New route into China for United Airlines

United Airlines has launched a new bellyhold route into China, which take-off next year as long as it gets the go ahead from regulators.

The carrier will fly to Xi’an International Airport and the service will be the first trans-Pacific flights to the destination operated by any airline. United will be the first US airline to serve the city.

United says it will use a Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the route, to operate the three-times-weekly service from San Francisco International Airport between 8 May and 27 October 2016, subject to government approval.

The airline says it wishes to acknowledge the US Department of Transportation, the US Department of State and the Civil Aviation Administration of China for their “forward-thinking” negotiations to open non-stop flights from the US to interior points in China, which make the Xi’an service possible.