Europe-China record capacity in 2026; Air China top airline; Keflavik & Bucharest get 1st flights

The market between Europe and mainland China has record capacity. In 2026, Cirium schedule data shows that 8.9 million one-way seats are available (excluding Russia to avoid Asian cities). This volume has exceeded the prior high by 15%. Nearly 1.2 million additional seats have been added in a year.

Things have changed in many ways. For example, before the pandemic in 2019, European airlines accounted for nearly half of the capacity (45%). However, in 2026, they have just 19%. Chinese operators are increasingly prevalent. In the past seven years, their seats have grown from 4.2 million to 7.2 million.

Multiple airlines have ceased flying between Europe and China since 2020. They include Tibet Airlines and Ukraine International in 2020, Iberia in 2022 and SAS and Virgin Atlantic in 2024. However, Air Serbia launched flights in 2022, followed by Condor in 2025 and Belavia in 2024.

Air China is the top airline

With 3.6 million one-way seats, up by 22% year-over-year, Star Alliance’s Air China is the largest operator in this market. It has 40 routes to Europe from nine Chinese airports, with Beijing PEK obviously being especially important (2.6 million seats). 22 European airports are served. Compared to 2025, it now serves Bucharest, Brussels, Keflavik and Venice VCE:

• 24 March 2026: Beijing PEK to Brussels (daily)
• 26 March 2026: Chengdu TFU to Brussels (3-weekly)
• 2 July 2026: Beijing PEK to Venice VCE (4-weekly)
• 4 September 2026: Beijing PEK to Bucharest (3-weekly)
• 26 October 2026: Beijing PEK to Keflavik via Copenhagen (3-weekly)

Strong growth was also experienced by Sichuan Airlines (+32%), China Southern (+32%) and China Eastern (+22%). The expansion of only two of these airlines is related to serving additional European airports. On 29 March 2026, China Southern began flying from Beijing PXK to Helsinki (4-weekly), although it ceased flying to Rome FCO in 2025. Meanwhile, China Eastern inaugurated flights to Dublin, Stockholm ARN, Vienna and Zurich:

• 20 April 2026: Xian to Vienna (3-weekly)
• 18 June 2026: Shanghai PVG to Zurich (3-weekly)
• 22 June 2026: Shanghai PVG to Stockholm ARN (3-weekly)
• 20 July 2026: Shanghai PVG to Dublin (3-weekly)

With 643,000 one-way seats, up by 56%, Turkish Airlines is the largest non-Chinese carrier. It operates from Istanbul IST to Beijing PEK, Guangzhou, Shanghai PVG and now Chengdu TFU. It’ll take off for TFU on 11 November 2026 (3-weekly). The airline flew to Xian until 2020.

Istanbul IST is the top airport to China

Cirium shows that 36 European airports have passenger flights to mainland China, which include Luxembourg. Compared to 2025, Bucharest and Keflavik have passenger flights to China for the first time.

With nearly 1.1 million one-way seats, Istanbul IST is number one. Due to capacity rising by 47%, it has jumped from the fourth spot last year, overtaking London LHR, Paris CDG and Frankfurt. Of course, more airlines are adding London LGW capacity (+35%) due to LHR’s lack of slots.

IST’s growth is not from any new airlines but substantial expansion from four of the five incumbents: China Southern (+70%), Turkish Airlines (+56%), Sichuan Airlines (+42%) and Air China (+31%).  However, except for Turkish Airlines to TFU, the growth is entirely from existing routes.