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Cathay Pacific launches direct flights between Hong Kong and Urumqi from 28 April 2025
Cathay Pacific announces another addition to its expanding global network this year with the launch of direct flights between Hong Kong and Urumqi starting 28 April 2025. The new four-times-weekly return service will bring the Cathay Group’s combined passenger network in the Chinese Mainland to 20 destinations. This summer, Cathay Pacific and low-cost carrier HK Express will operate over 290 return flights per week between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. This includes Beijing (Capital International Airport and Daxing International Airport), Shanghai (Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao International Airport), Chengdu, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao, Sanya, Urumqi, Wenzhou, Wuhan, Xi’an, Xiamen and Zhengzhou. Cathay Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau said: “Urumqi is an exciting new addition to our network, directly connecting our home city with an important Belt and Road hub in Northwestern China. We are delighted to introduce Urumqi as the Cathay Group’s 11th new port announced so far this year, as we move one step closer to reaching 100 destinations globally in 2025. “As Hong Kong’s home airline, we have deep roots in our home city and are proudly part of China. We are committed to providing our customers with even more destination and flight choices when travelling between Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and beyond. We look forward to welcoming customers through our flights to experience what Urumqi has to offer.” Cathay Pacific’s new Hong Kong-Urumqi route will be operated by the airline’s Airbus A330-300 aircraft, providing customers with comfortable Business and Economy cabins. Flight schedules are as follows (all times local, subject to regulatory approval): Hong Kong – Urumqi (28 April 2025) Flight No. Origin Destination Departure Arrival Days of Operation CX998 Hong Kong (HKG) Urumqi (URC) 01:30 07:00 Monday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday CX997 Urumqi (URC) Hong Kong (HKG) 10:15 15:20 Monday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday Through the Cathay Group’s Hong Kong hub, customers travelling from the Chinese Mainland can connect to its extensive global network with destinations across Asia, Europe, North America, South West Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. Under the Individual Visit Scheme, customers from Urumqi can also visit Hong Kong in their individual capacity. Aside from Urumqi, Cathay Pacific will launch direct flights to Hyderabad in March, Dallas in April, Rome and Munich in June, and Brussels in August this year. HK Express commenced services to Sendai in January and will launch direct flights to Nha Trang, Komatsu and Ishigaki in April, and Miyako (Shimojishima) in June. The two airlines project to operate passenger services to more than 100 destinations worldwide within 2025.
Air Astana launches new Almaty-Shanghai route
Air Astana, Kazakhstan's national airline, has inaugurated a new direct flight service from Almaty to Shanghai, marking a significant expansion of its network in China. The service, which began at the end of March, operates three times a week and was celebrated with a press conference at the Peace Hotel in Shanghai. The addition of Shanghai to Air Astana's routes complements its existing services to Beijing, Guangzhou, Sanya, Urumqi, and Yining. This expansion underscores the airline's commitment to strengthening connectivity between Kazakhstan and China, a relationship that began with its first Almaty-Beijing flight in December 2002. With the inclusion of Shanghai, Air Astana now offers up to 32 weekly flights between Kazakhstan and six Chinese cities. This expansion provides passengers with more travel options and supports both direct and transit travel across Central Asia, the Caucasus, Europe, and Asia. In 2025, the airline transported over 250,000 passengers between Kazakhstan and China, a 96% increase from 2024. Ibrahim Canliel, CEO of Air Astana Group, highlighted the importance of the new route, stating, “The launch of our Shanghai service is an important milestone in the development of our network and reflects the growing strength of ties between Kazakhstan and China. Shanghai is a key global city, and this route will further enhance connectivity not only between our two countries, but also for passengers travelling onwards across our network.” Air Astana Group, the largest airline group in Central Asia and the Caucasus, operates a fleet of 63 aircraft and has been recognised by SkyTrax for its excellence in the region. The new route is expected to bolster the airline's position as a leading carrier in the region This story was selected and published by a human editor, with content adapted from original press material using AI tools. Spot an error? Report it here.
