Shenzhen Airlines' Beijing-bound flight ZH9103 took off from the third runway of Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport at 10:08 a.m. Nov.29. Meanwhile, China Southern Airlines flight CZ3590 landed on the new runway at 10:13 a.m., marking the official start of the new runway's operation.

The third runway, a major national project under the 14th Five-Year Plan and a key project in Guangdong, is 3,600 meters long and 45 meters wide. Located between the second runway and the Guangzhou–Shenzhen Riverside Expressway, it is a 4F-class runway — the highest classification — capable of accommodating large aircraft.

Zhu Fanghai, deputy commander of Shenzhen airport construction commanding headquarters, said the third runway, along with other two existing runways, will create more favorable conditions for opening new passenger and cargo routes, increasing flight frequencies, and expanding aviation capacity. 

The Shenzhen airport has developed rapidly in recent years. In 2024, the airport’s annual passenger traffic surpassed 60 million for the first time. In 2025, annual passenger throughput is expected to exceed 65 million, while annual cargo and mail throughput is projected to surpass 2 million metric tons for the first time.

The operation of the third runway will further strengthen Shenzhen's status as a major hub by distributing flights and alleviating operational pressure.

Shenzhen's first runway entered service in 1991 when the airport opened, the second followed in 2011. Before the third runway began operation, Shenzhen was already one of China's busiest dual-runway airports, with an annual capacity of up to 428,000 flight movements and a peak single-day capacity exceeding 1,300 flights.