Lhasa Gonggar International Airport. [Photo by Zhao Di for China Daily]

Xizang autonomous region recorded a strong rebound in international air travel in 2025, with both flights and passenger numbers surging at Lhasa Gonggar International Airport.

According to Lhasa Customs, the airport handled 776 inbound and outbound international and regional flights last year, up 237.4 percent year-on-year. Passenger throughput reached 16,909 trips, marking a 103.8 percent increase from the previous year.

Lhasa Gonggar International Airport is Xizang's sole aviation gateway for international exchanges. To expand capacity and improve services, customs authorities have facilitated the introduction of new routes, with two new international and regional routes — to Pokhara and Hong Kong — added in 2025. The total number of international and regional routes has now increased to four, strengthening air connectivity between Xizang, South Asia and Hong Kong.

To enhance passenger clearance efficiency, customs officials have introduced smart inspection technologies, including intelligent boarding supervision and advanced X-ray screening of inbound luggage, significantly improving the overall travel experience.

On the cargo front, Xizang's first international air cargo terminal was put into operation. In 2025, the total value of supervised import and export cargo exceeded 10 million yuan ($1.44 million).