China Eastern Adds Three New Routes to Turkey, Kazakhstan, and France
ID 229975990 | China Eastern Airlines © VanderWolfImages | Dreamstime.com
China Eastern Airlines is expanding its international network this summer with the addition of three new routes connecting China to Turkey, Kazakhstan, and France. The SkyTeam member airline is capitalizing on improved international relations and its continued access to Russian airspace to bolster connectivity between East Asia and Europe.
New Route: Xi’an to Istanbul
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Launch Date: June 30, 2024
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Frequency: 3x weekly (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays)
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Aircraft: Airbus A330-200
This marks China Eastern’s first-ever nonstop service between Xi’an and Istanbul Airport (IST). The route adds to its existing daily Shanghai–Istanbul service and increases the number of nonstop links between mainland China and Turkey.
Istanbul continues to grow as a key aviation hub bridging Asia, Europe, and Africa. China-Turkey connectivity is on the rise, with 26,200 two-way weekly seats, up 7% year-over-year. Other Chinese carriers serving Istanbul include Air China, Sichuan Airlines, China Southern, and China Southern Airlines, alongside Turkish Airlines’ multi-city network into China.
New Route: Shanghai Pudong to Almaty
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Launch Date: July 2, 2024
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Frequency: 3x weekly (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays)
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Aircraft: Boeing 737-800
China Eastern will add service from Shanghai Pudong (PVG) to Almaty (ALA), the commercial hub of Kazakhstan. Almaty is already served by numerous Chinese and Central Asian airlines, including Air Astana, SCAT, and China Southern, linking it to cities like Beijing, Urumqi, Xi’an, and Hangzhou.
This new route strengthens China’s growing aviation ties with Central Asia, especially as Kazakhstan continues to position itself as a trade and tourism gateway in the region.
New Route: Nanjing to Paris Charles de Gaulle
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Launch Date: July 9, 2024
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Frequency: 1x weekly (Wednesdays)
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Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
This new service from Nanjing Lukou International Airport (NKG) to Paris CDG (CDG) is currently unserved, making China Eastern the only airline flying the route. The airline already operates 12x weekly flights from Shanghai to Paris, giving passengers more choice for travel between China and France.
While Neos connects Nanjing to Milan, this new Paris route gives Nanjing direct access to one of Europe’s primary aviation hubs.
Additional European Expansion
These three routes follow announcements of three more European services:
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Shanghai to Geneva (starts June 16, 4x weekly)
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Shanghai to Milan Malpensa (starts June 20, daily)
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Shanghai to Copenhagen (starts July 17, 3x weekly, A330-200)
All of these flights benefit from China Eastern’s ability to operate over Russian airspace, unlike most Western carriers who must reroute due to ongoing geopolitical tensions. The result: shorter, more fuel-efficient routes and a substantial competitive edge.
Looking Ahead
The new Xi’an–Istanbul route is particularly timely, as the city will host Routes Asia 2026, taking place April 14–16, 2026. The service underscores the growing strategic importance of Xi’an as a regional aviation hub.
China Eastern’s multi-pronged expansion into Europe and Central Asia shows a clear strategy of leveraging geopolitics, alliances, and underserved markets to build out its international network.
