Lianyungang Huaguoshan International Airport

Lianyungang Huaguoshan International Airport (连云港花果山国际机场) (IATA: LYG, ICAO: ZSLG) is a modern civil transport airport in Eastern China, serving the coastal port city of Lianyungang (连云港) in Jiangsu Province (江苏省).

The airport is located in Xiaoyi Town, Guanyun County (灌云县小伊镇), approximately 21–22 km north of downtown Lianyungang (连云港市中心) and about 15 km from Guanyun County center (灌云县中心). It replaced the older Lianyungang Baitabu Airport (连云港白塔埠机场) as the city’s primary civil aviation hub, while the old airport transitioned into a military base.

Named after the famous Mount Huaguo (花果山 / Huaguoshan)—a major scenic attraction associated with the legendary Monkey King—this airport serves as a key gateway for tourism and business travel in coastal Jiangsu.

Development History

The construction and development of Lianyungang Huaguoshan International Airport (连云港花果山国际机场) mark a major milestone in regional aviation:

• February 12, 2019 – Construction officially began
• December 2, 2021 – Airport opened and began operations, with all flights transferred from the old airport
• August 7, 2024 – Officially upgraded and renamed as an international airport

Since opening, the airport has rapidly developed into a regional aviation hub in East China (中国华东地区).

Airport Scale and Key Specifications

Basic Information

• Airport Type: Civil Transport Airport
• Flight Zone Level: 4D
• Elevation: 4–6 meters above sea level
• Runway: 2,800 m × 45 m (Runway 03/21)
• Aircraft Stands: 16 (including 2 international stands)
• Terminal Area: 30,000 m²
• Operating Companies:
  • Eastern Airport Group Co., Ltd. (东部机场集团有限公司)
  • Lianyungang Huaguoshan Airport Investment Co., Ltd. (连云港花果山机场建设投资有限公司)

Annual Capacity

• Passenger throughput: 2.5 million passengers
• Cargo throughput: 24,000 tons
• Aircraft movements: 25,000 flights

Passenger Traffic and Growth

The airport has experienced strong growth since opening:

• 2023 Passenger Traffic: 1.447 million (+145.6%)
• Cargo Throughput: 2,008.6 tons (+54.3%)
• Aircraft Movements: 16,062 (+110%)

Historical Data

This rapid growth highlights the airport’s increasing importance in regional connectivity.

Terminal and Infrastructure Facilities

Terminal Complex Overview

The airport’s total infrastructure area reaches 62,980 m², including:

• Passenger terminal
• Cargo handling zone
• Aviation support facilities
• Fire station
• Aircraft maintenance and vehicle garages
• Catering and logistics buildings

Passenger Terminal (航站楼)

• Length: 300 meters
• Width: 67.8 meters
• Total area: 30,000 m²
• Structure:
  • Basement level: 1 floor
  • Above ground: 2 floors + mezzanine

Layout:

• Departure Level (出发层)
• Arrival Level (到达层)
• Arrival corridor and equipment floors

International Facilities

• International terminal area: 8,000 m²
• Designed annual capacity: 300,000 passengers
• 2 international aircraft stands
• International cargo terminal: 1,300 m²
• Supporting facilities include customs, immigration, and border inspection buildings (海关、边检)

Air Traffic Control & Passenger Services

• Air Traffic Control Tower: 1 building (1,500 m²)
• Passenger overnight accommodation:
  • Total area: 27,084 m²
  • Includes hotel rooms, restaurant, and conference center

Airfield and Runway System

• Runway: 03/21, 2,800 m × 45 m
• Parallel taxiway: 1
• Connecting taxiways: 5
• Apron size: 125,000 m²
• Aircraft stands: 16
  • 1 Class D
  • 14 Class C
  • 1 Class B

Airlines and Destinations

Domestic Airlines & Routes

Major airlines operating include:

• China Eastern Airlines (中国东方航空) – Kunming (昆明), Dalian (大连), Xi’an (西安), Nanchang (南昌)
• Air China (中国国际航空) – Beijing Capital (北京首都), Chengdu Tianfu (成都天府)
• China Southern Airlines (中国南方航空) – Guangzhou (广州)
• Shenzhen Airlines (深圳航空) – Beijing (北京首都), Nanning (南宁)
• Xiamen Airlines (厦门航空) – Fuzhou (福州), Changsha (长沙), Xiamen (厦门)
• Sichuan Airlines (四川航空) – Kunming (昆明)

Additional destinations include Harbin (哈尔滨), Shenyang (沈阳), Haikou (海口), Lanzhou (兰州), Ningbo (宁波), and more.

