The day has come: China has reopened its borders to some travelers for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020.
Although the first big wave of travelers to the country is likely to be Chinese nationals living elsewhere who want to reunite with family and friends, leisure tourism looks set to follow.
The country has lifted quarantine requirements and eased other rules for incoming travelers, paving the way for a relaunch of the tourism industry. At the same time, China's major airlines are ramping up their offerings.
For the most part, this means restoring flight routes that were eliminated or greatly reduced during the pandemic.
However, some important new routes are also making it easier than ever for travelers to Budapest, Istanbul, Johannesburg and other major cities to visit China and vice versa.
Shanghai - Athens
Before the pandemic, China and Greece had planned to increase their air links.
Now, however, one of the most important connections has been restored – the first direct flight from Shanghai Pudong (PVG) to Athens took place in the last week of December.
Going forward, Air China will operate the 10.5-hour flight once a week.
Guangzhou – Istanbul
China's third largest city will have a direct connection to Istanbul this year, thanks to a new flight on China Southern Airlines.
The airline, which is headquartered in Guangzhou, will fly the inaugural route to Istanbul Airport (IST) on January 10.
The flight from Guangzhou to Istanbul takes about 11 hours, while the return journey takes about 9.5 hours.
This is great news for Chinese travelers looking for another gateway to Europe, as IST is the main base for Turkish Airlines.
Beijing - Johannesburg
China has been trying to strengthen its relations in Africa for years, and one way to do this is to make it easier for travelers who want to travel between the two continents.
An upcoming direct Air China flight will travel between Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) and South Africa's Johannesburg, O.R.
Air China announced the new route, along with a series of other majors, but there is no confirmed launch date yet.
Chongqing – Ho Chi Minh
Southwest China's metropolis of Chonqing is getting some exciting new airlines this season. The first is a direct Air China flight to Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City.
This means that over 30 million Chongqing residents will be able to visit the Reunification Palace, Central Post Office, War Remnants Museum and other famous spots in Vietnam's largest city.
Chongqing – Budapest
The other new flight departing from Chongqing is also served by Air China and flies to Budapest, Hungary's Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD), once a week.
There are already several other air links between the two countries – one direct from Beijing to Budapest started in 2015 and one from Shanghai started in 2019.
Xi'an - Almaty
Residents of the home of the world-famous terracotta warriors will be able to travel more easily to another city with a rich history – Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Almaty was a settlement along the Silk Road and has been settled since at least 1000 BC, giving Kazakhstan's capital a great historical legacy.
Chances are good that this flight is a sign of many more to come. China and Kazakhstan have strong diplomatic relations, evidenced by President Xi Jinping visiting the country for his first trip outside China of the Covid era last year.
XNanning - Phnom Penh
China Southern Airlines is establishing closer links with neighboring Cambodia with two flights a week between Phnom Penh and the southern Chinese city of Nanning.
Although Nanning is close to China's border with Vietnam, there are currently no airlines offering direct flights from Nanning to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, so this growing connection to Cambodia could also open up more access to Asian destinations. Southeast.
This flight started on December 22.
