Tbilisi connected by direct flights with China’s largest city

Photo: United Airports of Georgia

On July 15, China Eastern Airlines operated a historic first direct scheduled flight between Tbilisi and China’s largest city, Shanghai. A total of 559 passengers traveled on the inaugural flight, according to the United Airports of Georgia.

The flights will be operated three times a week—every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday—using Airbus A330 widebody jets.

China Eastern Airlines has become the third Chinese carrier to enter the Georgian market. China Southern Airlines operates daily flights on the Urumqi–Tbilisi–Urumqi route, while Air China operates three weekly flights on the Beijing–Urumqi–Tbilisi–Urumqi–Beijing routing.

Air traffic between Georgia and China began to rise following the introduction of a visa-free regime between the two countries in May 2024. According to Georgian aviation authorities, 100,470 passengers were carried between the nations in 2025, representing a 76% surge compared to 2024. Passenger traffic for the first half of this year reached 49,992 passengers, which is approximately 25% higher than the figures for the same period in 2025.