After the end of the Qingming holiday, the domestic aviation market has entered the off-peak season, with the prices of multiple routes experiencing a significant drop, with the maximum decrease reaching 80%.
According to reports from online sources and the “Guangzhou Daily,” based on data from travel platforms, prior to the upcoming May 1st holiday, the lowest airfare prices from Guangzhou to various domestic destinations were generally around 20% off. For example, the lowest price for a ticket from Guangzhou to Shanghai was less than 20% of the original price, adding fuel surcharges and airport construction fees, making it less than 500 yuan for a one-way ticket. The lowest price for a one-way ticket from Guangzhou to Chengdu, including taxes, was around 500 yuan. Tickets for round trips from Guangzhou to cities like Harbin and Sanya were only discounted to around 20% and 30% off on weekdays.
Tickets from Wuhan to popular tourist destinations like Haikou, Qingdao, and Sanya were available for less than 300 yuan. Among them, tickets for a direct flight from Wuhan to Haikou dropped to 216 yuan, a decrease of 64%.
Flight tickets from Jiangsu to cities like Dalian, Qingdao, and Weihai also saw price reductions, with the ticket for a direct flight from Changzhou to Dalian dropping to 239 yuan, marking an 80% decrease.
In addition, popular routes such as Beijing to Chengdu, Beijing to Guangzhou, Shanghai to Sanya, and Chengdu to Guangzhou all had tickets selling for as low as 10% to 20% off, with unprecedented discounts.
Industry experts analyzed that from April 7th to April 25th, there was a relatively calm demand for business travel, coupled with airlines focusing on maximizing their flight capacities, leading to the current low price environment. They suggested that travelers with upcoming plans should lock in discounted tickets 3 to 5 days in advance.
Netizens have expressed mixed reactions, with comments like, “Just checked the flight prices for these days, they are even cheaper than high-speed train tickets.” “Can I get a refund?” “It’s a pity that only May 1st is a holiday.” “When you need it, it’s not cheap, what’s the point when it’s cheap when you don’t need it.”
Some also joked, “Excited to go out. But when I looked at the return ticket, I was stunned.” “It’s like a word game, just like the toll for the highway, when it’s paid, all lanes are open and free-flowing. But when it’s free, only one lane is open and there’s a traffic jam.” “Why go out if you have no money?”
By observing these significant price drops in the domestic aviation market post-Qingming holiday, travelers are finding great opportunities to explore various destinations at much more affordable rates compared to previous times.