Air Astana expands summer flight schedule
Air Astana has unveiled its summer schedule, effective until 24 October 2026, introducing new routes and increasing flight frequencies. The airline launched a new service from Almaty to Shanghai on 29 March 2026, operating thrice weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Additionally, a new route from Astana to Guangzhou will commence on 2 June 2026, with flights twice weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The summer schedule also includes new services from Astana and Almaty to Larnaca, Cyprus, starting 2 June and 4 June 2026, respectively. All new routes will utilise Airbus A321LR aircraft. Flight frequencies to existing destinations such as Beijing, Istanbul, and Antalya will gradually increase, with daily flights from Astana to Frankfurt beginning in May. Almaty will see more flights to Urumqi, Tbilisi, and Tashkent. Seasonal routes are resuming from Almaty and Astana to Nha Trang and Da Nang in Vietnam, Batumi in Georgia, Podgorica in Montenegro, and Bodrum in Turkey. Flights from Atyrau to Tbilisi and extended services from Almaty to Male, Maldives, until the end of May, are also part of the schedule. This expansion aims to enhance connectivity and meet growing travel demand during the summer months This story was selected and published by a human editor, with content adapted from original press material using AI tools. Spot an error? Report it here.
Air Astana expands Guangzhou services with new flights
Air Astana is set to enhance its connectivity to China with the introduction of new twice-weekly flights from Astana to Guangzhou, commencing on 2 June 2026. This expansion follows the airline's existing four weekly flights from Almaty to Guangzhou, which began in March 2025. The airline also operates flights to Beijing and Urumqi, and plans to launch a new service between Almaty and Shanghai at the end of March 2026. The new flights from Astana to Guangzhou will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays, departing at 18:45 and arriving at 04:30 the following day. Return flights are scheduled for Wednesdays and Fridays, departing Guangzhou at 05:45 and arriving in Astana at 10:10. These flights will be serviced by the latest Airbus A321LR aircraft, with a flight duration of 6 hours and 45 minutes. Round-trip tickets for the new route start at $508 (US$508) for Economy Class and $1,688 (US$1,688) for Business Class. The expansion aims to bolster business, tourism, and cultural ties between Kazakhstan and China, whilst also increasing travel and transit opportunities through Air Astana's hubs in Astana and Almaty This story was selected and published by a human editor, with content adapted from original press material using AI tools. Spot an error? Report it here.
Hainan Airlines adds new Taiyuan routes for the summer travel season
As the 2025 summer travel season enters its peak, Hainan Airlines is adding new routes flying in and out of Taiyuan. The new routes are Taiyuan- Ningbo, Taiyuan-Changchun, and Taiyuan-Zhuhai, all of which begin flying on 7th August and will be available till 31st August. This brings the number of Hainan Airlines’ domestic routes from Taiyuan to 16 throughout the summer of 2025 These routes make their way from Taiyuan to Shenzhen, Dalian, Guiyang, Haikou, Zhuhai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Fuzhou , Wuhan, Changsha, Hefei, Xiamen, Qingdao, Urumqi, Nanjing, and Sanya. Through the route expansion, airline passengers get more diverse travel options as Hainan Airlines meets travel needs during the peak summer travel season. Flight frequencies Hainan Airlines' newly added Taiyuan-Ningbo route will operate one round trip daily: the outbound flight HU6381 departs Taiyuan Wusu International Airport at 8:30 AM and arrives at Ningbo Lishe International Airport at 10:40 AM. Meanwhile, return flight HU6832 departs Ningbo at 11:30 AM and arrives in Taiyuan at 1:55 PM. The Taiyuan-Changchun route will operate one round trip each on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. The outbound flight HU6385 departs Taiyuan at 3:15 PM and arrives at Changchun Longjia International Airport at 5:40 PM; return flight HU6386 departs Changchun at 6:40 PM and arrives in Taiyuan at 9:20 PM. The Taiyuan-Zhuhai route flies one round trip every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Outbound flight HU6383 departs Taiyuan at 3:10 PM and arrives at Zhuhai Jinwan Airport at 5:45 PM, while return flight HU6384 departs Zhuhai at 6:35 PM and arrives in Taiyuan at 9:30 PM. Specific flight information and reservations are both available through the official Hainan Airlines website, mobile app, customer service, as well as major regular ticket sales platforms.
