Civil aviation in Yunnan has been developing rapidly in recent years. Yunnan Airlines now merged with China Eastern, owns 3 Boeing 767-300, 16 Boeing 737-300 and 4 Boeing 737-700 passenger aircrafts. Recently, the company purchased six 50-seat Bombadiar jet planes from Canada. Yunnan Air now flies 103 international, domestic and regional air routes, of which 11 international and regional air routes connect Yunnan with Hong Kong and Macao autonomous regions and cities in neighboring countries, including Singapore, Bangkok, Seoul, Vientiane, Chiang Mai. In addition to Kunming International Airport, Yunnan also has nine feeder airports in Xishuangbanna, Mangshi, Simao, Zhaotong, Baoshan, Dali, Lijiang, Diqing and Lincang. All the airports are equipped with advanced telecommunication navigation facilities.

In order to carry out the plan to strengthen Yunnan as an international gateway, the first-phase in the preparation work for the new Kunming International Airport is now under way and two further feeder airports in Wenshan and Honghe are under construction.