BEIJING – When fuel surcharges on Chinese domestic flights rose on April 5, Mr Shrek Wang, a self-professed travel enthusiast, was unfazed.

Just a day earlier, he had bought more than 20 flights for about 10 trips through September 2026, locking in prices before the hike took effect.

“I usually make a rough plan of where I want to go over the year, so whenever I see suitable ticket prices, I’ll buy them. Since I knew the fuel surcharges were going to rise soon, I just planned ahead and made the purchases early,” said Mr Wang, 31.

He works in research and development in the southern coastal city of Shenzhen, and travels within China for leisure once or twice a month.

By stockpiling his air tickets before the hike, he estimates he saved around 2,000 yuan (S$373), which is enough to fund another round trip. The most expensive return tickets he bought were for his trip to the north-eastern city of Shenyang for 1,340 yuan, he told The Straits Times.

Mr Wang’s actions reflect the broader shift in China’s tourism consumption patterns, where the domestic travel demand remains robust despite weaker consumer sentiment.

On April 2, several Chinese airlines, including national carrier Air China, announced fuel surcharge hikes for domestic flights from April 5, as global oil prices have climbing since the ongoing Iran war started in end-February and disrupted shipping through the crucial Strait of Hormuz.

The hikes were nearly fivefold, increasing from 10 yuan to 60 yuan on flights up to 800km, and from 20 yuan to 120 yuan for flights over 800km.

Chinese netizens reacted with a mix of despair, resignation and humour to the surcharge hikes, with some lamenting that rising costs have made them think twice about their future travel plans.