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Hainan Airlines takes the top spot as China’s most profitable airline during first three quarters of 2025
November 6th 2025
Hainan Airlines Holding surpassed Spring Airlines as the most profitable of China’s listed carriers in the first three quarters of this year, with all seven reporting profits on the back of record summer travel, Yicai Global reported. Read More » Hainan Airlines’ net profit in the nine months ended Sept. 30 increased 31% year-on-year, reaching CNY2.8 billion (USD393.4 million). Revenue increased 3% to CNY53.4 billion. Spring Airlines’ net profit declined 10% year-on-year to CNY2.3 billion. At the same time, the LCC’s revenue increased 5% CNY16.8 billion. The decline was attributed to the fact that domestic traffic growth was offset by lower airfares, squeezing margins. Internationally, LCC’s Thailand routes were hit by adverse factors, leading to sharp declines in ticket prices and passenger numbers. Spring Airlines was the most profitable Mainland carrier during the first six months of this year, in 2024, and in 2023, Yicai notes. Among state-owned airlines, Air China’s net profit increased 37% to CNY1.9 billion, China Eastern Airlines (CEA) swung from a loss of CNY138 million to a profit of CNY2.1 billion, and China Southern Airlines (CSA) saw a 17% profit increase to CNY2.3 billion. Juneyao Airlines and China Express Airlines, the remaining two listed carriers, posted profits of CNY1.1 billion and CNY620 million, respectively, for the first three quarters. China’s civil aviation sector saw a record 147 million passengers travel during this year’s peak summer season from July 1 to Aug. 31, up about 4% from a year ago, according to data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).
