According to a recent analysis, China’s international flight capacity is showing remarkable growth, particularly in connections to Europe and Greece, with a 75.8% increase in available seats.
The study, examining the top 10 countries for international air connectivity in 2024, reveals China’s significant recovery in the aviation sector, with seat availability reaching 75.6 million for the year. The United States leads globally with 165.5 million seats (+8.8%), with the UK and Spain following at 152.6 million (+6.4%) and 115.7 million seats (+11.5%) respectively.
While not in the top 10, Greece ranks 25th globally for international connections, achieving a 10.5% growth in 2024. This expansion is driven by Athens International Airport, Fraport Greece’s 14 airports, and Heraklion Airport, with both existing and new routes contributing to growth.
Greece’s aviation strategy has particularly focused on strengthening Chinese connections, with new direct routes between Athens and Beijing, increased Air China services, and Juneyao Air’s new Shanghai flights demonstrating this commitment. Chinese visitor numbers to Greece in 2023 reached 90% of their 2019 level (when 300,000 visitors arrived), with expectations to exceed pre-pandemic figures in 2024.
A European Travel Commission survey places Greece as the 10th most desired European destination among Chinese travelers, with 12% of respondents planning to visit. Interest is especially strong in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. The survey indicates that 83% of Chinese respondents want to visit Europe, marking a 9% annual increase.
China has re-established itself among Athens’ top 20 markets. The new Athens-Shanghai route is particularly significant, as Shanghai previously generated the highest volume of connecting passengers to Athens. Supporting this growth, Juneyao Air has established a code-share agreement with Aegean Airlines.
Data from Athens International Airport shows that Chinese visitors primarily travel for leisure (72%), followed by business (17%) and visiting friends and family (10%). Their booking patterns show a near-even split between travel agency bookings (52%) and direct airline reservations (47%).
As for their travel habits, Chinese tourists typically spend 12 days in Greece, with four days in Athens. They represent a valuable market segment for Greece’s tourism industry, aligning with the government’s strategy to attract high-spending visitors. This demographic’s extended stay and spending patterns make them particularly important for Greece’s tourism objectives.