Air Astana signs codeshare agreement with China Southern Airlines
Air Astana and China Southern Airlines signed a codeshare agreement on Tuesday, 29th July. The agreement will involve cooperation on trunk routes between Kazakhstan and China providing travellers with more flight options. The codeshare agreement covers Air Astana routes operated from Almaty to Beijing Capital, Almaty to Urumqi and Almaty to Guangzhou, as well as Astana to Beijing. For China Southern Airlines, the codeshare covers routes operated on a regular basis from Beijing Daxing to Almaty, Guangzhou to Almaty, Urumqi to Almaty and Xian to Almaty, together with Guangzhou to Astana and Urumqi to Astana. Forays into a strategic market This most recent agreement was also a strategic decision on the part of both airlines, in light of the longstanding links between China and Kazakhstan. Air Astana Group CEO Peter Foster remarked: "China has always been a strategically important market for Air Astana. Partnering with China Southern Airlines will boost trade, tourism and cultural links with China and open a new chapter in aviation cooperation between the two countries." Likewise, China Southern Airlines president and CEO Han Wensheng declared: “Codeshare cooperation with Air Astana will result in an increase in our service frequencies to Kazakhstan. It is not only a strategic move leveraging both airlines’ strengths but also a significant step in deepening Belt and Road aviation connectivity between China and Kazakhstan.”
Air Astana expands its network in China
Screenshot Kazakhstan’s flag carrier Air Astana announced the expansion of its China network at a media reception in Guangzhou earlier today, 11th June. The event was attended by Air Astana Group chief executive Peter Foster, Kuanysh Amantay, Minister Counsellor of Kazakhstan, and Air Astana’s regional manager for China and Mongolia Islam Sekerbekov. Foster said of the expansion: "China has always been an important strategic market for Air Astana. The launch of the Guangzhou service marks a significant step in expanding our Chinese route network in line with our long-term growth objectives. Air Astana has a proud reputation for delivering outstanding in-flight service, with passengers from China destined to enjoy high standards of cabin comfort and warm Kazakh hospitality.” A milestone in expansion The recent launch of Air Astana services from Almaty to Guangzhou marked a significant milestone in expanding the airline’s operations to China. The service not only became the fifth direct connection between Kazakhstan and China, but it also represents the first Air Astana flight linking southern Kazakhstan with southern China. This expansion underscores Air Astana’s commitment to enhancing regional connectivity and fostering closer ties between the two countries. Passengers from Guangzhou arriving in Almaty can enjoy convenient onward connections to destinations throughout Central Asia, the Caucasus, Middle East, South Asia and Europe Air Astana has continuously grown its route network in China since the Almaty to Beijing route was launched over 20 years ago. The airline now operates five routes between Kazakhstan and China: Almaty to Beijing, Astana to Beijing, Almaty to Urumqi, Almaty to Hainan and Almaty to Guangzhou, with a total of 23 weekly flights.
Cathay Pacific’s direct flights between Hong Kong and Rome take off
Cathay Pacific made its eagerly anticipated return to Italy’s capital with the launch of its non-stop flight between Hong Kong and Rome. The new summer seasonal service is the fourth new destination to join Cathay Pacific’s global network so far in 2025, as the Cathay Group nears 100 passenger destinations around the world. So far this year, Cathay Pacific has launched new passenger services to four destinations, including Hyderabad, Dallas-Fort Worth, Urumqi and now Rome. Meanwhile, low-cost carrier HK Express has launched services to Sendai, Nha Trang, Ishigaki, Komatsu, Changzhou and Yiwu already in 2025. Cathay Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau said: “Rome has long been an important destination for Cathay Pacific and a popular one among our customers. We first launched flights to the city in 1986 and we are thrilled to be back once again connecting our home, Hong Kong, with the Eternal City. We look forward to welcoming customers onboard with our signature Cathay Pacific service. “In addition to Rome, we will also be launching flights to Munich and Brussels this summer. In total, we will be operating close to 100 return flights per week to 12 European destinations, providing our customers with even greater connectivity between Hong Kong and this important region.” Operating three times per week on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, Cathay Pacific’s new Hong Kong-Rome service will be operated by one of the most modern and fuel-efficient aircraft in the airline’s fleet, the Airbus A350-900 aircraft, offering 38 flat-bed seats in Business, 28 seats in Premium Economy and 214 in Economy. Hong Kong-Rome (5 June-25 October 2025): Flight No. Origin Destination Departure Arrival Days of Operation CX293 Hong Kong (HKG) Rome (FCO) 00:30 07:35 Monday, Thursday, Saturday CX292 Rome (FCO) Hong Kong (HKG) 13:00 06:30+1 Monday, Thursday, Saturday Rome is Cathay Pacific’s second destination in Italy, joining the airline’s existing daily return flights to Milan. The airline also operates flights to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Madrid, Manchester, Paris and Zurich in Europe. Customers travelling from Europe can connect to the Cathay Group’s extensive network of destinations in Asia-Pacific and beyond, including 22 destinations in the Chinese Mainland served by Cathay Pacific and HK Express. Cathay Pacific and HK Express are launching passenger services to 16 destinations around the world in 2025, with more announcements to come. Within the first half of this year, the Cathay Group’s combined passenger network will reach 100 destinations across the globe.
