Fuzhou Changle International Airport

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The earliest airport in Fuzhou was Yixu Airport, which at the time operated as a dual‑use military and civil airport. It opened to civil aviation on 1 December 1974. Four years after the start of civil operations, Yixu Airport served only three routes, with an annual passenger throughput of just 88,000. The airport was very small: its runway was only 2,200 meters long, and it had no taxiways or connecting taxi routes. Aircraft had to taxi directly on the runway to reach the apron after landing. Large aircraft such as the Boeing 767 could take off and land only with reduced payload. Because of the limited number of flights and low passenger capacity, tickets were difficult to obtain.^[2][3]

In 1996, with the construction and opening of Fuzhou Changle International Airport, Yixu Airport completed its historical mission and reverted to exclusive military use. The newly built Fuzhou Changle International Airport, located more than 40 kilometers from the city center, was the first large modern international airport in China to be fully financed by a local government. Although the new airport initially had only one runway—3,600 meters long and 45 meters wide—a 137,000‑square‑meter terminal building, and 24 aircraft stands, its passenger‑handling capacity was far greater than that of Yixu Airport, with a designed annual capacity of 6.5 million passengers.^[4][3]

The Fujian provincial government once hoped that the new airport would eventually reach the standard of Singapore Changi Airport. However, after Fuzhou Changle International Airport officially opened in 1997, it quickly became clear that this ambition was unrealistic. In its early years, the airport suffered from low passenger volumes, which resulted in substantial financial losses and placed considerable pressure on its operations.^[5]

During the period from 1997 to 2022, the airport's operational performance fell far short of the original expectations, its debt reached more than 3 billion yuan in the first 4 years, and the airport fell into the predicament of insolvency. Persistent losses caused by insufficient passenger traffic made it clear that a more professional and modernized management structure was needed to improve efficiency and expand the route network.^[6]

In 2003, Fuzhou Changle International Airport underwent a major restructuring. In line with national civil aviation reforms and Fujian Province’s development strategy, the airport abandoned its previous model of being solely funded and managed by the Fuzhou municipal government and began transitioning toward a shareholding and group‑based operational system. In the years that followed, provincial‑level capital—such as the Fujian Investment & Development Group—was introduced, diversifying the airport’s ownership structure and strengthening its positioning as a modern international gateway. In 2003, the airport’s management was taken over by Xiamen International Airport Group. ^[6][7]

Three years later, beginning in 2005, Changle Airport achieved a remarkable turnaround from loss to profit. In the first year after restructuring, losses were reduced by 45 million yuan; in the second year, by another 30 million; and in the third year (2005), the airport recorded a profit of 5.95 million yuan.^[8] This restructuring laid a solid institutional foundation for the airport’s subsequent development. It enabled Changle Airport to grow into Fujian’s primary aviation hub, expand its route network, increase passenger throughput, and eventually launch its second‑phase expansion project—marking its transformation from a locally run airport into a regionally managed aviation hub.^[6][7]

By the end of 2005, the total debt borne by the Group on behalf of Changle Airport had fallen from 1.73 billion yuan to 940 million yuan. Passenger throughput reached 3.39 million, and cargo and mail volume reached 74,000 tons. In the future, Changle Airport and Xiamen Airport are expected to form two major aviation hubs in the north and south of Fujian Province.^[9]

On 30 November 2015, the passenger throughput of Fuzhou Changle International Airport surpassed 10 million for the first time, marking its official entry into the ranks of China’s large airports.^[10][11]

In March 2015, the airport launched its second round of expansion works. Beginning in April 2018, the new air‑traffic‑control tower, the eastward extension of the main terminal building, the expanded international check‑in area, and the upgraded departure hall were successively completed and put into operation, significantly increasing the terminal’s handling capacity.^[12][13]

In February 2017, XiamenAir operated Changle's first direct route to North America, with a Boeing 787-9 service to New York–JFK airport.^[14] On 11 December 2018, a second intercontinental route to Paris–Charles de Gaulle was launched.^[15]

Future expansion

In September 2019, the National Development and Reform Commission approved a second expansion project. The project includes the following construction works:

• Construction of a 3600m x 60m second runway and relevant taxiway
• Construction of a 255,000m2 second terminal
• Construction of 60 new aircraft stands, eight cargo aircraft stands and relevant supporting facilities
• Construction of a second air traffic control tower and a new 9000m² air traffic management centre
• Reconstruction of the existing air traffic control tower and the air traffic management centre

The airport targets 36 million passengers and 450,000 tonnes cargo per year by 2030 once the project has been completed.^[16]

Fuzhou Changle International Airport is located at 25°56´ north latitude and 119°39´ east longitude. It is surrounded by the East China Sea on three sides. The surrounding area of the airport is flat, but it extends southwest and northeast, surrounded by mountains.

