Post-holiday airline ticket prices drop significantly, with some routes falling more than 60% below the average during the Spring Festival.

Our reporter Liang Aonan

After the Spring Festival holiday, ticket prices across many parts of the country have significantly decreased, and the off-peak travel boom is heating up. According to data from several online travel platforms and travel agencies, the popularity of the domestic cultural and tourism market may continue into early March.

On February 25, Qunar Travel data showed that the average price of domestic flight tickets began to decline after peaking on February 23. Based on current booking data, ticket prices will drop to their lowest point by March 13, more than 50% lower than the average during the Spring Festival period.

For example, on February 25, prices for several popular routes saw significant drops compared to the Spring Festival period. Beijing to Chengdu tickets cost about 578 yuan, a 32% decrease; Shenzhen to Beijing about 762 yuan, down 36%; Guangzhou to Chengdu about 451 yuan, down 50%; Shanghai to Guangzhou about 460 yuan, down 50%; Shanghai to Shenzhen about 563 yuan, down 35%.

Ticket prices for flights to Hainan also fell sharply. Data from online travel platforms show that on February 25, the average price for Beijing to Sanya tickets was 585 yuan, a 66% decrease from the Spring Festival average; Beijing to Haikou about 527 yuan, down 58%; Shanghai to Sanya about 479 yuan, down 63%; Shanghai to Haikou about 410 yuan, down 61%. Additionally, popular routes such as Guangzhou to Sanya, Guilin to Sanya, Chongqing to Haikou, Chengdu to Haikou, Shenzhen to Haikou, and Guangzhou to Haikou have all seen ticket prices fall below 500 yuan.

Moreover, several “high cost-performance” routes have also attracted attention. Routes like Lijiang to Harbin, Nanning to Fuzhou, Beijing to Zunyi, Xi’an to Guilin, Yongzhou to Kunming, and Guangzhou to Jingdezhen have an average one-way ticket price of about 500 yuan.

In terms of destinations, the popular domestic travel spots after the holiday include Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Kunming, Chongqing, Harbin, Hangzhou, and Sanya.

The sharp decline in ticket prices has directly stimulated the off-peak travel market after the holiday. Data from LY.com shows that on the first working day after the 2026 Spring Festival holiday, the domestic travel and tourism market remained hot. Among the main traveler groups are those returning for work, business trips, and off-peak travelers.

On the accommodation side, LY.com data indicates that high-quality hotels saw significantly higher booking rates than other types of lodging among domestic hotels checked in on February 24. Notably, bookings by seniors aged 60 and above increased by over 30% compared to the same period last year.

“High-quality hotels are leading the growth, partly because the ‘reverse New Year’ enthusiasm during the Spring Festival continues, and also because off-peak travel is heating up,” said a senior official from LY Research Institute in an interview with Securities Daily. They expect the peak of return trips for workers to end around the Lantern Festival, and both domestic and international flight prices are expected to normalize by early March.

Li Mengran, Media and Public Relations Manager at CTS Tour, told Securities Daily that after the holiday, travel product prices have fallen across the board, and spring flower viewing tours are quietly warming up. Flower viewing routes in Europe are experiencing booking peaks, with some routes selling out two months in advance.

In response to the concentrated release of travel demand after the holiday, a travel agency in Fengtai District, Beijing, told Securities Daily that they are implementing a “domestic + outbound” dual-line product strategy to fill the market gap after the Spring Festival.

For domestic travel, the agency is focusing resources on traditional popular destinations like Sanya, Xiamen, and Lijiang, while also increasing schedules for scenic routes in Guilin and Zhangjiajie, emphasizing “slow travel” and “wellness” concepts. For outbound travel, as international flight and ground handling costs have fallen, the agency is mainly resuming short-haul charter routes to Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia, with inquiries for 6-day tours to Chiang Mai, Japan Osaka showing a significant increase.

The agency official said that most travelers currently booking trips are retirees aged 55 to 65, accounting for about 60% of orders. They prefer relaxed itineraries without shopping, and the agency has arranged experienced Chinese-speaking guides to accompany them throughout.

Zhao Huanyan, Senior Economist at the Tourism and Hotel Industry, told Securities Daily that the decline in flight and hotel prices after the long holiday is a normal market pattern. The current strategic adjustments by travel agencies are well-timed, targeting retirees and those with flexible schedules during the traditional off-season, offering high-cost-performance products like wellness travel and pure leisure tours. This not only aligns with the consumption preferences of this group for “experiences and slow pace” but also effectively fills the market gap after the Spring Festival.