The Qingdao airport in Shandong province plans to schedule more international flights during the summer travel rush. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Qingdao airport in Shandong province plans to schedule more international flights during the summer travel rush, which began on July 1, to cater to passengers' needs and facilitate the city's global civil aviation market.

On July 1, Qingdao Airlines launched the Qingdao-Jeju route, marking the official resumption of direct flights between Qingdao and Jeju in South Korea after a hiatus of more than four years.

Jeju Island is South Korea's largest island and a renowned tourist destination. The 1.5-hour direct flight from Qingdao to Jeju Island provides Qingdao residents with a convenient option for outbound travel.

The Qingdao-Jeju route operates on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The outbound flight departs from Qingdao at 18:05 and arrives at Jeju Island at 21:05, while the return flight departs from Jeju Island at 22:05 (or 22:25) and arrives in Qingdao at 22:50.

During this year's summer travel season, major airlines are increasing their capacity at the Qingdao airport, adding or enhancing 30 domestic and international routes between tourist hotspots like Dunhuang and Kuala Lumpur, bringing increased convenience for travelers entering and exiting Qingdao.

Domestically, routes to popular tourist cities such as Dunhuang, Turpan, and Huangshan have been restored, and the frequency of routes to Kunming, Harbin, Yinchuan, Xining, Chengdu, and Haikou have been increased, allowing easier access to summer escapes, desert tours, and red tourism destinations.

Internationally, with strong support from on-site units like airport customs and border control, Qingdao has introduced or enhanced international routes to Osaka, Jeju, and Kuala Lumpur, collaborating with Shandong Airlines to launch Qingdao's first international express route from Qingdao to Seoul and thereby providing travelers with more outbound travel options. Following these enhancements, the daily average number of flights between Japan and South Korea has reached 43, while flights to and from Southeast Asia and South Asia average five per day.