German leisure carrier Condor today inaugurated a twice-weekly seasonal flight from Frankfurt to Haikou, capital of China’s Hainan Free-Trade Port. The service—operating via a short technical stop in Bangkok—will run every Sunday and Thursday until 9 March 2026 and marks the first time Haikou Meilan International Airport has secured nonstop connectivity to continental Europe.
For Hainan’s provincial government the route is a coup: its duty-free shopping policies and relaxed 15-day visa-free entry for 59 nationalities hinge on reliable long-haul lift. European tour operators have complained that, until now, groups bound for the island had to route through Beijing, Guangzhou or Hong Kong, adding time and complexity. The new flight slashes typical journey times by four to six hours and complements Condor’s existing Sanya service launched in July 2025.
Business-mobility teams should note that Condor’s block space agreements with Lufthansa Group mean the flight is bookable in major GDSs under both DE and LH codes, easing corporate fare audits. Cargo forwarders will also benefit: the airline has allocated five tonnes of belly-hold capacity per rotation, targeted at European luxury goods inbound and fresh tropical produce outbound.
![Condor Opens First Frankfurt–Haikou Service, Giving Hainan a Direct European Link]()
Should passengers need help navigating China’s evolving entry formalities, online visa specialist VisaHQ offers up-to-date guidance on the Hainan visa-free scheme and can process conventional Chinese visas for longer stays—full details are available at https://www.visahq.com/china/
Haikou airport authorities have pledged express customs and immigration channels for inbound Condor passengers, modelled on procedures already in place for Sanya charters. Travellers eligible under Hainan’s visa-free scheme (which covers most EU member states) can complete an e-arrival card 24 hours before departure and receive a 15-day stay permission on arrival—ideal for MICE events and incentive groups.
The launch underscores a broader trend: CAPA data show that, since October, long-haul seat capacity into secondary Chinese cities has grown 36 %, outpacing tier-one hubs. With the Frankfurt–Haikou link now live, mobility managers should watch for follow-on announcements from other European carriers looking to tap China’s resort-island boom.
For Hainan’s provincial government the route is a coup: its duty-free shopping policies and relaxed 15-day visa-free entry for 59 nationalities hinge on reliable long-haul lift. European tour operators have complained that, until now, groups bound for the island had to route through Beijing, Guangzhou or Hong Kong, adding time and complexity. The new flight slashes typical journey times by four to six hours and complements Condor’s existing Sanya service launched in July 2025.
Business-mobility teams should note that Condor’s block space agreements with Lufthansa Group mean the flight is bookable in major GDSs under both DE and LH codes, easing corporate fare audits. Cargo forwarders will also benefit: the airline has allocated five tonnes of belly-hold capacity per rotation, targeted at European luxury goods inbound and fresh tropical produce outbound.
Should passengers need help navigating China’s evolving entry formalities, online visa specialist VisaHQ offers up-to-date guidance on the Hainan visa-free scheme and can process conventional Chinese visas for longer stays—full details are available at https://www.visahq.com/china/
Haikou airport authorities have pledged express customs and immigration channels for inbound Condor passengers, modelled on procedures already in place for Sanya charters. Travellers eligible under Hainan’s visa-free scheme (which covers most EU member states) can complete an e-arrival card 24 hours before departure and receive a 15-day stay permission on arrival—ideal for MICE events and incentive groups.
The launch underscores a broader trend: CAPA data show that, since October, long-haul seat capacity into secondary Chinese cities has grown 36 %, outpacing tier-one hubs. With the Frankfurt–Haikou link now live, mobility managers should watch for follow-on announcements from other European carriers looking to tap China’s resort-island boom.
