Hainan Province Airlines became China's first joint-stock air-transport company following a restructuring in January 1993 and began scheduled services on 2 May 1993.

In January 2006, China Aviation Supplies Import and Export Group Corporation ordered 10 Boeing 737-800s for Hainan Airlines.

Hainan Airlines's parent company HNA Group announced on 19 January 2021 that it had entered bankruptcy restructuring after a government-led exercise to work out its debt failed to produce enough money to repay bondholders and creditors.

[20] With other office premises, HNA Tower, in focused cities including Beijing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai.

[5] Grand China Air is the direct parent company of Hainan Airlines (24.33% shares directly; an additional 1.29% shares via a subsidiary American Aviation LDC),[24] which was partially owned by Hainan Development Holdings (24.97%), HNA Group (23.11%), Starstep (9.57%), Haikou Meilan International Airport (8.30%), Shenhua Group (5.56%) and other shareholders (As of 30 June 2016[update]).

[24] Moreover, HNA Group also owned Haikou Meilan International Airport partially, as well as Hainan Airlines as cross ownership.

A private equity fund that was managed by Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, owned 4.91% shares as the fourth largest shareholder.

[24] As of January 2017, Hainan Airlines operates seven bases across China: Beijing–Capital, Guangzhou, Haikou, Hangzhou, Sanya, Shenzhen, and Xi'an.

[26] It operates an extensive network across the People's Republic of China, connecting Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania and serves nearly 500 domestic and international routes, flying to more than 90 cities.

Hainan operates regular international flights and offers charter flights to 51 destinations in 28 countries such as flights from Beijing to Almaty, Toronto, Berlin, Brussels, Seattle/Tacoma, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Tel Aviv, Chicago, Las Vegas, San Jose, California, and Boston; Beijing, Xi'an, Dalian, Guangzhou, Haikou to Taipei; Beijing, Haikou, Nanning to Bangkok; Hefei via Haikou to Singapore and others.

[27] Hainan also received official approval from the US DOT to begin non-stop flights between Beijing and Chicago.

As of June 2014, Hainan began servicing Boston directly with a four-times-weekly Dreamliner flight from Beijing Capital International Airport.

[28] The airline began service in the second quarter of 2013 with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft and was the first Chinese carrier to offer flights between the two cities.

[33] In late September 2017, Hainan Airlines commenced direct flights to and from Brisbane, Australia, several times a week, and also to Belgrade, Serbia, via Prague, every Monday and Friday.

[51] Newer Boeing 787-9s equipped with the “Dream Feather” cabin design have business class seats similar to those on the Airbus A330-300s.

The seats also feature a Panasonic EX3 Entertainment System and a 13 inch 1080p HD screen, as well as a USB Charing port, tablet stand and a footrest.

[54] Hainan Airlines operates several self-owned airport lounges at its main hub and focus cities including Beijing (T1 HNA Exclusive Terminal), Haikou, Xi'an, Guangzhou, and Urumqi.

The airline also operates an exclusive Transit Lounge for transferring HNA Group passengers at Beijing Airport Non-restricted area.