Air travel between Georgia and China is experiencing unprecedented growth. According to data released by the Ministry of Economy, the number of air passengers traveling between the two countries grew by 45% in 2024, reaching 57,184 passengers. In the first five months of 2025 alone, the number has already climbed to 29,212, a staggering 91% increase compared to the same period last year.
This surge reflects growing bilateral ties, a rise in tourism and business exchanges, and most significantly, the launch of visa-free travel, which came into effect on May 28, 2024.
“The introduction of visa-free travel has significantly contributed to the growth in passenger traffic between the two countries,” said Irakli Nadareishvili, Deputy Minister of Economy.
Currently, regular flights between Georgia and China are operated by China Southern Airlines and Air China on the Urumqi–Tbilisi–Urumqi route. These airlines operate a combined 10 weekly flights, with further expansion under discussion.
In addition to passenger traffic, the two countries also collaborate in air cargo transportation, with interest from both Georgian and Chinese carriers amid rising trade volumes.
In light of the sharp increase in demand, officials from both countries met to discuss enhancing civil aviation cooperation. A high-level meeting in Tbilisi brought together:
Topics included the possibility of increasing flight frequencies and introducing new routes to support the growing demand for both passenger and cargo services.
