BEIJING, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- China's civil aviation sector maintained steady growth in July, boosted by rising holiday travel demand and favorable policy support, official data showed Friday.

The sector handled about 74.63 million passenger trips last month, up 3.9 percent year on year, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

Specifically, domestic routes handled about 67.37 million passenger trips, up 4.1 percent year on year, while international routes saw passenger trips rise 2.3 percent to 7.26 million, the CAAC said.

Cargo and mail transport registered a slight decline in July, with the total volume edging down 0.3 percent year on year to 864,000 tonnes, the regulator said.

Echoing the broad upward trend, several major Chinese airlines have recently reported their July performance, with key indicators showing growth in capacity input, passenger turnover and average seat occupancy rates.

July is traditionally one of China's busiest travel months, as summer vacations begin for universities and schools. Additionally, lower fuel surcharges by several major airlines further boosted demand for holiday travel.

"July is a peak season for air travel, and a month-on-month decline in ex-factory jet fuel prices has helped ease cost pressure on listed airlines," said Shen Xiaofeng, chief analyst with Huatai Securities.

Alongside the recovery of its domestic aviation market, China has stepped up efforts to expand its global air transport networks since the beginning of 2026. As of the end of June, Chinese airlines operated over 1,000 scheduled international routes, with passenger flights connecting the country to 80 countries worldwide.

A landmark development occurred earlier this month with the launch of the first international route operated by China's homegrown C919 aircraft, connecting Beijing with Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia.

China has also expanded its 240-hour visa-free transit program, with Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam the latest countries to be included. The policy has helped fuel a surge in cross-border travel, with Chinese border authorities handling a record 369 million inbound and outbound trips in the first half of 2026, up 10.8 percent year on year.

Looking ahead, analysts said that the long-term outlook for China's civil aviation sector remains positive despite oil price fluctuations.

In the short term, the market should continue to monitor international oil price trends, Shen said. "But in the medium to long term, we maintain our view that the industry is gradually rebounding."