China Eastern Airlines is set to begin direct flights between Shanghai and İstanbul on Sept. 28, marking the first direct route operated by a Chinese airline between the two cities, the Shine news website reported on Saturday.
The move will provide travelers with additional options for direct air travel between the two countries since only Turkish Airlines, Turkey’s flag carrier, currently offers direct flights on the route.
The new China Eastern Airlines service, flight numbers MU703 and MU704, will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The outbound flight from Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport is scheduled to depart at 1:30 a.m. Beijing time and arrive in İstanbul at 8:30 a.m. local time. The return flight will leave İstanbul at 2 p.m. local time and arrive at Pudong Airport at 5:30 p.m. Beijing time the following day.
The schedule is expected to cater to business and leisure travelers, enabling easy connections to further destinations in Europe and Africa.
This service expansion comes as both countries seek to strengthen economic ties and increase tourism.