Bus

The airport passenger terminal has a number of fixed shuttle routes to Fuzhou city and surrounding areas. Opening hours are from 4:30 to 22:30.^[17]

Highway

Many expressways directly reach Changle International Airport, such as Shenhai Expressway, Fuyin Expressway, and Airport Expressway.^[18]

Subway

Binhai Express opened at 2:00 pm on 29 September 2025 directly connected from Fuzhou Railway Station to the airport, and will be passed by Metro Line 6 near the airport in the future.^[19][20][21]

Fuzhou Changle International Airport has a subtropical maritime climate, with the northeast monsoon prevailing in the winter half year and the southwest monsoon in the summer half year. There will be continuous rainy weather in spring. Due to typhoon and subtropical high pressure, there are often strong winds and heavy rains in summer. There will be continuously sunny weather in winter.

In addition to the southerly winds in the south of July, Changle Airport is dominated by the northerly winds in the other 11 months, and there are mountain hills in the west of the Changle Plain.^[22]

Typical climate characteristics of Changle Airport are: (1), cloudy, low cloud base; (2) abundant rainfall, large number of rainy days; (3) fast wind speed, large number of windy days, and the annual average wind speed is 4.5 m/s (4) the airport has less thunderstorms, but the airport airspace has frequent thunderstorms (5) well marked sea-land breeze effect (6) humid air, the annual average relative humidity is 75%.^[23][24]

Passenger

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9 Air	Guiyang[25]
Air Cambodia	Phnom Penh, Tokyo–Narita[26]
Air China	Beijing–Capital, Chengdu–Shuangliu, Chongqing, Tianjin
Aero Dili	Dili[27]
Air Macau	Macau[28]
Beijing Capital Airlines	Sanya, Shenyang
Cathay Pacific	Hong Kong[29]
Chengdu Airlines	Chengdu–Shuangliu, Chengdu–Tianfu,[30] Hailar,[31] Hotan,[31] Jinan,[31] Qitai,[32] Shihezi,[31] Tacheng,[33] Wuhan, Yining,[34] Zhengzhou[35]
China Eastern Airlines	Changsha,[34] Chengdu–Tianfu,[34] Dali, Dalian,[36] Harbin,[34] Hohhot,[28] Huai'an,[28] Kunming, Lanzhou,[34] Nanjing,[37] Shanghai–Hongqiao, Shanghai–Pudong, Shenyang,[28] Taiyuan, Weihai,[34] Wuhan, Xi'an, Yantai,[28] Yichang[34]
China Express Airlines	Xi'an,[38] Xiangyang[38]
China Southern Airlines	Beijing–Daxing, Guangzhou, Nanning,[39] Ürümqi,[40] Zhengzhou[40]
China United Airlines	Beijing–Daxing
Chongqing Airlines	Chongqing
Colorful Guizhou Airlines	Guiyang, Yibin[41]
Donghai Airlines	Chongqing, Yueyang[42]
Fuzhou Airlines	Aksu,[28] Beijing–Capital,[28] Chengdu–Tianfu,[28] Chongqing, Dalian,[43] Dazhou,[28] Guiyang, Haikou, Harbin, Kunming, Lanzhou,[44] Nanning,[45] Qingdao,[46] Tianjin, Wanzhou,[47] Xi'an, Xishuangbanna,[34] Zhangjiajie,[34] Zhengzhou, Zhoushan
GX Airlines	Jinan,[48] Jining,[49] Nanning[48]
Hainan Airlines	Beijing–Capital, Changsha,[34] Chongqing, Haikou,[28] Taiyuan,[50] Wuhan,[50] Xi'an[51]
Hebei Airlines	Nantong,[52] Shijiazhuang[52]
Juneyao Air	Hohhot,[34] Shanghai–Pudong, Wuhan[34]
Korean Air	Seoul–Incheon[53][54]
Lion Air	Charter: Manado[55]
Lucky Air	Kunming
Mandarin Airlines	Taipei–Songshan[56]
Qingdao Airlines	Changchun,[57] Harbin,[57] Tianjin,[58] Yantai
Ruili Airlines	Kunming, Lijiang,[59] Zhaotong[59]
Scoot	Singapore[60]
Shandong Airlines	Beijing–Capital, Jinan, Qingdao, Ürümqi, Zhuhai
Shanghai Airlines	Changchun,[61] Kuala Lumpur - International,[62] Shanghai–Hongqiao
Shenzhen Airlines	Nanjing, Nanning, Shenyang, Zhengzhou[28]
Sichuan Airlines	Chengdu–Shuangliu, Chengdu–Tianfu,[63] Chongqing, Jinan[64]
Spring Airlines	Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi,[65] Dalian, Dongying,[66] Lanzhou, Shenyang,[34] Yancheng,[34] Yangzhou
Tianjin Airlines	Hengyang,[67] Linyi,[67] Ürümqi,[67] Xi'an,[67] Zunyi–Xinzhou[67]
Urumqi Air	Luoyang,[68] Ürümqi, Yulin (Shaanxi)[34]
West Air	Chongqing[69]
XiamenAir	Amsterdam[70], Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi[71], Beijing–Daxing[72] Changchun, Changsha, Changzhou[73], Chengdu–Tianfu, Chongqing, Dalian, Guangzhou, Guilin, Guiyang, Guyuan, Haikou, Hanoi[74], Harbin, Hohhot, Hong Kong, Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta, Jeju[75], Jinan, Jingzhou[76], Jinzhou[73], Kaohsiung, Kota Kinabalu[77], Kuala Lumpur–International, Kunming, Lanzhou, Lianyungang, Luzhou[78], Macau, Mianyang, Nagoya–Centrair[34], Naha[79], Nanchong[80], Nanjing, Nanning, Nantong[81], New York–JFK[82], Ordos[28], Osaka–Kansai, Phnom Penh[83], Qingdao, Sanya, Seoul–Incheon[84], Shanghai–Hongqiao, Shanghai–Pudong[28], Shenyang, Shenzhen, Singapore, Surabaya[85], Taipei–Songshan, Taipei–Taoyuan, Taiyuan, Tianjin, Tokyo–Narita, Ürümqi, Vientiane[74], Wuhan, Wuxi, Xiamen[86], Xi'an, Xining, Xishuangbanna[28], Yan'an[34], Yinchuan, Yuncheng, Zhengzhou, Zhuhai

