China has initiated its 2024 Lunar New Year travel rush, with the aviation regulator projecting a significant surge of 80 million air trips during this annual event – a notable 9.8% increase from 2019. Anticipating heavy crowds, Beijing's airports are expected to witness over a 60% jump in passenger numbers. Meanwhile, Shanghai's Pudong and Hongqiao airports are preparing for a substantial 57.6% year-on-year increase in passenger traffic over the 40-day period.Overseas travel is on the rise, prompting China's aviation authorities to arrange more than 2,500 additional international flights to popular Asian destinations, including Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea. Simultaneously, domestic tourism is being accommodated with extra railway and flight services organized for prominent cities.China is embarking on its busiest annual mass migration period, with a record-breaking projection of 9 billion domestic trips during the Lunar New Year holidays. This figure represents a doubling of the 4.7 billion trips made during the 2023 Spring Festival travel rush when strict COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.An unprecedented 80% of the anticipated 9 billion trips are expected to be self-driving road journeys, setting a new record for the country. The remaining travel is expected to rely on rail, air, and water transportation. On the initial day of the travel rush, both railway and air travel experienced a significant surge, with reports of challenges in securing train tickets despite China boasting the world's largest high-speed network.