Too many flights to choose from! Milan Airport has 60 direct flights to China every week, leading to a surge in luxury consumption

Milan Malpensa Airport once again proves that it is an important gateway for Chinese tourists to enter Italy. In the first half of 2026, the passenger flow between this airport in Varese and Greater China increased by 36%. This number is very impressive and also indicates the rapid development of direct flights between Italy and China, with Malpensa Airport being a key player.

According to data from the Italian Airport Management Company (SEA), Malpensa Airport currently handles over 1.2 million passengers on Chinese routes annually. The airport has 7 airlines and 11 Chinese destinations, with 60 direct flights to China per week. This scale has already exceeded before the epidemic. 2019 was the peak year for Chinese tourists and various types of visitors to Italy.

One important reason for the significant increase in flight routes is that Air China has added daily direct flights from Milan to Beijing Daxing since June. Now Air China has direct flights from Milan to the four major cities in China - Beijing Capital, Beijing Daxing, Shanghai, and Chengdu, all of which run once a day. This change is important because the market is no longer solely reliant on Beijing and Shanghai. Direct flights to major inland cities in China can attract more tourists and strengthen the connection between Malpensa Airport and the larger Chinese market.

After a comprehensive recovery in 2024 and an accelerated recovery in 2025, the demand for Chinese tourists to travel to Italy in 2026 is growing strongly due to the increase in flights. There are many flights this year, which may bring the visitor volume back to its peak in 2019 earlier and pave the way for a new growth stage in 2027.

The final entry data for the whole year of 2026 has not been released yet, but the forward-looking indicators are good. According to data from the European Travel Commission, in the summer of 2026, China is the market outside of Europe that is most eager to travel to Europe: 63% of Chinese tourists planning long-distance trips list Europe as their intended destination.