China Flights Update — 7 August 2026

flights • 7 August 2026

Several airlines are adding **new direct links to China** in the coming months, with the clearest recent announcements centred on **regional gateways and secondary Chinese cities** rather than just Beijing or Shanghai. According to *China Travel News*-adjacent reporting in the search results, Korean carriers are expanding China services from Incheon, Daegu and other regional airports, including new or resumed routes to **Yichang, Qingdao, Yantai and Zhangjiajie**, with some services starting from **1 September** and **17 September**[1]. For travellers looking further afield, **Cebu Pacific** is set to launch **Cebu–Shanghai** from **17 November** and resume **Manila–Xiamen** from **23 November**, while **FlyArystan** plans a new **Almaty–Chongqing** route from **23 September 2026** with **two weekly flights**[3][5]. In Europe, **Air China** has already started **daily Milan Malpensa–Beijing Daxing** services, which strengthens Italy–China connectivity and gives travellers another direct option into Beijing’s newer airport[4]. If you are planning travel from Australia, the most practical takeaway is that China’s international air network is still expanding, especially for travellers connecting via **Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, Europe and nearby Asian hubs**. Among the sources provided, the strongest route-specific evidence comes from airline and route reports on **Cebu Pacific, Air China and FlyArystan**, while broader industry coverage suggests more China route growth is coming through **regional city pairs** rather than only major capitals[1][3][4][5].

Sources