US Airlines Oppose China’s Plan to Increase Direct Flights

US airlines are opposing a proposal by China to increase the number of direct flights between the two countries, arguing that Chinese carriers already have an advantage because they are allowed to fly over Russian airspace.

Chris Sununu, head of Airlines for America, which represents major US carriers including American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, said American airlines should not face greater competition while being unable to use Russian airspace.

Chinese President Xi Jinping raised the possibility of increasing direct flights between the United States and China during an event in Washington on Thursday.

“Both sides may also increase direct flights to facilitate two-way travel and trade,” Xi said.

At present, the United States and China are each permitted to operate about 50 round-trip passenger flights per week. Before restrictions were introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, each side had been allowed to operate more than 150 weekly round-trip flights.

Sununu said US airlines are already at a disadvantage because Chinese airlines operate eight flights to the United States that are permitted to fly over Russia, reducing travel times and operating costs.

“It's imbalanced. It's unfair,” Sununu said, arguing that allowing China to add more flights without addressing the airspace issue would further disadvantage US carriers.

The United States banned Russian aircraft from its airspace in March 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia subsequently prohibited US airlines from flying through its airspace.

Although the US has not banned other countries from using Russian airspace, Washington reached an agreement with China in 2023 under which additional flights approved between the two countries would not fly over Russia.

In October 2025, the US Transportation Department proposed preventing Chinese airlines from flying over Russia on routes to and from the United States, citing concerns that shorter flight times gave Chinese carriers a competitive advantage.

The proposal was later shelved amid opposition from other US government agencies and ahead of trade negotiations with China.

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