Sanya Phoenix International Airport (hereinafter referred to as "Sanya Airport") was officially opened on July 1, 1994. It is classified as a 4E grade airport, capable of accommodating full-capacity takeoffs and landings of large aircraft such as the Boeing 747-400. The total terminal area is 231,900 square meters, including Terminal 1 (58,300 ㎡), Terminal 2 (20,000 ㎡), Terminal 3 (124,300 ㎡), International Terminal (16,300 ㎡) and VIP Terminal (13,000 ㎡), with 88 apron stands.
Initially designed for an annual passenger throughput of 1.5 million, Sanya Airport has seen continuous capacity growth after several rounds of expansion and upgrades. Annual passenger throughput exceeded 10 million for the first time in 2011. In 2018, it became the first non-provincial capital prefecture-level airport in China to join the "20-million-passenger club". In 2025, passenger throughput exceeded 22.68 million, setting a new historical record since its operation. With the official operation of Terminal 3 on February 6, 2026, the airport’s annual handling capacity has been raised to 30 million passenger trips.
As of March 2026, Sanya Airport operates 155 routes, including 34 international and regional routes, and has air links with 101 airports, including 28 international and regional airports.
Sanya Airport is positioned as a regional aviation gateway sub-hub serving the Pacific Ocean and Indian Oceans, and an aviation logistics hub for the "Belt and Road Initiative". Relying on Hainan Free Trade Port policies, in 2025 Sanya Airport launched several landmark routes: Hainan’s first the Fifth Freedom passenger route linking directly to Europe (Frankfurt ⇌ Bangkok ⇌ Sanya), Sanya’s first scheduled the Fifth Freedom international cargo route linking Europe (Tbilisi – Sanya – Milan), and China’s first the Seventh Freedom passenger route (Sanya ⇌ Prague), marking a milestone breakthrough in the liberalization of international traffic rights for Sanya Airport.
Over the years, driven by Party Building, Sanya Airport has promoted operational safety and service innovation, achieving 32 consecutive years of safe operation. It has passed the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) aviation security audits and ISO 9001 quality management system certifications many times, and has won numerous awards in airport construction, service quality and event support, including "National Civilized Unit", SKYTRAX "World’s Best VIP Terminal", SKYTRAX 4-Star Airport, ACI Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Excellence Award and Best Airport in Asia-Pacific Region.Meanwhile, the airport actively practices green development and social responsibility. Through a number of energy-saving technological renovations, it has effectively reduced carbon emissions and won the title of "Two-Star Low-Carbon Airport". It has long carried out volunteer services such as the " Assisting Education, Nurturing Dreams and Shaping People" campaign, establishing a positive image as a state-owned enterprise.
Looking to the future, Sanya Airport will uphold the service philosophy of "Phoenix soaring, warmth accompanying" and build a four-type airport with "safety, greenness, intelligence, and humanity" as its core, playing a greater strategic supporting role in the construction of Hainan Free Trade Port and creating an important gateway for China's opening up in the new era.
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