Tianjin Airlines

ICAO: GCR Active as of Dec 11, 2025

456

Active Routes

3828

Flight Observations

113

Unique Destinations

116

Origin Airports

702

Avg Route Distance (mi)

5278

Longest Route (mi)

0

Domestic Routes

100

International Routes
About Tianjin Airlines

Tianjin Airlines (ICAO: GCR) is a prominent Chinese airline recognized for its extensive regional network and growing international presence.

Tianjin Airlines was initially established in 2004 as Grand China Express Air, commencing its operations in 2007. The airline rebranded to its current name, Tianjin Airlines, in June 2009. It is a subsidiary of the HNA Aviation Group and is headquartered in the Dongli District of Tianjin, China. Its primary operational base is Tianjin Binhai International Airport (TSN). The airline also maintains several secondary hubs across China, including Xi'an (XIY), Hohhot (HET), Urumqi (URC), Guiyang (KWE), Chongqing (CKG), Haikou (HAK), and Dalian (DLC).

Tianjin Airlines operates a modern and diverse fleet, primarily consisting of Airbus A320-family aircraft (A320, A320neo, A321) for short to medium-haul routes, and Embraer regional jets (E190, E195) for regional connectivity. For its long-haul international services, the airline utilizes Airbus A330 aircraft (A330-200, A330-300). As of recent data, its fleet size is approximately 106-110 aircraft, with an average age reported to be around 7.7 to 8.6 years. The airline's route network encompasses over 130 cities, with a strong focus on domestic routes within China, serving more than 300 domestic connections. It also extends its reach to select international destinations in Asia (such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore), Europe (including London and Moscow), and Oceania (like Auckland and Melbourne).

While Tianjin Airlines is not a member of any of the major global airline alliances (Star Alliance, SkyTeam, or Oneworld), it has established codeshare agreements with various carriers, including Shenzhen Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, XiamenAir, and Hainan Airlines, to expand its network. It is also part of the Fortune Wings Club frequent flyer program, which is shared among airlines within the HNA Group. The airline offers both Economy Class and Business Class cabins. Business Class provides amenities such as spacious seating (including flatbed options on some A330s), enhanced meal services featuring a mix of Chinese and Western cuisine, priority boarding, and access to airport lounges.

What Travelers Say

Recent traveler reviews indicate a mixed, but generally positive, experience with Tianjin Airlines.

What Travelers Love:

  • Friendly and helpful staff: Many passengers commend the cabin and ground crew for being friendly, courteous, and very helpful throughout the flight.
  • Good legroom and seat comfort: Travelers have noted surprising amounts of legroom in Economy Class and comfortable, often flatbed, seating in Business Class on their Airbus A330s.
  • Competitive pricing: Tianjin Airlines is frequently highlighted as a great value or cheap option, especially for its Business Class product on longer routes.
  • Convenient direct routes: Passengers appreciate the airline's direct connections to various domestic and international cities.

Common Complaints:

  • Limited or outdated in-flight entertainment (IFE): A frequent criticism is the lack of diverse or functional in-flight entertainment, often limited to older Chinese movies, with some games not working.
  • Subpar in-flight meals: Several reviews describe the food as unappealing, unappetizing, or lacking variety, especially in Economy Class.
  • Language barrier with some cabin crew: Some travelers have reported difficulties communicating with certain cabin crew members due to English language struggles.
  • Cleanliness concerns: A recent review mentioned subpar aircraft cleanliness and unpleasant odors in the lavatories.
  • Flight delays and baggage handling issues: Instances of significant flight delays and carry-on bags being gate-checked despite available overhead space have been reported.

Overall, travelers find Tianjin Airlines to be a decent option for its value and staff service, particularly on routes with its newer aircraft or in Business Class. However, consistent improvements are desired in areas like in-flight entertainment, meal quality, and addressing occasional operational hiccups such as delays.

Safety Information

Tianjin Airlines has a commendable safety record, having safely operated its businesses for ten consecutive years as of April 2019. Airline Ratings gives Tianjin Airlines a safety rating of 7 out of 7, based on evaluations updated in February 2024.

The airline has passed important regulatory audits, including the IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit), and officially became a member of IATA in 2011, demonstrating its adherence to international safety standards. While specific information on FAA compliance or EU safety list status is not readily available, this is common for airlines whose primary operations are outside these regulatory regions.

