The event will comprehensively strengthen the airport’s existing network in Southeast and North Asia, while also further expand the route network in Central Asia, the Middle East and Europe."
Past host airports have reported network growth 5.7% higher than comparable airports within three years of hosting Routes events, according to independent analysis.
Xi’an Xianyang International Airport is undergoing a major expansion. The airport’s third phase, set to fully open in 2025, will enable operations on three runways and later four, with the capacity to handle 83 million passengers and 1 million tons of cargo annually.
Yang Ou, chairman of China West Airport Group, emphasised the strategic importance of the airport: “Xi’an Xianyang International Airport, the core of the China West Airport Group, is one of the top ten international aviation hubs in China, and it is also a complex international aviation hub airport determined by the state to face Central and Eastern Europe, Central and Western Asia and radiate the "the Belt and Road".