As the 8th China International Import Expo approaches, Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport has rolled out a major change:
* Starting October 28, the airport will implement a new policy for domestic flights, shortening the check-in deadline for passengers without checked luggage to 30 minutes before departure. At Terminal 1, Spring Airlines has gone even further, reducing it to 25 minutes, even for passengers with checked baggage.
The “flight cut-off time” refers to the latest time for completing check-in and baggage drop-off. The adjustment ensures that airports and airlines have enough time to complete more than ten pre-departure tasks, guaranteeing flight safety and on-time departures.
This means passengers arriving from Hongqiao Railway Station to the terminal via the interconnection corridor can now enjoy a seamless “train-to-plane”transfer — a 14% improvement from the 35-minute standard introduced earlier this year.
Industry experts say this move is not simply about shaving off minutes — it’s a targeted response to competition from China’s high-speed rail.
As the core hub for air-rail intermodal transport in the Yangtze River Delta, Hongqiao airport had already eliminated secondary security checks at terminal entrances in August, retaining only explosive screening. This significantly improved passenger flow efficiency during peak hours, forming an “efficiency combo” with the new shorter check-in cut-off.
Previously, air travelers typically had to allow more than two hours at the airport. Now, with streamlined procedures and reduced cut-off times, that waiting period has been shortened to under one hour.