International Routes

• Bangkok Don Mueang (曼谷廊曼, Thailand) – Thai Lion Air (泰国狮子航空)
• Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (曼谷素万那普, Thailand) – 9 Air (九元航空)

Route Network Overview

• 25 routes (2024 winter season)
• 15 airlines
• 27 destinations

Popular high-frequency routes include:

• Guangzhou (广州)
• Chengdu (成都)
• Kunming (昆明)
• Haikou (海口)

Passenger Services and Smart Airport Features

Check-in Services

• 18 manual check-in counters
• Separate counters for domestic and international flights
• Check-in closes 35 minutes before departure
• Boarding gates close 15 minutes before departure

Self-Service Facilities

• 12 self-service check-in kiosks
• 4 self-service baggage drop machines
• Fast and convenient processing for most domestic passengers

Transportation to and from the Airport

Airport Shuttle Buses

Four main shuttle routes connect the airport to surrounding areas:

1. Suxin Express Station (苏欣快客站) – Airport
2. Haizhouwan Conference Center (海州湾会议中心) – Airport
3. Ganyu Bus Station (赣榆汽车站南站) – Airport
4. Donghai Passenger Station (东海客运站南站) – Airport

Public Bus

• Guanyun Bus No. 6 (灌云公交6路)
  • Route: Guanyun Station → Airport
  • Operating hours: 05:40–18:50
  • Fare: ¥2–5
  • Interval: ~15 minutes

Taxi

• Pickup location: Outside Arrival Gate 5
• Starting fare: ¥9
• Cost to city center: around ¥85

Parking Facilities

• Above-ground and underground parking
• Underground parking: ~500 spaces

Development Plans

Short-Term Plan

• Upgrade to major domestic trunk airport
• Extend runway to 3,200 meters
• Expand apron to 46 aircraft stands
• Expand terminal to 100,000 m²
• Capacity target:
  • 8 million passengers
  • 80,000 tons cargo

Long-Term Plan

• Upgrade to regional aviation hub
• Extend runway to 3,600 meters
• Build second runway (3,600 m)
• Expand terminal to 330,000 m²
• Expand apron to 93 stands
• Capacity target:
  • 30 million passengers
  • 280,000 tons cargo
  • 221,233 flights annually

Strategic Importance and Value

Lianyungang Huaguoshan International Airport (连云港花果山国际机场) plays a crucial role in:

• Enhancing regional economic development (区域经济发展)
• Supporting the Belt and Road Initiative (一带一路)
• Promoting eco-tourism and cultural tourism (生态文化旅游)
• Strengthening international cooperation and trade (国际合作)
• Improving Jiangsu’s integrated transportation network

It serves as an important air gateway linking coastal China with global destinations.

Awards and Recognition

• 2024 Civil Airport Service Quality Award (100–200 million passenger category) – Recognized as an Excellent Service Airport

Why Choose Lianyungang Huaguoshan International Airport (连云港花果山国际机场)

Travelers benefit from:

• Convenient access to Mount Huaguo (花果山) and coastal attractions
• Modern airport infrastructure and smooth passenger experience
• Expanding domestic and international flight network
• Strategic location in Eastern China’s coastal economic zone

Lianyungang Huaguoshan International Airport (连云港花果山国际机场) is a rapidly growing modern aviation hub in Jiangsu Province (江苏省). With strong development momentum, expanding routes, and long-term infrastructure plans, it is set to become a major gateway for tourism, business, and international exchange in Eastern China.