US airlines oppose China's request to increase direct flights, citing Russian airspace advantage

On September 24, 2026, in Washington, D.C., Chris Sununu, head of Airlines for America, said US carriers oppose adding more direct flights from China to the United States. This came after Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed increasing flights to boost travel and trade. US airlines are disadvantaged because they cannot fly over Russia, while Chinese carriers can on eight flights. Currently, each side operates about 50 weekly round-trip flights, down from over 150 before the pandemic. Airlines for America also opposed Air China's request to increase flights. The White House has not commented.