Hainan Airlines vs Xiamen Airlines (XiamenAir)

Overview

Hainan Airlines is headquartered in Haikou, Hainan, China, and was founded in October 1989. According to Wikipedia, it is China's largest civilian-run air transport company and the fourth-largest Chinese airline by fleet size. After parent HNA Group entered bankruptcy restructuring in 2021, the airline component came under Liaoning Fangda Group-backed ownership. The airline is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and is not a member of any of the three global alliances. Its subsidiaries include Beijing Capital Airlines, Lucky Air, Tianjin Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines and Fuzhou Airlines.

Network and hubs

The main base is Haikou Meilan International Airport. Hubs are Beijing Capital, Chongqing, Shenzhen and Xi'an, with focus cities including Changsha, Guangzhou, Lanzhou, Sanya, Shanghai Pudong, Taiyuan and Ürümqi. The airline lists about 120 destinations. It links China with Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania.

Fleet

Wikipedia lists a fleet of 233 aircraft (as of September 2026). It comprises about 126 Boeing 737-800s, 32 737 MAX 8s, 28 787-9s, 22 Airbus A330-300s, 6 A330-200s, 10 A320neos, 2 A321neos and 1 A330-900. Hainan retired its Boeing 787-8s in September 2026. In July 2026 it announced an order for 40 Airbus A320neo-family aircraft, with deliveries between 2028 and 2032. Some per-type counts are marked as needing citation.

On board

• Business class: 1-2-1 reverse herringbone seats with a 45 in pitch on the A330-300, and a similar design on newer 787-9s with the "Dream Feather" cabin. The A330-200 and older 787s have 2-2-2 layouts.
• Premium economy: only on newer 787-9s, with a 38 in pitch and a 13 in screen.
• Economy: 32 in pitch on long-haul flights, with 9–12 in personal screens and USB ports on newer aircraft.

Meal and Wi-Fi details were not confirmed from the sources reviewed. Check the airline website for the route you plan to fly. The airline holds a Skytrax five-star rating and was voted Best Airline in China by Skytrax in 2024.

Good to know

• Baggage allowances and change fees vary by route and fare. They were not confirmed here, so check the airline's website.
• Hainan operates its own lounges in Beijing (Terminal 1), Haikou, Xi'an, Guangzhou and Ürümqi.
• The loyalty programme is Fortune Wings Club.
• No published on-time performance figure was found.

Overview

Xiamen Airlines, branded XiamenAir, is a Chinese airline based in Xiamen, Fujian. According to Wikipedia, it was founded on 25 July 1984 and was the first airline in China to operate independently as an enterprise. China Southern Airlines owns 51%. XiamenAir is a member of SkyTeam. Its subsidiaries include Hebei Airlines and Jiangxi Airlines.

Network and hubs

The main hubs are Xiamen and Fuzhou, with Beijing–Daxing and Hangzhou as secondary hubs. Focus cities include Changsha, Chongqing, Quanzhou, Shanghai–Hongqiao, Tianjin and Yinchuan. SkyTeam lists about 101 destinations in 18 countries and roughly 590 daily departures. The network covers China, Southeast and Northeast Asia, Europe, Australia and North America. Routes Online reports a planned first Africa route, Xiamen–Addis Ababa, using a Boeing 787-8.

Fleet

Wikipedia and SkyTeam give a fleet of 172 aircraft, with an average age of about six years per SkyTeam. Routes Online quotes a larger figure of 220 aircraft, which appears to use a different basis. Long-haul flying uses Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft (10 in total, according to Routes Online). The rest of the fleet is Boeing narrow-body aircraft, including the 737 MAX per Wikidata. Check the airline for current counts.

On board

Business and Economy cabins are offered. Economy fares are sold in several brands: Light, Standard, Comfort and Flex. Some domestic flights have a First Class cabin. Seat pitch, meal and entertainment details were not confirmed from the sources reviewed and vary by aircraft and route.

Good to know

• Cabin baggage: one bag up to 5 kg and 55x25x35 cm, according to XiamenAir. First Class passengers may carry two items on domestic flights.
• Checked baggage: on the same page, Business allows 2 x 32 kg and Economy 2 x 23 kg on the routes listed. Domestic allowances are lower (20 kg in Economy) and international allowances depend on the fare brand.
• Excess baggage: the baggage page lists fees for extra pieces, for example CNY 1,400 for a first additional 23 kg piece on the route group shown.
• Lounges: Plaza Premium lounge access applies to Business Class passengers and to Egret Gold and Silver cardholders.
• Loyalty: the programme is Egret Miles, and SkyTeam elite status gives extra baggage allowance.