Manchester Airport has announced that its flights to Beijing will be operating more frequently next year.

Currently, the direct flights with Hainan Airlines operate four times weekly, however, from June to September 2024, the flights will be running daily.

The 10-hour flights will see passengers travel on the Airbus A330 aircraft which will depart at 12.15pm each day.

Tickets for the flights in both economy and business class for summer 2024 are on sale now.

Daily flights to Beijing to be offered from Manchester Airport in 2024

When Hainan Airlines launched its service to China’s capital in 2016, Manchester became the first UK hub outside of London to gain a direct flight to mainland China.

The airline’s partnership with Loganair means passengers from other UK regions can also benefit from these links with tickets available from Aberdeen, Inverness, the Isle of Man and Newquay to Beijing with a simple airside transfer at Manchester.

Beijing is the gateway to the world’s second most populous country and boasts seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Forbidden City and the Great Wall.

Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director of Manchester Airport, said: “We are proud to connect the North to the world – and to connect the world to the North. From next summer, we will become the only UK airport outside London offering daily direct flights to mainland China, meaning we are able to connect the people of the region to one of the most important economies in the world, and vice versa. 

“Hainan Airlines’ decision to operate a daily Beijing flight from Manchester is testament to the success of the current service. More than 350,000 passengers have used it since it was first launched seven years ago. 

“We know the route is also extremely popular with Chinese visitors. We are a gateway to some of the most vibrant cities and beautiful countryside the UK has to offer, and the daily service is fantastic news for tourism, businesses, and Universities across our region – as well as for Manchester’s Chinese community.” 

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Peter Han, General Manager, Hainan Airlines UK, said: “We are thrilled to be almost doubling capacity on our Manchester to Beijing service next summer with a daily flight. There is a lot of demand for travel between the North of England and China, in both directions.

“This expansion of our service will allow us to meet demand over the busy summer season and marks an exciting new chapter for our operation at Manchester Airport.” 

Rhys Whalley, Executive Director of the Manchester China Forum, said: “We're delighted to see Hainan increasing connectivity with Beijing, which will provide a welcome boost to businesses, students, visitors as well as residents on both sides looking to resume normal travel post pandemic. 

“The world's second largest economy is a leading source for trade and investment into the region – total trade amounted to £108.7 billion in four quarters to the end of quarter two, 2023.

“Hainan Airlines' decision to increase frequencies signals the importance of the route as well as the confidence they have in the outlook for post pandemic two-way movement.” 

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Henri Murison, Director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: “We know that Asia is responsible for a sizeable proportion of the increase in foreign direct investment we’ve seen to our region in recent years and this improved connectivity to Beijing should help to accelerate that. 

“Manchester Airport plays a vital role in the Northern economy as our gateway to the rest of the world. 

“International connectivity is vital if the North of England is serious about developing our global reputation, supporting our universities as well as building trade and tourism links.”