Foreign passengers making same-day international connections can now remain airside without passing Chinese immigration at ten additional airports, after the NIA replicated its 24-hour “direct-transit-without-inspection” policy nationwide on 5 November 2025. Tianjin Binhai, Dalian Zhoushuizi, Nanjing Lukou, Fuzhou Changle, Qingdao Jiaodong, Wuhan Tianhe, Nanning Wuxu, Haikou Meilan, Chongqing Jiangbei and Kunming Changshui join the original list of hubs offering the service.
Passengers holding confirmed onward tickets that depart within 24 hours can stay in the sterile zone, skip arrival cards and avoid visa checks entirely. Airlines welcomed the change, predicting smoother transfers on Europe-Australia and Southeast Asia-North America routings that typically require a mainland China stop-over.
![24-hour airside transit without immigration inspection extended to ten more airports]()
Airport operators have been upgrading signage and lounge capacity in anticipation of higher through-traffic. Chongqing Jiangbei, for example, is opening a dedicated international-to-international corridor that halves walking times between concourses, while Haikou Meilan has installed new bilingual way-finding kiosks.
For corporate travel programmes, the benefit is two-fold: lower airfare costs—because Chinese carriers frequently price competitively on multi-segment itineraries—and reduced visa-processing overheads for employees who are merely transiting. Mobility teams should, however, advise travellers that the exemption does not permit leaving the airport; those wishing to enter China must still meet regular visa or transit-visa-free rules.
Passengers holding confirmed onward tickets that depart within 24 hours can stay in the sterile zone, skip arrival cards and avoid visa checks entirely. Airlines welcomed the change, predicting smoother transfers on Europe-Australia and Southeast Asia-North America routings that typically require a mainland China stop-over.
Airport operators have been upgrading signage and lounge capacity in anticipation of higher through-traffic. Chongqing Jiangbei, for example, is opening a dedicated international-to-international corridor that halves walking times between concourses, while Haikou Meilan has installed new bilingual way-finding kiosks.
For corporate travel programmes, the benefit is two-fold: lower airfare costs—because Chinese carriers frequently price competitively on multi-segment itineraries—and reduced visa-processing overheads for employees who are merely transiting. Mobility teams should, however, advise travellers that the exemption does not permit leaving the airport; those wishing to enter China must still meet regular visa or transit-visa-free rules.
