Recently, I came across an interesting ranking — a roundup of “underrated routes” in the first half of 2025.
At first glance, these might seem like routes with little demand. But one figure stood out: the Hangzhou–Lisbon route posted a load factor of 82%.
By comparison, Shenzhen–Mexico City recorded a load factor of just 42.5%, while Zhengzhou–Luxembourg was even lower at 33.3%. Hangzhou–Lisbon, however, stood out with a solid 82% load factor.
The route is operated by Capital Airlines, a subsidiary of HNA Group, and is currently the only direct air link between China and Portugal. It operates three times a week, with an Airbus A330 flying non-stop for 14 hours from Hangzhou to Lisbon.
More recently, Capital Airlines announced a further expansion:
Starting June 22, 2026, the carrier will launch a new Beijing Daxing–Lisbon direct route, operating once a week, also using an Airbus A330.
This will be Capital Airlines’ second nonstop China–Portugal route after Hangzhou, filling the gap in direct air connectivity between the two countries’ capitals.
In 2025, Portugal welcomed around 340,000 Chinese tourists, up nearly 20% year-on-year. The Portuguese tourism authority has set an even more direct goal: 500,000 Chinese visitors and€350 million in tourism revenue by 2026.
Portugal is also strengthening its regional connectivity. The planned Madrid–Lisbon cross-border high-speed rail project between Spain and Portugal is expected to further enhance connections between the two countries.
This means the Hangzhou–Lisbon route is no longer just serving point-to-point demand. It is increasingly becoming part of a broader multi-destination travel network across Europe.
