A 90s-born resident of Nanjing named Zhang Jian has achieved the remarkable feat of visiting every civil aviation airport in China. On September 9, he disclosed that he had successfully completed the challenge of checking off all domestic civil airports, a journey that began in earnest back in 2017.

Zhang Jian, who took his first flight in 2012 just before graduating from university, was inspired to do so after seeing an advertisement for the newly operational Yangzhou Taizhou Airport during a trip to the northwestern region. The ad featured a special discounted ticket from Xi'an to Yangzhou, prompting him to book his first flight out of curiosity and excitement. After graduation, his work in tourism and later cross-border business, combined with his love of travel, solidified his passion for flying. Initially, he aimed to experience all domestic airlines rather than all airports, but his quest naturally evolved. By 2012, he had flown with every airline in the country, including those that have since ceased operations.

His devotion to the cause saw him chase down even the most obscure routes, fueling his eventual goal of visiting all airports. In 2019, he checked off the southernmost airport at Sansha Yongxing Island, and he had already visited the easternmost Fuyuan Dongji Airport and the northernmost Mohe Gulian Airport. A particularly memorable moment came in 2025 when he took a flight from Mohe to Fuyuan, traveling from the far north to the far east. However, one airport proved especially elusive—the Bayanhot Airport in Alxa Left Banner, which he pursued for three years, with over a dozen bookings cancelled, sometimes just an hour before takeoff. Beyond domestic airports, including those in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, Zhang has traveled to around 100 countries. Having hoped to visit every nation by age 30, he acknowledges that global shifts and rising airfare make that goal unrealistic now.

Throughout his travels, Zhang has flown the Airbus A320 362 times, making it his most-flown aircraft type, and the Boeing 737 301 times. He has also experienced China's domestically produced C919 and C909 jets. All his flights have been self-funded. As a Nanjing native, Lukou International Airport is his most frequent departure point, with 251 takeoffs. His fondest wish is to see his hometown airport thrive so he can embark on more journeys from where it all began.