Chinese airline announces new routes for 2023

• China has resumed allowing some passengers through its borders for the first time.
• Resuming flying routes that were canceled or significantly curtailed due to the pandemic.
• A few big new routes are also making it simpler than ever for tourists to go from major cities.

The time has come: China has resumed allowing some passengers through its borders for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak began in early 2020.

Although Chinese nationals living abroad who want to see loved ones will probably make up the first significant wave of visitors to the nation, leisure travel appears set to follow.

The nation has eliminated quarantine regulations and loosened other restrictions on incoming tourists, opening the path for the tourism sector to resume.

The major airlines in China are expanding their offerings at the same time.

That entails, for the most part, resuming flying routes that were canceled or significantly curtailed due to the pandemic.

However, a few big new routes are also making it simpler than ever for tourists to go from major cities like Budapest, Istanbul, Johannesburg, and China to other countries, including the opposite way around.

Shanghai to Athens

China and Greece had intended to strengthen their air ties before the outbreak.

The first direct flight from Shanghai Pudong (PVG) to Athens arrived in the final week of December, restoring one of the most significant connections. The 10.5-hour flight will now be run by Air China just once each week.

Guangzhou to Istanbul

This year, a new China Southern Airlines route will provide a direct connection between Istanbul and the third-largest city in China.

On January 10, the airline, which has its main office in Guangzhou, will launch service to Istanbul Airport (IST).

The flight from Guangzhou to Istanbul takes around 11 hours, while the return trip takes about 9.5 hours.

Turkish Airlines’ base of operations is in IST, which is fantastic news for Chinese passengers looking for another means to reach Europe.

Beijing to Johannesburg

China has been trying to strengthen its relationships in Africa for years, and one way to do that is to make it easier for travelers who want to travel between the two continents.

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An upcoming Air China direct flight will travel between Beijing‘s Capital International Airport (PEK) and Johannesburg, South Africa’s O.R. Tambo International Airport (JHB).

Air China announced the new route alongside a series of other big ones — more on that later — but there’s no confirmed start date yet.

Chongqing to Ho Chi Minh City

This season, numerous new, fascinating flight routes are being added to the city of Chongqing in southwest China. The first is a direct Air China flight to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

The Reunification Palace, Central Post Office, War Remnants Museum, and other well-known locations in Vietnam’s largest city will be easier for some of Chongqing’s 30 million+ people to visit as a result.

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Chongqing to Budapest

The other new route leaving Chongqing is operated by Air China and departs once a week for Budapest’s Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD).

There are already several additional flights between the two nations; one from Shanghai launched in 2019 and a direct flight from Beijing to Budapest began in 2015.

Xi’an to Almaty

Kazakhstan’s capital has a rich historical heritage thanks to Almaty, which has been inhabited since at least 1000 BC and was a Silk Road city.

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On January 6, the first China Southern Airlines flight that was a direct connection from Xi’an to Almaty International Airport (ALA) departed.

There’s a fair chance that this flight is the first of many to come. President Xi Jinping’s trip to Kazakhstan last year, which was his first trip outside of China during the Covid era, is evidence of the two countries close diplomatic ties.

Nanning to Phnom Penh

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With two flights every week between Phnom Penh and the southern Chinese city of Nanning, China Southern Airlines is establishing tighter connections with neighboring Cambodia.

Since there are currently no airlines flying directly from Nanning to either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, despite the city’s proximity to China’s border with Vietnam, this expanding connection with Cambodia may also provide additional access to Southeast Asian countries.

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