Domestic flight fuel surcharge will be increased starting April 5, from 20 yuan to 120 yuan for routes over 800 kilometers.

On April 1, XiamenAir and China United Airlines Co., Ltd. issued a notice to increase fuel surcharges on domestic routes. Currently, all Chinese airlines charge a uniform fuel surcharge rate for domestic routes, which means a broad increase is set to take place.

The notice from XiamenAir shows that, effective from 00:00 on April 5, 2026 (based on the ticketing time), the fuel surcharge for passenger transport on domestic routes will be adjusted. Among them, for routes of 800 kilometers (inclusive) and below, the rate will be raised from RMB 10 to RMB 60; for routes above 800 kilometers, the rate will be raised from RMB 20 to RMB 120.

The notice from China United Airlines Co., Ltd. shows the collection standard for fuel surcharges for passenger transport on domestic routes: for segments of 800 kilometers (inclusive) and below, RMB 60 per passenger; for segments above 800 kilometers, RMB 120 per passenger.

The most recent adjustment to domestic route fuel surcharges was on January 5 this year. For segments of 800 kilometers (inclusive) and below, a fuel fee of RMB 10 was collected from each adult passenger, and for segments above 800 kilometers, a fuel fee of RMB 20 was collected from each adult passenger—down by RMB 10 and RMB 20 respectively.

According to a reporter with The Paper (澎湃新闻), since February 5, 2022, airlines resumed charging fuel surcharges for domestic routes, divided into two tiers of RMB 10 and RMB 20. Since then, the rates have continued to be increased. Among them, after the collection standard was raised again on July 5, 2022, the fuel surcharge climbed to RMB 100/200, the highest collection standard since China began charging fuel surcharges in 2000.

Aviation fuel is one of the main operating costs for airline groups, usually accounting for more than 30%. Large fluctuations in international oil prices will have a major impact on aviation fuel prices and airlines’ fuel surcharge revenues, and thereby affect companies’ operating performance. Taking Air China as an example, the company’s 2025 interim report shows that, with other variables held unchanged, if the average jet fuel price rises or falls by 5%, the Air China Group’s aviation fuel cost would increase or decrease by approximately RMB 1.216 billion.

In mid-March prior to this, affected by the Middle East geopolitical conflict, international oil prices and aviation fuel costs surged significantly, leading multiple domestic airlines to raise their fuel surcharges for international routes one after another.

“Amid continuously changing international circumstances, the company will advance its strategy steadily to address external uncertainties with certainty.” Air China pointed out in a recent 2025 annual report performance briefing held in the form of an online network interaction. In the short term, fuel costs are rising; in the long term, Air China believes that higher oil prices will help reduce industry “involution” and will be conducive to improving the industry’s overall competitive landscape. The company currently has no restrictions from internal or external regulatory authorities on fuel hedging business; whether and when to conduct it will be determined according to market conditions.

According to Xinhua News Agency, international oil prices moved differently on March 31. By the close that day, the light sweet crude oil futures contract for May delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell by $1.50 to $101.38 per barrel, a decline of 1.46%; the London Brent crude oil futures contract for May delivery rose by $5.57 to $118.35 per barrel, an increase of 4.94%.

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