The number of weekly direct passenger flights between China and the U.S. is to increase from Thursday, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). 

During the winter-spring flight season, the number of direct regular passenger flights between China and the U.S. is expected to increase from 48 per week to 70 per week.

Domestic airlines including Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines and Sichuan Airlines have expanded their flight offerings.

The new winter and spring civil aviation season in China started on October 29, 2023, and is scheduled to end on March 30, 2024. The CAAC has granted approval to 116 airlines for their planned applications, totaling 13,004 weekly international passenger flights involving 65 foreign countries.

During the winter-spring season, the planned volume of international passenger flights is estimated to be approximately 70.7 percent of that in the same period in 2019, before the pandemic's impact, according to Liang Nan, director of CAAC's Department of Transport

According to Liang, the civil aviation transportation sector is displaying promising signs of recovery and stability, as indicated by the current seasonal flight schedule, and competition within the industry is well-regulated and conducted in an orderly manner.