Chinese airlines are wasting no time restoring global connectivity in 2026. VisaHQ reports that Hainan Airlines will start a daily Chongqing–Bangkok service on 12 January, while Chongqing Airlines follows with four weekly frequencies from 1 February. Chengdu is also eyeing a non-stop link to Brussels in March, complementing additional flights to Kuala Lumpur and Sihanoukville.([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-07/cn/china-accelerates-international-flight-recovery-with-new-chongqing-bangkok-and-chengdu-brussels-routes/))
Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) data show international passenger traffic climbed 21.6 percent in 2025, reaching more than 90 percent of pre-Covid levels. Southeast Asia now accounts for 73 percent of outbound seat capacity, underscoring the commercial pull of regional corridors for both tourists and supply-chain engineers.
Needless to say, keeping pace with the changing entry requirements that accompany this surge in flights can be tricky. VisaHQ’s China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) lets travelers and mobility managers instantly check the latest visa rules for Thailand, Belgium and dozens of other destinations, complete digital applications, and even arrange biometric appointments in one place—removing administrative friction just as these new routes come online.
![New Chongqing–Bangkok and Chengdu–Brussels Flights Signal China’s Aggressive International Capacity Rebuild]()
For corporate mobility teams, the extra frequencies ease premium-cabin shortages during trade-fair season and create same-day connection options that used to require overnight stops in Beijing or Shanghai. Travel-management companies are already flagging door-to-door time savings of up to six hours for firms shuttling technicians between Chongqing’s electronics hub and ASEAN plants.
Airports are sweetening the deal: Chongqing Jiangbei has unveiled slot-incentive rebates and a dedicated “Fast-Track Immigration Counter” for flights to Bangkok, while Chengdu Tianfu is offering cargo-fee discounts on the new Brussels route—a boon for pharmaceutical exporters needing temperature-controlled belly hold space.
Companies should update travel policies to reflect the new nonstop options and remind staff that Thailand still requires proof of onward travel and health-insurance coverage, while Belgium expects Schengen biometric fingerprints for first-time applicants.
Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) data show international passenger traffic climbed 21.6 percent in 2025, reaching more than 90 percent of pre-Covid levels. Southeast Asia now accounts for 73 percent of outbound seat capacity, underscoring the commercial pull of regional corridors for both tourists and supply-chain engineers.
Needless to say, keeping pace with the changing entry requirements that accompany this surge in flights can be tricky. VisaHQ’s China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) lets travelers and mobility managers instantly check the latest visa rules for Thailand, Belgium and dozens of other destinations, complete digital applications, and even arrange biometric appointments in one place—removing administrative friction just as these new routes come online.
For corporate mobility teams, the extra frequencies ease premium-cabin shortages during trade-fair season and create same-day connection options that used to require overnight stops in Beijing or Shanghai. Travel-management companies are already flagging door-to-door time savings of up to six hours for firms shuttling technicians between Chongqing’s electronics hub and ASEAN plants.
Airports are sweetening the deal: Chongqing Jiangbei has unveiled slot-incentive rebates and a dedicated “Fast-Track Immigration Counter” for flights to Bangkok, while Chengdu Tianfu is offering cargo-fee discounts on the new Brussels route—a boon for pharmaceutical exporters needing temperature-controlled belly hold space.
Companies should update travel policies to reflect the new nonstop options and remind staff that Thailand still requires proof of onward travel and health-insurance coverage, while Belgium expects Schengen biometric fingerprints for first-time applicants.
