(Photo: Nanfang Plus)
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport has postponed the planned closure of its Terminal 1 (T1), revising earlier arrangements to avoid disruption ahead of the 2026 Spring Festival travel rush.
According to the latest notice issued by the airport on the night of January 16, only international flights currently operating from T1 will be relocated to the new Terminal 3 (T3). Most domestic flights will continue to operate from T1 for the time being, except for Spring Airlines.
Under the updated plan, from 11:30 Beijing time on January 22, international flights operated by 30 foreign carriers, as well as international services by China Eastern, Hainan Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, and Spring Airlines, will move to T3. Spring Airlines' domestic flights will also transfer to T3 from 23:30 on January 21. All other domestic flights currently based at T1 will remain there, with their relocation to be announced later.
The airport stated that the adjustment was made as the Spring Festival travel season approaches, citing the need to better allocate terminal resources and ensure smoother operations during one of the busiest periods of the year.
This marks a change from an earlier announcement on January 9, which indicated that all airlines would shift from T1 to T3 between January 21 and 22, ahead of a full closure of T1 for renovation. Some airlines, including Air China, had already updated terminal information on ticketing platforms to reflect a move to T3, though these changes have yet to be reversed.
The latest decision means that during the Spring Festival peak, major carriers such as Air China, Shenzhen Airlines, and Hainan Airlines will continue to operate domestic services from T1, and the terminal's renovation will be delayed.
Passengers are advised to check booking details, airline notifications, and official airport announcements to confirm their departure terminal, allow extra time for airport procedures, and contact airlines or the airport's hotline 020-96158 for further information.
Reporter: Zeng Xiangxing
Editor: Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He
