China Eastern Airlines Set to Launch Shanghai-Almaty Flight

China Eastern Airlines will begin operating a new flight route between Shanghai and Almaty starting July 4, according to the Almaty city administration’s press service.

This marks the airline’s first destination in Central Asia and follows agreements reached in February between the Almaty administration and China Eastern Airlines, The Caspian Post reports, citing Kazakh media.

Representatives of the airline, Chinese media, and bloggers are expected to arrive on board the first flight, which will ensure wide coverage of the route’s opening in China. Passengers will be greeted with memorable souvenirs.

The launch of this flight will make Almaty even more accessible to Chinese tourists and business communities. In the first quarter of 2025, Almaty welcomed over 20,900 visitors from China, representing a 39.9% increase from the same period last year.

Today, Almaty is already connected by direct flights to Beijing, Guangzhou, Xi’an, Urumqi, Hangzhou, and Sanya. The new route will complement the existing network and increase the frequency of flights between the countries, which exceeds 150 flights per month.