Starting Sunday, Chinese airlines began implementing their summer and autumn flight schedules, set to run until October 25, with an increase in international flight routes. According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), a total of 140 airlines, including 32 Chinese carriers, have been approved to operate 17,512 passenger flights per week, with Chinese airlines responsible for 11,004 of these flights—an increase of 38.4% year-on-year. The flights will connect 77 foreign countries.
China Eastern Airlines reported that its international flight operations will exceed 1,500 weekly, with over 1,250 of these being international flights, marking a 22% increase compared to last year. Meanwhile, China Southern Airlines plans to operate more than 200 international and regional routes, extending its network to cover 47 countries and regions, with a focus on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner countries.
Air China also announced several new routes, including Beijing to Vladivostok, Irkutsk, Toronto, and Cairo, while resuming flights from Chengdu to Paris. Additionally, the airline will increase flight frequency on routes such as Beijing-Stockholm, Copenhagen, Warsaw, and Shanghai-Hanoi.
Hainan Airlines will operate over 130 international and regional routes, adding new destinations such as Beijing-Edinburgh, Chongqing-Osaka/Bangkok, and Haikou-Osaka. The airline is focused on rapidly resuming and expanding its international network.
The Cathay Group is further strengthening Hong Kong’s position as a global aviation hub, expanding its flight network by adding 13 new destinations, including Hyderabad, Dallas, Urumqi, Rome, Munich, and Brussels for Cathay Pacific, as well as Sendai, Nha Trang, Ishigaki, Komatsu, Cheongju, Daegu, and Miyako for HK Express.
The CAAC highlighted its commitment to expanding international passenger flights, focusing on reinforcing traditional international markets while increasing connectivity among countries involved in the BRI.
