Mianyang Nanjiao Airport is an airport serving the city of Mianyang in Sichuan Province, China. It is located in the southern suburbs of Mianyang (Nanjiao means "southern suburbs" in Chinese), 10 kilometers from the city center.
Opened on 28 April 2001, Mianyang Nanjiao is the second largest airport in Sichuan after Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. The airport is also used for pilot training by the Civil Aviation Flight University of China (Mianyang Flight College).
In 2011 Mianyang Nanjiao Airport served 622,816 passengers, ranking 66th among China's airports. It also handled 4,491.5 tons of cargo and 207,140 aircraft movements.
Mianyang Nanjiao Airport was developed to replace the older Mianyang Tangxun Airport (å¡Âæ±Âæºåº), which had served as a military and training airfield for decades. In 1956, it became the base of the Fourth Regiment of the China Civil Aviation Advanced Aviation School, the predecessor of todayâÂÂs Civil Aviation Flight University of China (CAFUC; ä¸Âå½æ°Âç¨èª空é£Âè¡Âå¦é¢).
The new airport first proposed its construction concept in 1988. A preparatory leadership group was established in 1992, and a preâÂÂfeasibility study was approved in 1993. On July 3, 1994, the State Council and the Central Military Commission approved the relocation of Tangxun Airport and the construction of a new civil airport for Mianyang. The new facility was officially named Mianyang Nanjiao Airport and designated as a 4CâÂÂclass airport shared between the city and the Mianyang Branch of CAFUC. Construction approval for the project was issued the same year. The feasibility report was issued in 1995, the master plan was implemented in 1996. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on July 3, 1997 and full construction began in October of that year. The airport was completed and officially opened to traffic on April 28, 2001.
Shortly after opening, the airport expanded rapidly. It was upgraded to 4D classification in 2003 and further to 4E in 2008. During the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, the airport served as a major hub for emergency relief operations, handling large volumes of rescue personnel, medical evacuations, and supply flights.
In 2017, the airportâÂÂs annual passenger throughput exceeded 3 million, reflecting its status as one of the fastestâÂÂgrowing regional airports in western China.
In 2019, with Chengdu Shuangliu Airport reaching capacity saturation, Mianyang Airport's passenger and cargo throughput reached record highs since its opening (4.15 million passengers and 8,860.4 tons). A total of 56 passenger routes and 1 cargo route were opened, connecting 37 cities.
Mianyang Nanjiao Airport has a 2,400-meter runway (class 4D) capable of handling major aircraft including the Boeing 737. It also has a 26,000-square-meter terminal building and 11 aircraft parking aprons. The airport is designed with an annual handling capacity of 2 million passengers.
Mianyang Nanjiao Airport is served by the following airlines: