In this study, the volatile components of Michelia alba DC. and Magnolia liliiflora Desr. were analyzed by headspace sampling-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS/GC-MS). With the help of automatic mass spectral deconvolution and identification system (AMDIS) and NIST11 mass spectrum database, 71 and 56 kinds of volatile components were identified, and 41 volatile components were shared by the two kinds of Magnolia with the total relative content of 99.25% and 96.45%. Besides, the numbers of special volatile compounds were 30 and 15. As more as 59 and 43 volatile components were terpenoids hold of 93.28% and 89.19%, which belonged to monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and their oxo-derivatives. The 9 shared volatile components which contented more than 2% were β-myrcene (7.45%, 19.04%), β-pinene (18.07%, 16.50%), α-pinene (11.38%, 16.01%), eucalyptol (18.09%, 14.58%), o-cymene (5.08%, 6.55%), d-limonene (5.14%, 5.71%),γ-terpinene (6.83%, 3.19%), sabinene (14.06%, 2.57%), and α-terpinene (5.10%, 2.50%). From the point of total volatile components content, Michelia alba DC was close to eight times higher than Magnolia liliflora Desr..