Spatial Distribution and Evolution of Air Cargo Flows in Hainan Province

In the context of globalization and regional integration, Hainan Province has capitalized on its strategic location and the policy dividends of the Free Trade Port initiative, making air logistics an increasingly critical driver of regional industrial upgrading, trade flows, and emergency response capabilities. Based on air cargo data from 2020 to 2023 provided by the Hainan Free Trade Port Logistics Supervision and Service System, this study utilizes origin-destination (OD) freight volume to systematically analyze the spatial pattern and evolution of Hainan’s air cargo network. The results reveal a general upward trend in cargo volume with periodic fluctuations. Spatially, outbound cargo is highly concentrated in economically developed regions such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Pearl River Delta, while inbound flows have become increasingly diversified and networked. Overall, Hainan’s air cargo network is undergoing a transformation from a “centralized-dispersed” structure to a more “balanced-multipolar” configuration, reflecting the combined effects of industrial restructuring and policy incentives.