Traffic results for Air China, China Eastern and China Southern showcase up-and-down movements between the second quarters of 2020 and 2021. 

Although all three carriers have had traffic performance in the third and fourth quarters of 2020 superior to Q2 of that same year, the totals for the first three months of 2021 descended again for all three operators, due to the second lockdown imposed in the country. By the second quarter of 2021 and with travel restrictions lifted, traffic performance was back to Q4 2020 levels for the three featured Chinese operators.

H1 2021 RPK results for China Eastern and China Southern increased by 48% and 46% respectively, while Air China grew its performance by 32%.