United Airlines plans to add more flights to mainland China in 2023

With the Chinese borders re-opening in January 2023 following three years of pandemic-related travel restrictions, US-based airlines are returning to China. One airline in particular, United Airlines, has already returned to the major Chinese city of Shanghai and is already planning to expand its operations to other airports across the country.

Chicago-based United was the first US-based carrier to resume direct flights between the US and China at the end of January as COVID travel restrictions from China were finally lifted. Delta Air Lines restarted their Sino-American flights last week, while American Airlines flights are scheduled to resume later this month.

With the negotiations between the US and Chinese aviation authorities taking place this week, United is discussing its aspirations to get back to pre-pandemic frequencies and capacity to Chinese destinations.

According to a report published in Nikkei Asia, the airline is particularly keen to add more flights to the four currently operating every week connecting Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PDG) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) – the only direct passenger route it currently serves between the US and mainland China.

Speaking to Nikkei Asia, Walter Dias, Sales Director for Greater China, Korea, and Southeast Asia at United, said that United is cautiously optimistic about the outcome of the current US-China negotiations on increasing the frequency of direct flights between the two countries.

Air China, Cathay Pacific, United, American Airlines, China Eastern, Malaysia Airlines, China Southern and Suparna Airlines all fly non-stop to China right now. The fastest flight to China from United States takes 24h 30m (San Francisco to Shanghai Pu Dong).

Delta Air Lines said in Feb. 2023 it will resume nonstop services between China and the US on March 3, 2023. Nonstop flights will be operated from Shanghai-Pudong to Seattle and Detroit twice a week, respectively. It is the third carrier in the US to resume direct flight services to China in the past two months.