The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDT) has greenlit the addition of six more flights operated by Chinese airlines, effective from September 1. This announcement marks the second expansion of flight schedules for Chinese carriers since May this year.
The airlines in question are Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines. These carriers will predominantly offer flights to Los Angeles and New York. The newly approved routes include Air China’s Beijing to Los Angeles and Beijing to New York flights, both operating once a week. China Eastern Airlines will operate flights from Shanghai to Los Angeles twice a week, while China Southern Airlines will fly from Guangzhou to Los Angeles, also twice per week.
From September 1, Chinese airlines will collectively operate up to 18 direct flights between the two countries every week. This number is projected to increase to 24 flights per week starting October 29, 2023, according to the USDT.
Recent data from travel platform Qunar.com revealed a lower average ticket price of around RMB 8,500 (USD 1,108) for the Shanghai to Los Angeles route in September, marking a 25% decrease compared to two weeks prior. However, despite this progress, the number of two-way flights still lags behind the 2019 levels.
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