Tianjin Airlines operates a relatively modern fleet, with an average age between 7.7 and 8.6 years according to recent reports, though some sources indicate an average age of up to 11 years as of early 2025. The airline emphasizes maintaining a young fleet to benefit from technological advancements and fuel efficiency. Its maintenance is managed through dedicated facilities, upholding industry-leading safety and operational standards.

While Tianjin Airlines has generally maintained a fatality-free record, it has experienced some notable incidents:

  • On June 29, 2012, Tianjin Airlines Flight 7554, an Embraer ERJ-190, experienced a foiled hijacking attempt where passengers and crew successfully subdued the hijackers.
  • In July 2018, an A320 near Wuhan was struck by hail.
  • In May 2019, an A320 departing Tianjin experienced brakes overtemperature.
  • An Embraer ERJ-145 had a temporary runway excursion during landing in Xian in July 2013.
  • Most recently, on July 2, 2025, Tianjin Airlines flight 7833, an Embraer ERJ-195LR, rejected takeoff due to a mechanical failure.

Based on available data, Tianjin Airlines maintains a strong overall safety assessment. It has been recognized with the Flight Safety Award from the Civil Aviation Authority in 2020. Additionally, the airline received the SKYTRAX "Best Regional Airline in China" and "World's 4-Star Airline" in 2011, and the "AirlineRatings International Award – Most Improved Airline" in 2017, along with high rankings for on-time performance. Skytrax currently certifies Tianjin Airlines as a 3-Star Airline for its product and service quality.

