On Monday, China’s flagship flag carrier Air China launched an inaugural celebration at Beijing Daxing International Airport to mark the introduction of two new nonstop routes connecting the capital airport to major European destinations. This move marks a key milestone in the airline’s ongoing expansion of its global route network and its efforts to advance coordinated, complementary operations across Beijing’s two major international airport hubs.
Per Air China’s official announcement, the new Beijing Daxing-Frankfurt service will commence operations on Tuesday, while the Daxing-Milan direct route is scheduled to take off for its first commercial flight on June 13.
Industry observers note these new connections are designed to deepen transportation links between Beijing and European markets, and to cater to rapidly growing cross-border demand across business activities, international tourism, and people-to-people cultural exchange. As of the launch, Air China already serves 23 destinations across the European continent, solidifying its position as one of the largest and most connected carriers operating between China and Europe. Beyond adding new travel options, the two new routes connect to globally significant economic centers: Frankfurt ranks among Europe’s top transportation and financial hubs, and hosts Germany’s busiest and largest aviation hub, while Milan stands as Italy’s core economic and financial center, alongside its global reputation as a leading capital of art and high fashion.
Air China officials emphasized that the new routes will strengthen Beijing Daxing International Airport’s connectivity to key international gateway cities, while also expanding the airline’s existing European route network to give leisure and business travelers traveling between China and Europe more flexible, direct travel options. Notably, both new routes will be integrated into Air China’s existing joint venture partnership with German carrier Lufthansa, a collaboration that will allow passengers to access more coordinated network scheduling and smoother, more efficient connecting services across the two airlines’ combined global networks.
The launch of these new European routes coincides with the start of China’s 2026 summer-autumn civil aviation scheduling season, which kicked off in late March and will run through October 24, spanning 210 days that cover the peak summer travel period and multiple national public holidays. Civil aviation authority data shows that during this new scheduling season, a total of 222 domestic and international airlines are planning to operate roughly 121,000 combined passenger and cargo flights per week, a figure that remains broadly stable compared to the same season last year. Of these weekly flights, 191 airlines have scheduled 21,047 weekly international commercial flights, representing a 1.8% year-on-year increase. These international flights connect China to 86 countries worldwide, with Cyprus added as a new country to the global route network this season.
Against this broader industry backdrop, Chinese and global airlines alike continue to adjust and refine their international operations while navigating ongoing cost pressures. Lin Zhijie, a leading independent aviation industry analyst, explained that persistently rising global jet fuel prices remain the single most influential factor driving recent adjustments to international flight schedules. Lin added that this cost pressure is not limited to Chinese carriers: airlines across every global market are contending with a more challenging operating environment as fuel costs continue to climb.