Singapore’s Changi Airport will operate more than 600 supplementary flights to 15 mainland Chinese destinations between 1 February and 8 March 2026, the airport operator confirmed on 19 January. The temporary schedule—more than double last year’s Lunar New Year uplift—will be mounted by six Chinese carriers, many using wide-body aircraft to maximise seat capacity.
The decision underscores how quickly two-way traffic has rebounded since China and Singapore introduced a 30-day mutual visa-free regime in early 2024. China reclaimed its spot as Changi’s largest inbound market in Q4 2025, and seat bookings for the upcoming holiday are already 28 % higher than 2025 levels. Popular points on the list include Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing, but secondary cities such as Ningbo, Wenzhou and Changsha will also receive charter-style frequencies, expanding connectivity for Chinese SMEs looking to source from Southeast Asia.
![Changi Airport Adds 600 Extra Flights to 15 Chinese Cities for Lunar New Year Surge]()
Even with the visa exemption, travellers who need to stay longer than 30 days—or who plan onward connections to third countries—may still require formal documentation. VisaHQ can streamline those applications: its dedicated China team (https://www.visahq.com/china/) offers door-to-door passport pick-up, expedited processing and real-time status alerts, easing the workload for corporate mobility managers juggling multiple itineraries.
For businesses the additional lift provides welcome relief to sky-high fares that had persisted through 2025’s capacity crunch. Corporate travel buyers report that round-trip prices on Shanghai–Singapore routes dropped 14 % in forward markets immediately after the announcement. Mobility teams should nevertheless secure seats early; Travel Mole data indicate that 70 % of the supplementary inventory was snapped up within 48 hours of release, primarily by Chinese tour wholesalers.
The airport will complement the flights with Mandarin-language customer-service booths, UnionPay-enabled kiosks and festive events in Terminal 3. Changi’s capacity move also signals confidence that Singapore’s bilateral visa-free agreement will remain politically stable, giving relocation planners greater certainty when scheduling hand-overs or orientation visits for China-based assignees.
The decision underscores how quickly two-way traffic has rebounded since China and Singapore introduced a 30-day mutual visa-free regime in early 2024. China reclaimed its spot as Changi’s largest inbound market in Q4 2025, and seat bookings for the upcoming holiday are already 28 % higher than 2025 levels. Popular points on the list include Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing, but secondary cities such as Ningbo, Wenzhou and Changsha will also receive charter-style frequencies, expanding connectivity for Chinese SMEs looking to source from Southeast Asia.
Even with the visa exemption, travellers who need to stay longer than 30 days—or who plan onward connections to third countries—may still require formal documentation. VisaHQ can streamline those applications: its dedicated China team (https://www.visahq.com/china/) offers door-to-door passport pick-up, expedited processing and real-time status alerts, easing the workload for corporate mobility managers juggling multiple itineraries.
For businesses the additional lift provides welcome relief to sky-high fares that had persisted through 2025’s capacity crunch. Corporate travel buyers report that round-trip prices on Shanghai–Singapore routes dropped 14 % in forward markets immediately after the announcement. Mobility teams should nevertheless secure seats early; Travel Mole data indicate that 70 % of the supplementary inventory was snapped up within 48 hours of release, primarily by Chinese tour wholesalers.
The airport will complement the flights with Mandarin-language customer-service booths, UnionPay-enabled kiosks and festive events in Terminal 3. Changi’s capacity move also signals confidence that Singapore’s bilateral visa-free agreement will remain politically stable, giving relocation planners greater certainty when scheduling hand-overs or orientation visits for China-based assignees.
