New Route of the Day (26 October 2026): Air China between Beijing PEK and Reykjavik via Copenhagen
Air China commenced flights between Beijing PEK and Reykjavik, operating via Copenhagen, on Monday 26 October. The new service will be maintained 3-weekly, on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, with the 301-seat A330-300 aircraft. The Star Alliance member becomes the sole airline linking mainland China and Iceland and has secured fifth-freedom traffic rights to sell tickets between Copenhagen and Reykjavik. On the sector, it will compete against 22-weekly Icelandair flights and 2-daily SAS rotations.
Flight CA807 departs Beijing PEK at 03:30 local time, arriving in Copenhagen at 06:30 local time. It continues from the Danish capital at 08:45 local time, reaching Reykjavik at 11:15 local time. The return service, CA808, leaves Iceland at 13:45 local time, arriving in Copenhagen at 17:50 local time5. It departs again at 20:30, reaching Beijing at 12:20 local time the following day.
What they said
Sveinbjorn Indridason, CEO of airport operator Isavia, said: “This is a major milestone for Iceland and KEF. The connection with China strengthens Iceland’s position as a destination and creates new opportunities for tourism, trade, and closer ties between our countries. We are delighted to welcome Air China and look forward to a successful partnership in the years ahead. Airports Council International Europe has demonstrated that a 10% increase in air connectivity can generate 0.5% economic growth and increase employment by 1.6%. Keflavík Airport’s hub operation is therefore one of the key pillars of prosperity in Iceland, and this new connection will further support economic growth and quality of life across the country.”
Omar Svavarsson, Chief Commercial Officer at Keflavík Airport, added: “This new route provides Keflavík Airport with a valuable connection to Asia and further strengthens Iceland’s links with the rest of the world. The addition creates important opportunities for both Icelandic business and the tourism industry. We have worked strategically to diversify KEF’s route network, and it is particularly rewarding to see this connection become a reality.”
Air China grows Europe capacity
The Reykjavik service operates alongside Air China’s existing daily Beijing PEK – Copenhagen flights, maintained with A350-900 aircraft during winter 2026/27. The addition brings the airline’s total frequency between the Chinese and Danish capitals to 10-weekly.
Iceland is the latest addition to Air China’s European network following a series of launches during 2026. These included Beijing PEK – Brussels BRU and Chengdu – Brussels BRU in March, Beijing PKX – Frankfurt in April, Beijing PKX – Milan MXP in June and Beijing PEK – Venice in July. In September, the airline introduced flights between Beijing PEK and Zagreb via Bucharest, also using fifth-freedom rights on the intra-European sector.
During the January – September period, Air China had 5.8 million seats on flights between China and Europe, representing an increase of 18% year-on-year.