Hainan Airlines starts more nonstops from LA to China

Hainan Airlines recently announced two new nonstop routes between the US and China, connecting two central Chinese cities to Los Angeles with first-ever nonstop flights.

The inaugural flight of the twice weekly flights to Chongqing in Southwest China took off on Wednesday. It is the third nonstop route from LAX to central China.

On March 16, the airline announced the second nonstop between LAX and Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province and home to giant pandas. This supplements Hainan's exclusive service from LAX to Changsha, launched 14 months ago.

Chongqing is famous for its world-renowned cuisine and rich history, as well as its strategic location on the Yangtze River and the Three Gorges.

The new route is part of Hainan's large-scale expansion in North America. On the West Coast, Hainan already operates nonstop service between Silicon Valley (SJC), Las Vegas and Beijing, and from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Beijing and Shanghai.

This complements the airline's nonstop routes between Beijing and Chicago, Calgary, Boston and Toronto, and between Shanghai and Boston. Hainan inaugurated LAX to Changsha service in January 2016, and to Chengdu just last week.

The new service will employ Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Hainan is the airline with the most nonstop 787 Dreamliner routes between China and North America.

"Hainan is proud to be thrilled to bring our award-winning service and elite experience to Los Angeles on a brand new route that no other North American city can claim," said Hou Wei, vice-president of Hainan Airlines.

The new route between LAX and Chongqing departs LAX Terminal 2 on Wednesdays and Sundays at 12:45 am and arrives in Chongqing at 6:30 am the following day. Return flights depart Chongqing on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 9:15pm and arrive at LAX at 8pm the same day.

The earlier new route connecting to Chengdu departs LAX Terminal 2 on Mondays and Thursdays at 12:45 am and arrives in Chengdu at 6:40 am the following day. Return flights depart Chengdu at 9:15 pm and arrive at LAX at 8 pm the same day.

The skies between China and the US are getting busier.

Overall, nonstop air capacity between China and the US has grown 252 percent over the last 10 years, from 845,000 one-way seats in summer 2007 to almost 3 million already available for sale this coming summer, according to published schedules on OAG, the air travel intelligence company.

There are now 10 airlines providing scheduled service between the two countries, with Air China leading the way with a 20.9 percent share vs. United Airlines' 20.8 percent share.

Hainan Airlines has expanded in the US significantly since it began the Beijing-Seattle route in June 2008.

The airline opened three new routes in 2015- Shanghai to Boston, Shanghai to Seattle, and Beijing to San Jose - and became the first airline to fly nonstop from China to the heart of Silicon Valley in California.

lindadeng@chinadailyusa.com