Content generated by AI based on web research • Updated 2 weeks, 1 day ago
Route Network Map
Most Popular Routes
CIF → HET
Chifeng Yulong Airport → Hohhot Baita Int'l
374 miles
82 flights
E190
HLD → HET
Hulunbuir Hailar Airport → Hohhot Baita Int'l
697 miles
80 flights
E190
79 flights
E190
HTN → URC
Hotan Airport → Urumqi Diwopu Int'l
621 miles
65 flights
A320
CIF → HLD
Chifeng Yulong Airport → Hailar Dongshan
875 miles
50 flights
E190
TGO → HET
Tongliao Airport → Hohhot Baita Int'l
563 miles
50 flights
E190
BPL → URC
Bole Alashankou Airport → Urumqi Diwopu Int'l
265 miles
45 flights
E190
TGO → XIL
Tongliao Airport → Xilinhot
313 miles
42 flights
E190
IQN → TSN
Qingyang Xifeng Airport → Tianjin Binhai Int'l
582 miles
41 flights
E190
HMI → XIY
Hami Airport → Xi'an Xianyang Int'l
998 miles
41 flights
E190
Top Destinations
URC (ZWWW)
Urumqi Diwopu Int'l
Urumqi
402 flights
30 routes
XIY (ZLXY)
Xi'an Xianyang Int'l
Xi'an
358 flights
38 routes
TSN (ZBTJ)
Tianjin Binhai Int'l
Tianjin
358 flights
41 routes
HET (ZBHH)
Hohhot Baita Int'l
Hohhot
299 flights
13 routes
CIF (ZBCF)
Chifeng
Chifeng
145 flights
7 routes
HAK (ZJHK)
Haikou Meilan Int'l
Haikou
133 flights
15 routes
KWE (ZUGY)
Guiyang Longdongbao
Guiyang
129 flights
14 routes
HUZ (ZGHZ)
Huizhou Pingtan Airport
Huizhou
113 flights
13 routes
SYX (ZJSY)
Sanya Phoenix Int'l
Hainan
105 flights
9 routes
HLD (ZBLA)
Hailar Dongshan
Hailar
104 flights
7 routes
Top Origin Airports
HLD (ZBLA)
Hulunbuir Hailar Airport
Hailar
312 flights
9 routes
CIF (ZBCF)
Chifeng Yulong Airport
Chifeng
256 flights
12 routes
ZYI (ZUZY)
Zunyi Xinzhou Airport
Zunyi
192 flights
8 routes
HUZ (ZGHZ)
Huizhou Pingtan Airport
Huizhou (Pingtan)
165 flights
18 routes
TGO (ZBTL)
Tongliao Airport
Tongliao
158 flights
9 routes
HET (ZBHH)
Hohhot Baita International Airport
Hohhot
148 flights
16 routes
YIH (ZHYC)
Yichang Sanxia Airport
Yichang (Xiaoting)
144 flights
13 routes
XIL (ZBXH)
Xilinhot Airport
Xilinhot
125 flights
5 routes
WMT (ZUMT)
Zunyi Maotai Airport
Zunyi
109 flights
9 routes
YNT (ZSYT)
Yantai Penglai International Airport
Yantai
103 flights
13 routes
Top Border Crossing Flights
XIY (ZLXY)
Xi'an Xianyang International Airport
Xi'an, CN
358 flights
38 routes
TSN (ZBTJ)
Tianjin Binhai International Airport
Tianjin, CN
358 flights
41 routes
KWE (ZUGY)
Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport
Guiyang, CN
129 flights
14 routes
Longest Routes
SYD → CKG
Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport → Chongqing Jiangbei Int'l
5278 mi
CKG → SYD
Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport → Sydney
5278 mi
LHR → XIY
London Heathrow Airport → Xi'an Xianyang Int'l
5127 mi
CKG → SVO
Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport → Sheremetyevo Int'l
3757 mi
URC → XMN
Ürümqi Tianshan International Airport → Xiamen Gaoqi Int'l
2185 mi
Shortest Routes
ZHA → HAK
Zhanjiang Wuchuan Airport → Haikou Meilan Int'l
89 mi
DLC → YNT
Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport → Penglai International
95 mi
YNT → DLC
Yantai Penglai International Airport → Dalian Zhoushuizi Int'l
95 mi
WEH → DLC
Weihai Dashuibo Airport → Dalian Zhoushuizi Int'l
129 mi
DLC → WEH
Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport → Dashuipo
129 mi
All Routes
456 Total Routes
Showing 25 most popular routes
Route Destination Flights Distance Aircraft Last Seen
CIF → HET Hohhot Baita Int'l
Hohhot
82 374 mi E190 Dec 11, 2025
HLD → HET Hohhot Baita Int'l
Hohhot
80 697 mi E190 Dec 11, 2025
HLD → CIF Chifeng
Chifeng
79 490 mi E190 Dec 11, 2025
HTN → URC Urumqi Diwopu Int'l
Urumqi
65 621 mi A320 Dec 9, 2025
CIF → HLD Hailar Dongshan
Hailar
50 875 mi E190 Dec 10, 2025
TGO → HET Hohhot Baita Int'l
Hohhot
50 563 mi E190 Dec 9, 2025
BPL → URC Urumqi Diwopu Int'l
Urumqi
45 265 mi E190 Dec 7, 2025
TGO → XIL Xilinhot
Xilinhot
42 313 mi E190 Dec 9, 2025
IQN → TSN Tianjin Binhai Int'l
Tianjin
41 582 mi E190 Dec 10, 2025
HMI → XIY Xi'an Xianyang Int'l
Xi'an
41 998 mi E190 Dec 11, 2025
HLD → BAV Baotou
Baotou
38 766 mi E190 Dec 11, 2025
XIL → HET Hohhot Baita Int'l
Hohhot
38 299 mi E190 Dec 10, 2025
ZYI → XIY Xi'an Xianyang Int'l
Xi'an
37 485 mi E190 Dec 4, 2025
XIL → TSN Tianjin Binhai Int'l
Tianjin
35 339 mi E190 Dec 10, 2025
ZYI → HAK Haikou Meilan Int'l
Haikou
33 573 mi E190 Dec 9, 2025
XIL → TGO Tongliao
Tongliao
32 313 mi E190 Dec 8, 2025
BAV → HLD Hailar Dongshan
Hailar
32 766 mi E190 Dec 10, 2025
HUZ → CGO Zhengzhou Xinzheng Int'l
Zhengzhou
32 795 mi A320 Dec 7, 2025
HLD → HLH Ulanhot
Ulanhot
30 232 mi E190 Dec 11, 2025
KHG → URC Urumqi Diwopu Int'l
Urumqi
30 663 mi E190 Nov 21, 2025
HLD → TSN Tianjin Binhai Int'l
Tianjin
30 708 mi A320 Oct 24, 2025
WMT → HAK Haikou Meilan Int'l
Haikou
29 604 mi E190 Dec 9, 2025
JNG → UYN Yulin
Yulin
28 420 mi E190 Dec 10, 2025
LZO → HUZ Huizhou Pingtan Airport
Huizhou
26 702 mi E190 Dec 8, 2025
TGO → CIF Chifeng
Chifeng
26 196 mi E190 Oct 23, 2025
Data Information:

Airline statistics are based on flight route observations collected from FlightAware AeroAPI and other sources. Flight counts represent observed operations, not scheduled frequencies. Route data is continuously updated as new flight information becomes available.

Data Freshness: Real-time
Last Update: Dec 11, 2025 06:06
Coverage: Observed routes only