SINGAPORE, 3 March 2026: China Eastern Airlines has confirmed a major expansion during its summer 2026 timetable by introducing three international routes connecting China to Central Asia, Europe, and Australia.
Shanghai (PVG) to Tashkent (TAS), Uzbekistan
This route is an expansion into Central Asia that supports China’s “Belt and Road” initiative.
Start Date: 30 March 2026.
Frequency: Four weekly flights (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays).
Aircraft: A330-200.
Details: Flights depart Shanghai Pudong at 1340 and return from Tashkent on the same day. This follows the airline’s launch of service to Xi’an–Tashkent in 2025.
Flight schedule
MU6037 departs Shanghai (PVG) at 1340 and arrives in Tashkent (TAS) at 1840.
MU6038 departs Tashkent (TAS) at 2020 and arrives in Shanghai (PVG) at 0615 plus a day.
Xi’an (XIY) to Vienna (VIE), Austria
China Eastern is positioning Xi’an as a major international hub with this new link to Europe.
Start Date: 20 April 2026.
Frequency: three weekly (Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays).
Aircraft: A330-200.
Significance: This is a direct service aimed at capturing the growing demand for travel between Western China and Central Europe.
Flight schedule
MU5063 departs Xi’an (XIY) at 0130 and arrives in Vienna (VIE) at 0610.
MU5064 departs Vienna (VIE) at 1330 and arrives in Xi’an (XIY) at 0550 plus a day.
Shanghai (PVG) to Adelaide (ADL), Australia
This is a seasonal service marking the return of a direct link to South Australia.
Operations timeline: 20 June 2026 to 2 August 2026.
Frequency: Three weekly.
Outbound: Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Return: Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
Aircraft: A350-900.
Details: This route targets the peak winter travel season in Australia and summer holidays in China.
Flight schedule
MU781 departs Shanghai (PVG) at 1940 and arrives in Adelaide (ADL) at 0730, plus a day. (Mon, Thu, Sat)
MU782 departs Adelaide (ADL) at 0930 and arrives in Shanghai (PVG) at 1830. (Tue, Fri, Sun).
China Eastern: More network adjustments
Sydney rejig: Starting 29 March 2026, the airline is switching its Wuhan (WUH)–Sydney (SYD) routing to a Beijing Daxing (PKX)-(WUH)–Sydney (SYD) service.
Manila terminal shift: Also effective 29 March 2026, the airline will move its operations at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3.
India resumption: The airline recently upgraded its Shanghai–New Delhi service to a daily direct service.
Takeaways
Tashkent Expansion: By adding Shanghai to its existing Xi’an–Tashkent service, China Eastern will become a major player for travel to Uzbekistan.
Vienna Connectivity: The 0130 departure from Xi’an gets travellers to Europe early in the morning, ready for a full first day of sightseeing or business meetings.
Adelaide Return: This is good news for South Australia’s hospitality and tour content suppliers, as it’s the first direct link to mainland China since 2020.
(Source: China Eastern Airlines with additional reporting)
