Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport Guide

Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport sits in Songpan County, in the mountains of northern Sichuan. At 3,448 metres above sea level it is one of the highest commercial airports in the world. The thin air and the surrounding terrain shape how the airport works, and flights depend heavily on weather.

The airport serves two protected areas that draw most of its visitors. Jiuzhaigou Valley lies about 88 kilometres away, and the Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area is roughly 53 kilometres away. Flights began on 28 September 2003. A single concrete runway, 3,200 metres long and 60 metres wide, handles all traffic.

Service is thin and tourism-driven. Air China and Sichuan Airlines connect the airport with Chengdu and Beijing. The airport recorded about 150,000 passengers and 2,222 aircraft movements in 2021, a fraction of what it handled before the 2017 earthquake and the pandemic cut visitor numbers. Chengdu lies about 240 kilometres away, a flight of around 40 minutes.