A design rendering of Jiaxing Nanhu Airport. [Photo/Jiaxing Release]

Jiaxing Nanhu Airport is on track for completion in June, with trial flights in July and official operations set to begin in December.

The airport has announced its first 12 domestic passenger routes, connecting Jiaxing directly to Beijing, Shenyang, Harbin, Xi'an, Chongqing, Chengdu, and other major Chinese cities. International operations will initially focus on cargo, with 12 freight routes linking Jiaxing to the United States, Japan, South Korea, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

Unlike nearby Hongqiao, Pudong, and Xiaoshan airports, Jiaxing Nanhu Airport will adopt a "cargo-first, passenger-supported" model, aiming to establish itself as a global air logistics hub.

The project is backed by YTO Express, which signed an agreement with the Jiaxing government in 2018. The goal is to develop a next-generation logistics hub serving the Yangtze River Delta, China, and beyond.

Upon completion, the airport is expected to handle 4 million passengers and 1.23 million metric tons of cargo annually by 2035.