Hongqiao Airport: Flying into the Future

13 kilometers away from downtown, Hongqiao Airport has been a byword of the city’s civil aviation. With 91 international and domestic flights, the airport handles an average of 540 aircrafts daily and 85 in peak hours, and 14,889,200 passengers annually. To avoid overlapping the functions of nearby areas, Changning leveraged Hongqiao’s advantage as a transportation hub to introduce logistics, enterprises and headquarters of companies from the Yangtze Delta and to develop hotels and cultural and entertainment industries to accommodate travelers needs.

What makes it special?

When I was a child, Hongqiao was closely associated with airplanes. But it has gained even more significant meaning as Hongqiao Business District rises. --Sheng Feng, Senior Reporter of the Community Morning Post

The story between Hongqiao Airport and me dates back to the summer four years ago. I was very frustrated as I didn’t get into my dream university, so I just randomly bought an air ticket to Xiamen.

It was my very first visit to Hongqiao Airport, and the immediate impression was that it wasn’t as “vast” and “international” as Pudong Airport. After going through check-in and security check, I was waiting in the boarding room. It was a 10 o’clock flight, and I was there by 7, eager to get away from the city and the disappointing fact. The bright and empty boarding room, silver grey benches, light-colored modern design, aircrafts lining up outside of the window…what I saw started to calm me down. As the clock ticked, the boarding room became full of passengers: business people rushing to get onboard, couples snuggling, families chatting and laughing, airplanes taking off and landing…I really enjoyed the moment. -- Li Mengjiao, office lady from Xinjing Sub-district