As the summer travel season approaches, Chinese airlines are ramping up their operations on both international and regional routes. This strategic expansion aims to cater to the increasing demand for travel and enhance connectivity for travelers.

China Southern Airlines is at the forefront of this initiative, set to launch a new direct flight from Beijing to Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, starting June 16, operating two flights per week. Additionally, from June 25, the airline will introduce a direct connection from Guangzhou to Almaty, Kazakhstan, with three round trips each week.

The airline will also start a new direct route from Guangzhou to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from June 30, again with three round trips weekly. Furthermore, from July 1, China Southern plans to initiate flights from Harbin to Vladivostok, Russia, offering two round trips per week.

In addition to new routes, China Southern is increasing the frequency of its flights on popular routes, particularly in Australia and Southeast Asia. For instance, the Urumqi-Tbilisi route is expanding from four to seven round trips weekly as of June 1, while the Urumqi-Yerevan route will see an increase from two to three round trips a week starting June 11.

Moreover, on June 12, the Guangzhou-Brisbane route will be adjusted to include seven round trips weekly, enhancing service on this vital international pathway. As a result of these changes, China Southern's international and regional operations are projected to encompass 150 routes, aiming for a total of 2,000 weekly flights.

On June 24, China Eastern Airlines will enhance its international presence by launching a direct flight from Xi'an to Istanbul, Turkey. This service marks a significant addition as it is the airline's second direct route to Turkey, complementing the existing Shanghai-Istanbul connection and illustrating deepening aviation partnerships between the two nations.

Air China is also participating in this expansion wave, planning to double its daily flights from Chengdu to Singapore from June 20 and add daily flights to Tokyo starting June 30. Similarly, Spring Airlines will open a round-trip route from Chengdu to Phnom Penh with a daily flight beginning June 25.

The expansion of China’s airline network coincides with the country broadening its visa-free travel options. Effective from Monday, a trial visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain has been enacted, increasing China's unilateral visa-free agreements to a total of 47 countries.

From June 9, 2025, to June 8, 2026, eligible passport holders from these nations will be permitted entry to China for various purposes including business and tourism for stays not exceeding 30 days, allowing for significant opportunities in travel and exchange.

This surge in international travel is supported by encouraging statistics; in the first quarter, China welcomed over 9 million foreign visitors, representing a year-on-year growth exceeding 40 percent. Additionally, the establishment of more than 18,000 foreign-invested companies in the first four months of the year reflects a healthy 12.1 percent annual increase according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.