![Flight tickets soaring to '600 million won one-way' appear right after evacuation order... Airfare prices skyrocket in China amid Iran war [US-Iran War] - Seoul Economic Daily Society News from South Korea](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.sedaily.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2026%2F03%2F03%2Fnews-p.v1.20260303.5b4a5aa35de34ba2bbec247ad3beeffc_P1.jpg&w=3840&q=75 "China Evacuation Sparks $430,000 One-Way Airfares Amid Iran Crisis")
One-way airfares from the Middle East to China surged to as much as 3 million yuan ($430,000) after Beijing ordered its citizens to evacuate from Iran following U.S. airstrikes that sharply escalated regional tensions.
Taiwan broadcaster FTV reported on Saturday that ticket prices for flights from Syria to Beijing spiked immediately after China issued the evacuation order late last month.
"With U.S. and Israeli missiles crossing Iranian airspace, the only viable route is to cross the border via western Iran by land and then depart from Damascus, Syria," FTV reported. The price surge resulted from concentrated demand for limited seats as airlines canceled or suspended numerous flights.
Some observers have raised concerns about local security risks beyond the immediate war threat. FTV cited online claims that "China has provided Iran's government with internet control and facial recognition technology, which the government has used to suppress its people," adding that "Chinese nationals walking alone risk being seized and beaten by Iranian citizens."
China's Foreign Ministry issued an immediate evacuation order for its citizens on January 27 as conditions in Iran deteriorated. The ministry stated that Chinese embassies and consulates in Iran and neighboring countries would provide necessary assistance for citizens traveling via commercial flights or overland routes.
According to the Foreign Ministry, one Chinese national died in Iran following the U.S. airstrikes, and approximately 3,000 Chinese citizens have been evacuated from the country.
Meanwhile, the spreading military tensions across the Middle East have heightened concerns for South Korean nationals in the region. Approximately 21,000 South Koreans are currently residing in 13 Middle Eastern countries, according to South Korea's Foreign Ministry. Of these, an estimated 4,000 are short-term visitors and 17,000 are long-term residents. Some 2,000 South Korean tourists are reportedly staying in Dubai alone.