China Eastern Adds Links To Turkey, Kazakhstan And France

China Eastern Airlines is deepening its network in Europe and Central Asia with the launch of three new international services scheduled to begin this summer, offering new routes to Paris, Istanbul and Almaty.

The carrier will inaugurate its first-ever nonstop service between Xi’an and Istanbul Airport on June 30. Flights will operate three times per week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, using Airbus A330-200 aircraft.

The addition of a new service to Istanbul strengthens China Eastern’s presence in a key aviation hub linking Europe, Asia and Africa, and comes at a time of improving bilateral ties between China and Turkey.

The SkyTeam alliance member already serves Istanbul daily from Shanghai Pudong—one of six nonstop routes between the Turkish city and mainland China.

According to OAG Schedules Analyser data, Turkish Airlines operates flights from Istanbul to Beijing Capital, Guangzhou and Shanghai Pudong, while China Southern Airlines connects Istanbul with Beijing Daxing, Guangzhou and Urumqi. Additionally, Air China and Sichuan Airlines serve Istanbul from Beijing Capital and Chengdu, respectively.

Overall, there are about 26,200 two-way weekly seats between Istanbul and China, marking a rise of 7% on the same period a year ago.

Additionally, China Eastern will also begin service between Shanghai Pudong and Almaty, Kazakhstan, starting July 2. This route will also operate three times per week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, utilizing a Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Almaty, Kazakhstan’s commercial capital, is a growing regional hub for both trade and tourism. The city is currently connected nonstop to eight destinations in China, reflecting its strategic role in Sino-Central Asian connectivity.

Air Astana operates services to Beijing Capital, Guangzhou and Urumqi; SCAT Airlines flies to Sanya; China Southern Airlines links Almaty with Beijing Daxing, Urumqi and Xi’an; FlyArystan also serves Urumqi; and Loong Air operates flights to Hangzhou.

The third of China Eastern’s latest network additions will launch on July 9, linking Nanjing Lukou International Airport with Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. The route will operate once a week on Wednesdays using 777-300ER aircraft.

It will become the airline’s second nonstop connection to the French capital, complementing its existing 12X-weekly Shanghai Pudong–Paris service, also operated by 777-300ERs. The Nanjing–Paris market is currently unserved, though Italian carrier Neos flies to Nanjing from Milan Malpensa.

As previously reported, China Eastern is set to launch three additional European routes this summer, leveraging its access to Russian airspace. Service between Shanghai Pudong and Geneva will begin on June 16, operating four times per week. Daily flights to Milan Malpensa follow on June 20, using A350-900 aircraft. The third route, to Copenhagen Kastrup Airport—hub of SkyTeam partner Scandinavian Airlines (SAS)—will launch on July 17, with three weekly frequencies operated by A330-200s.

China Eastern's continued access to Russian airspace on routes to Europe provides a significant competitive advantage over many Western carriers, which are restricted from overflying Russia due to sanctions related to the Russia-Ukraine war.

This access allows Chinese airlines to operate shorter, more fuel-efficient routes to Europe, reducing flight times and operational costs. In contrast, European airlines must take longer detours, increasing their expenses and leading some to reduce or suspend services to China.

The new Xi’an-Istanbul route comes as the Chinese city, the capital of the Shaanxi province, prepares to host Routes Asia 2026. The event will take place from April 14-16, 2026.