China kicks off Lunar New Year travel rush as nine-day holiday begins

China’s 40‑day Spring Festival travel rush began on Monday ahead of an extended Lunar New Year holiday from February 15–23, the longest break in years. The government expects a record 9.5 billion passenger trips during the period, surpassing last year’s 9.02 billion, as consumers balance spending with economic caution. Domestic bookings are strong (Flight Master data shows about 4.13 million flights booked by mid‑January, up ~21% year‑over‑year), with outbound travel focused on Southeast Asia (Thailand among the top destinations) while routes to Japan have fallen by more than 40% after a recent spat. Internally, heritage towns like Huangshan, Jingdezhen, Quanzhou, Foshan, and Zigong are popular, and ticket prices can be volatile with early purchases advised.