China's civil aviation sector handled 22.05 million passenger trips during the 2026 Spring Festival holiday -- up 7.7 percent from the same period of 2025, according to data released on Tuesday by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

The sector operated an average of 18,956 flights each day of the nine-day holiday, which concluded on Monday, marking a 4.4 percent increase from the previous year, the CAAC said.

The Spring Festival, which is also known as Chinese New Year, fell on Feb. 17 this year, providing an occasion for family reunions and travel. The 2026 holiday was a record-long nine days, driving even stronger demand for transport during the peak period.

Data from the Ministry of Transport shows that more than 2.8 billion passenger trips were made across all regions of China during the holiday.

Beyond the traditional rush to return to hometowns for the Spring Festival, a growing number of families are opting for "reverse reunions," with parents traveling to major cities to celebrate with their children.

"18 percent of passengers flying to Beijing during the 2026 Spring Festival holiday were aged 50 or above. The number of travelers aged 60 and over rose by more than 10 percent compared with the previous year. Overall, first-tier cities remain the most popular destinations among travelers over 50, with Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and Guangzhou topping the list," said Shi Ke, a researcher at the Big Data Research Institute of China's online travel booking site Qunar.