Fliggy releases travel insights for this year’s Dragon Boat Festival holiday
Alibaba Group’s online travel services platform Fliggy just released insights into travel trends for the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival holiday. This latest report reveals a sustained demand for high-quality travel experiences throughout the Chinese mainland, as well as the country’s special autonomous regions of Hong Kong and Macau. Data shows that bookings for customised domestic tours are up by over 50 percent year-on-year (YoY), while domestic hotel packages combining accommodation with entertainment and dining options grew by 20 percent. Likewise, travellers were spending more in the leadup to the holiday, with average expenses on tickets, camping experiences, and chartered tours rising by 8.8 percent compared to last year's holiday period. In for stays and cultural immersion This year, many travelers opted for visits to theme parks or resorts with family and friends. As a result, ticket sales for major attractions and theme parks on the first day of the holiday increased by 25 percent YoY, while comprehensive packages that included dining and entertainment experienced a remarkable 140 percent surge in bookings. With southern China entering its rainy season, the hot and humid weather led many travelers to enjoy hotel-based retreats. Properties enhanced their offerings with traditional festival activities, such as making zongzi (glutinous rice dumplings), handcrafting five-color bracelets, and creating aromatic sachets, attracting guests seeking cultural experiences. Among all accommodation types, luxury resorts and boutique homestays recorded particularly strong booking growth during the holiday period. This year saw the increased popularity of closer destinations During the three-day holiday, travelers favored short-distance road trips and nearby getaways. According to Fliggy data, domestic car rental bookings jumped by approximately 30 percent YoY, with flexible pickup and return options proving particularly popular. Top self-drive destinations included Urumqi, Chengdu, Sanya, Haikou, and Beijing. On the other hand, the most popular domestic destinations included Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Chongqing, Xi'an, and Wuhan. Meanwhile, emerging locations such as Beitun (Xinjiang), Jincheng (Shanxi), Qiongzhong (Hainan), Qingyuan (Guangdong), Wuwei (Gansu), Nujiang (Yunnan), Dezhou (Shandong), Fangchenggang (Guangxi), and Kaifeng (Henan) showed the fastest booking growth, alluring travelers with their unique cultural and natural attractions in less crowded environments. For outbound travel, the most sought-after destinations included Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong SAR, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, France, Indonesia, and the United States, with short-haul flights (under four hours) being particularly popular. Notably, countries such as Poland, Iceland, Finland, Bhutan, Uzbekistan, Laos, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tanzania, and Georgia experienced substantial growth in bookings, drawing travelers with their pleasant climates and distinctive cultural offerings.
Top five trends for travel during the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival: Fliggy
Chinese tourists are gearing up for a three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday from May 31 to June 2, 2025. Fliggy, an online travel platform and wholly owned subsidiary of Alibaba Group has released its 2025 Dragon Boat Festival Travel Forecast, highlighting several key trends: Rising interest in cultural experiences: Traditional activities such as dragon boat racing and zongzi(glutinous rice dumplings) making have seen a significant increase in interest. Family-oriented travel gains traction: This year’s holiday coincides with Children's Day, enhancing the appeal of family travel. Bookings for theme park tickets have surged by over 100%, while family hotel packages, which include accommodation, entertainment, and dining options, have increased by 24%. Activities such as outings to the suburbs for water fun and picnics with kids and pets are in high demand, with camping bookings rising by 80%. Short trips are more popular: Two-hour high-speed train trips and short excursions are the preferred options. Car rentals for the holiday have risen by 47% compared to last year. Popular regions for self-driving tours include Urumqi, Chengdu, Sanya, Yili, Haikou, Kunming, Guiyang, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai. Popular domestic destinations: Major provincial capitals are still favored, but second- and third-tier cities like Jincheng (Shanxi province) and Haidong (Qinghai province) are experiencing a significant increase in bookings, after the picturesque scenery in these locations went viral on social media. Shuangyashan (Heilongjiang province) and Pu'er (Yunnan province) are also emerging as preferred summer retreats. Outbound travel on the rise: Outbound travel is experiencing strong growth compared to last year. Destinations within a four-hour flight radius – such as Hong Kong SAR, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand – remain the most sought after, alongside growing interest in more exotic locations such as Uzbekistan, Iceland, Qatar, Kazakhstan, and Tanzania.
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