Air China adds direct Beijing-Venice link

Air China launched a direct route between Beijing and Venice on Thursday, adding a new air link between China and Italy as the two countries mark 40 years of direct air services.

The new Beijing-Venice service will operate four times a week — on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays — according to the carrier. The schedule is designed to serve both leisure travelers visiting Venice and passengers making onward connections across Europe, while also linking with Air China's domestic and international network through Beijing.

The route follows the launch of Air China's Beijing Daxing-Milan service in June, further expanding the carrier's presence in the Italian market.

China and Italy opened their first direct air route in 1986 with the launch of the Beijing-Rome service. Since then, Air China has gradually expanded its Italy network to include services such as Beijing-Milan-Rome, Shanghai-Milan-Rome, Hangzhou-Rome and Wenzhou-Milan.

To mark the launch of the new route, Air China held a departure ceremony at Beijing Capital International Airport on Thursday, featuring Italian cultural performances and passenger engagement activities. A promotional event was also held on Venice's Lido Island on Wednesday, local time, bringing together more than 200 guests from the aviation, tourism and cultural sectors of both countries.

Air China said the new service will further strengthen its European route network and provide more convenient travel options for business, tourism and cultural exchanges between China and Europe.

The carrier currently serves 25 destinations in Europe and operates nearly 260 flights a week on China-Europe routes.