Guolian Minsheng Securities·2026-01-21 13:38Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for major airlines, including China National Aviation (China Air), China Eastern Airlines, Southern Airlines, and others, based on their projected earnings growth and favorable market conditions [2][3]. Core Insights - The domestic passenger load factor has increased significantly, reaching a historical high of 85.7% in December 2025, with a year-on-year increase of 2.4 percentage points [7][10]. - The international passenger load factor has shown a slight increase, but the growth rate has slowed due to disruptions in the Japanese route, with December figures reflecting a year-on-year increase of 0.9 percentage points [14][15]. - The overall industry demand growth continues to outpace supply growth, with a combined ASK/RPK increase of 6.6% and 9.1% respectively for the six listed airlines in December [7][10]. Summary by Sections 1. December International Supply and Demand Trends - The demand growth in December 2025 exceeded supply growth, with both domestic and international load factors reaching historical highs [10][11]. - The domestic routes saw a supply increase of 4.2% in ASK and a demand increase of 7.2% in RPK, while international routes experienced a 12.0% increase in ASK and a 13.3% increase in RPK [7][14]. 2. Aircraft Introductions and Fleet Growth - The total fleet of the six airlines increased by 0.4% in December, with a net addition of 14 aircraft, bringing the total to 3,386 [22][24]. - The A320 series was the primary aircraft introduced, with significant contributions from China National Aviation and Southern Airlines [22][27]. 3. Investment Recommendations - The report suggests that the tight supply-demand relationship in domestic routes will lead to a moderate increase in ticket prices in 2026, supported by regulatory measures to address low pricing [7][11]. - The international routes are expected to benefit from increased inbound tourism, with airlines like China Eastern Airlines and Spring Airlines positioned to gain from this trend [7][15].