New Route of the Day (16 June 2025): China Eastern Airlines between Shanghai PVG and Geneva

China Eastern Airlines introduced flights between its hub at Shanghai PVG and Geneva on Monday 16 June. The 9,280-kilometre service will be maintained 4-weekly, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with the 288-seat A350-900 aircraft. The SkyTeam member faces no competition between the two cities.

Flight MU217 departs Shanghai PVG at 01:30 local time, arriving in Geneva at 07:50 local time. The return service, operating as flight MU218, takes off from the Swiss airport at 12:00 local time, touching back down in China at 05:30 local time the following morning.

Second China route for Geneva

The new flights between Shanghai PVG and Geneva mark China Eastern Airlines’ entry into the Swiss market. The only other flights between China and the Swiss city currently maintained are those by Air China, operated up to 6-weekly this summer, from Beijing PEK.

Overall, during the peak summer travel period, Geneva boasts 10-weekly flights to China with just over 3,720 seats on the market each week.

The launch of the new service coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Switzerland in 2025.

China Eastern expands Europe network

Geneva is the first of three new routes to be launched by China Eastern Airlines to Europe this summer. The carrier will add services between Shanghai PVG and Milan MXP on 20 June, followed by flights between its hub and Copenhagen on 17 July.

With these additions, China Eastern will be operating to 15 European cities this summer. Apart from those listed, they include Amsterdam, Paris CDG, Rome FCO, Frankfurt, Istanbul IST, London LGW, London LHR, Madrid, Venice, Moscow SVO, St. Petersburg and Kazan.

Overall, the airline will maintain 139-weekly flights to Europe during peak summer with 40,877 seats on offer in each direction.