The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) said Monday that Chinese passenger airlines would be permitted to increase their weekly round-trip US flights to 50, up from the current 35, beginning March 31. 

As the approval gets back the market to almost one-third of pre-pandemic levels, the USDOT said this was a significant step forward in further normalizing the US-China market in preparation for the summer travel season, according to Reuters. 

Chinese Airlines Flights Still Lower Than Pre-COVID Levels

After the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, Chinese and US airlines were limited to 12 weekly round-trip passenger flights until August 2023. Before that, both countries authorized more than 150.

On September 1, 2023, the number increased to 18 weekly round-trips, and from October 29, 2023, it started growing to 24 each week. Last November, 35 Chinese carriers were approved by the USDOT.

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US Market Reopening With China

The US government's strategy to reopen the market with China has the backing of Airlines for America, a coalition that includes American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines.

The three airlines operate the most flights to China, with a total of 31 flights each week. The group said the Biden administration must stick to this strategy.

The Chinese, located in Washington, DC, expressed joy with the recent developments of increasing direct passenger flights between China and the US. The Chinese embassy is trying to foster people-to-people exchanges further and facilitate cross-border travel easier.

US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo expressed her desire to increase travel and tourism between the two nations during her visit to China last year.

Raimondo said in August that the US economy would gain $30 billion and 50,000 jobs if China gets back to 2019 US tourism levels.

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