Summary
- Chinese airlines, including Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines, are expanding international flight programs in 2024.
- Air China will offer a unique fifth-freedom route to Cuba, flying between Beijing, Madrid, and Havana, using a Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
- China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines are also increasing flights to destinations like Japan, Turkey, and South Korea in 2024.
While the pandemic restrictions in China have lasted longer than in the large majority of the world, with the government opening up the country’s borders, more and more airlines have returned to China. In turn, domestic airlines have also expanded their international flying programs, including new flights to destinations they have not flown in 2023.
Fifth-freedom route to Cuba
Simple Flying will explore how, during the current International Air Transport Association (IATA) summer season, which will last until the end of October, the top three Chinese airlines, namely Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines, have adjusted their summer season schedules compared to a year prior.
Henceforth, the data presented was provided by the aviation analytics company Cirium, covering flights to Asia (excluding China), Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America, as well as individual countries, such as Australia and New Zealand.
Photo: Matheus Obst | Shutterstock
One of the more interesting routes filed by one of the carriers from the trio was the flights filed by Air China, with the airline beginning to offer flights between China and Cuba via a fifth-freedom route. The full itinerary includes flights from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) to Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) and the subsequent flight to Havana José Martí International Airport (HAV).
It is not the only fifth-freedom flight that Air China operates via MAD, with the airline also planning to fly between PEK and Sao Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) via MAD. A Boeing 787-9 aircraft is scheduled to operate both itineraries.
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New flights to Japan and Turkey
Cirium data showed that there are several routes where one of the ‘Big Three’ Chinese airlines have scheduled flights when they had none a year prior. For example, Air China operated no flights to Okinawa Naha Airport (OKA) between May and October 2023, and now, the airline has two weekly itineraries scheduled to the airport.
Similarly, Air China will begin flying to New Chitose Airport (CTS) and Fukuoka Airport (FUK) a bit earlier than last year, with four and ten flights to the two Japanese airports, respectively, in May. Flights to CTS originate at PEK, while passengers will be able to board an Air China aircraft to FUK from Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport (DLC) and Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), with five flights to FUK each in May.
Photo: Airbus
Meanwhile, China Eastern Airlines has scheduled daily flights to Istanbul Airport (IST) between May and September, when last year, it had none to the airport. The carrier had three weekly flights in October 2023, increasing the frequency to daily during the same month in 2024. The flights, originating in PVG, will be operated by either an Airbus A330-200 or Airbus A350-900 aircraft.
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China Southern Airlines’ international expansion
China Southern Airlines, one of the largest airline groups in terms of its fleet size in the world, will also significantly expand its presence to several airports in Asia, primarily Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN). In May, the carrier has added a whopping 62 more flights to the South Korean capital Year-on-Year (YoY), with the airline adding more flights throughout the subsequent four months (excluding June) of the IATA summer season.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
Other airports where China Southern Airlines is adding more flights in May and/or during the IATA summer season include Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL), Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN), Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), Sydney Airport (SYD), and Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE).
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