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Cargo

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China Postal Airlines	Nanjing, Taipei–Taoyuan, Xiamen

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Statistics

In 2017, the total throughput of Changle Airport ranked 28 in China, carrying passengers up to 12,469,235 throughout the year.

In the latest airport punctuality rate ranking in October 2018, Changle Airport ranked 16, which is 83.19%, with an average delay of 23 minutes. Delays of more than 60 minutes are rare, only 2.54%.^[87][88]

Causes

Thunderstorm

Aviation and weather are closely connected. Thunderstorms are currently recognized as one of the most important weather phenomena that seriously affect the safety of airport and efficiency of flights.^[89] When flying in thunderstorms area, passengers and crew may encounter dangerous weather such as wind shear, bumps, hail, downburst, etc.

In recent years, Fuzhou Changle International Airport has experienced a rapid growth for flight delays and return flight due to thunderstorms. In 2016, the number of flights affected by thunderstorms at Changle Airport was 729, taking up 38.4% of the total number of flights affected by the weather. The annual average thunderstorm of Fuzhou Changle International Airport is 27.3d which is considerably frequent and has a greater impact on flight. Thunderstorms vary greatly from year to year, and thunderstorms may occur throughout the year. As the temperature rises, thunderstorms frequency begin to increase.

The main activity period of thunderstorms at Fuzhou Airport is from March to September. Thunderstorms appear most frequent in summer, with an average number of days of 13.5 days, accounting for 49.5 percent of the total number of thunderstorms in the year.

Compared to other months of the year, the thunderstorms in June showed the highest number, with an average of 5.1d. Most are dry thunderstorms and are not prone to rainfall.

Thunder mainly concentrated in the afternoon to the middle of the night, with the highest frequency occurring at 17:00.

Thunderstorms may occur in all directions of Fuzhou Airport, among them, west direction has highest frequency, followed by the northwest and southwest directions. This is because the eastern part of the airport is the ocean, the west is the mountainous area, and the convection over the mountains is stronger than the ocean.^[23]

Visibility

The average visibility in the first half of the year is less than 1000 meters. The number of days is significantly higher than that in the second half, accounting for 83% of the whole year. The visibility of the airport has obvious seasonal differences, showing the worst visibility in spring.^[90]

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