South Koreans flock to Qingdao on weekends

In mid-August, a South Korean man surnamed Kim, who works in Seoul, wrapped up a weekend trip to Qingdao, Shandong province, after attending the closing ceremony of the Qingdao International Beer Festival. He then boarded an evening flight back to South Korea.

For Kim and many of his fellow travelers, flying to Qingdao after work on Friday and returning on Sunday evening has become a routine two-day, two-night getaway. Weekend trips to the Shandong coastal city are increasingly popular among South Korean travelers.

Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport currently operates an average of 39 passenger flights to and from South Korea each day, with services running at a frequency comparable to public transportation, according to Qingdao International Airport Group.

Of these, 34 daily flights connect Qingdao with Seoul, with departures spread from 8 am to 10 pm, providing roughly hourly service throughout the day, the airport group said.

The airport group and Qingdao Airlines resumed direct flights between Qingdao and Cheongju, South Korea, on Thursday. The route is the only direct connection between Cheongju and Shandong province, operating on Thursdays and Sundays.

The new service will further expand Qingdao's network to major South Korean cities, including Seoul, Busan, Cheongju and Daegu, giving the city direct air links to key economic and consumer markets across South Korea, according to the airport group. The flight time between Qingdao and these cities is about 90 minutes, it added.

Data from the airport group showed that as of Aug 18, Qingdao airport had handled 8,468 passenger flights to and from South Korea in 2026, carrying 1.31 million passengers. The figures represented year-on-year increases of 3 percent and 15 percent, respectively, and accounted for 61 percent of the airport's international passenger flights and 64 percent of its international passenger throughput. South Korea has remained the airport's largest source of inbound international visitors.

China's visa-free transit policy, which allows eligible travelers to stay for up to 240 hours, together with streamlined border procedures, has helped make short trips to Qingdao more accessible to South Korean visitors.

To accommodate growing international traffic, Qingdao airport has continued to upgrade services for overseas travelers.

Its international passenger service center offers one-stop assistance, including cash withdrawals, currency exchange, real-time interpretation and transportation connections, as well as SIM cards and Wi-Fi device rentals, according to Zhang Xiaochen, deputy manager of the quality management section of the Qingdao International Airport Group's service management department.

The airport has also expanded its 24-hour airport carpooling service and coordinated with the city's metro system to extend late-night operations, helping address gaps in transportation services during late hours, she added.

To welcome overseas visitors, Qingdao International Airport Group and Tsingtao Brewery launched a campaign in early August, offering arriving travelers a complimentary glass of Tsingtao Beer as a gesture of hospitality. Selected tourist attractions in the city also offer a limited number of complimentary tickets to overseas visitors.

"Qingdao is close to South Korea, and the customs clearance process at the city's airport is efficient, making it easy to travel here, especially for a weekend trip. The city is also beautiful, and Tsingtao Beer is my favorite," said South Korean traveler Lee Jeong-gyu.

"I drink it quite often in South Korea, but I can't wait to try it fresh in Qingdao," Lee said.