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Hainan Airlines Holding Co., Ltd., headquartered in Haikou, Hainan Province, China, is the largest civilian-run and majority state-owned airline in China, operating as the country’s fourth-largest carrier by fleet size. Established in October 1989 as Hainan Province Airlines, it became Hainan Airlines in 1996 and is now a Skytrax Five-Star airline, a distinction it has held for 13 consecutive years since 2011, making it the first and only mainland Chinese airline to achieve this rating. Part of the HNA Group, Hainan Airlines operates nearly 1,800 domestic and international routes, serving 100 cities across Asia, Europe, North America, Africa, and Oceania, with approximately 28 million passengers annually. Its main hub is Haikou Meilan International Airport (HAK), with additional hubs at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) and Xi’an Xianyang International Airport (XIY), and focus cities including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Sanya. The airline is not part of any major alliance but maintains codeshare agreements with 12 airlines, including American Airlines and Hong Kong Airlines.
Hainan Airlines began as Hainan Province Airlines, founded in October 1989 in China’s largest special economic zone, Hainan. Restructured in January 1993, it became China’s first joint-stock air transport company, with initial funding of 250 million yuan ($31.25 million), including 5.33% from the Hainan government, 20% from corporate staff, and the remainder from institutional shareholders, notably American Aviation LLC (controlled by George Soros) since 1995. Scheduled services started on May 2, 1993, and executive-jet operations with a Bombardier Learjet 55 were added in 1995. In 1998, Hainan Airlines became the first Chinese carrier to own airport shares, acquiring 25% of Haikou Meilan International Airport.
The airline expanded rapidly, introducing Boeing 737-800s in 1998 as China’s first operator of the type. In 2007, it ordered 50 Embraer ERJ-145s and 50 E-190s, though the ERJ-145 order was reduced to 25 due to the 2008 financial crisis. By 2015, Hainan ordered 30 Boeing 787-9s, with deliveries completed by 2021, and it will be among the first operators of the Comac C919, with deliveries expected in the 2020s. In 2023, HNA Group announced a 100-aircraft deal for Comac C919s and ARJ21s for subsidiaries Urumqi Air and Suparna Airlines. The 2019–2021 bankruptcy restructuring, prompted by HNA Group’s $100 billion debt, saw Hainan Airlines emerge under new ownership by Liaoning Fangda Group in December 2021, retaining its operational independence. In February 2024, Hainan Airlines received the “One Star Flight Safety Diamond Award” from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) for 10 million consecutive safe flight hours.
Hainan Airlines operates a fleet of over 270 aircraft, including 36 Boeing 787-8/9s, 47 Boeing 737-800s, 117 Boeing 737 MAX 8s, 12 Airbus A330-200/300s, 7 Airbus A350-900s, and 12 Embraer E-190s, with an average age of 8 years. The airline has orders for Comac C919s and additional Boeing 737 MAX 8s. The 787-9s and A350s serve long-haul routes like Beijing–Boston and Shenzhen–Rome, while 737s and E-190s handle domestic and regional flights to Shanghai, Taipei, and Bangkok. Hainan operates 1,500 domestic routes across all Chinese provinces and 100 international routes to 37 cities, including Chicago, Tel Aviv, and Sydney.
Haikou Meilan International Airport, handling 24 million passengers annually, is Hainan’s primary hub, with Beijing (PEK) and Xi’an (XIY) as secondary hubs. The airline operates 500 weekly international flights, with key routes like Beijing–Seattle and Haikou–Bangkok. Cargo services, under HNA Cargo, transport 150,000 tons annually, focusing on electronics and perishables. Codeshares with airlines like Alaska Airlines and Uni Air enhance connectivity, though the lack of alliance membership limits seamless transfers compared to Star Alliance or SkyTeam carriers.