Air China launches direct Abu Dhabi–Beijing flights

Air China has launched a new non-stop service connecting Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) with Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport (AUH), operating four times a week on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

 

The launch marks the second direct link between the two capitals and brings the total number of weekly flights between Abu Dhabi and Beijing to 11. Etihad Airways has operated daily flights to Beijing Daxing since 2023.

 

The new Air China service departs Beijing at 16:25, arriving in Abu Dhabi at 21:50, with the return flight leaving AUH at 23:50 and landing in Beijing at 11:50 the following day. The eight-hour route is served by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with capacity for 293 passengers, including 30 business class seats with lie-flat beds and 34 premium economy seats.

 

Commenting on the launch, Ahmed Juma Al Shamisi, Acting CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “As one of the world’s largest airlines, Air China’s decision to serve Zayed International Airport reflects the airport’s growth trajectory and strategic location. With record passenger growth and direct access to both of Beijing’s international gateways, this new service strengthens Abu Dhabi’s role as a key hub linking China with markets across the Middle East, Africa and Europe.”

 

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China remains a major growth market for Abu Dhabi’s aviation and tourism sectors. The new Air China route follows a strategic joint venture between Etihad Airways and China Eastern Airlines, the first commercial partnership of its kind between a Middle Eastern and a Chinese carrier. China Eastern currently operates daily Shanghai–Abu Dhabi flights

 

The launch comes as Zayed International Airport records unprecedented growth, handling 32.5 million passengers in 2025 – its highest annual total to date and a 13% year-on-year increase. Asia remains a key focus for the airport’s home carrier, Etihad Airways, which expanded its network to 21 destinations across the region last year, adding Taipei, Phnom Penh, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Hanoi and Medan.

 

Earlier this year, Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves reiterated plans to expand the airline’s fleet to 200 aircraft and serve more than 38 million passengers annually by 2030, a target aligned with Abu Dhabi’s wider tourism ambitions to attract 39.3 million visitors by the end of the decade. 

 

For more information, visit airchina.com.cn