Beginning this summer, Xiamen Airlines will operate a new major route between Vancouver and Xiamen, located on the southeast coast of China in the Fujian province.
According to Airline Route, the direct, non-stop service from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport is scheduled to take off on July 25, 2016. It will fly three times weekly on the airline’s new fleet of Boeing 787-8 aircraft.
Flights will leave Vancouver at 1:40 a.m. and arrive in Xiamen at 5:30 a.m. the next day while flights departing Xiamen will depart at 9:30 p.m. and arrive in Vancouver at 6:40 p.m.
Xiamen’s population is approximately 1.9 million people, split between the city centre island and the Mainland’s coastline. It is one of China’s Special Economic Zones and is also known for its scenery, particularly tree-lined beaches.
With the addition, this will be the fifth Mainland Chinese airlines to serve YVR. Xiamen Airlines joins China Eastern (to Kungming via Shanghai), China Southern (Guangzhou), Air China (Beijing), and Sichuan Airlines (Chendu via Shengyang) as Mainland Chinese airlines that serve Vancouver.
At least two more Mainland Chinese airlines are expected to announce their new Vancouver services in the coming weeks: Tianjin Airlines (from Chongqing to Vancouver via Tianjin, beginning June 2016) and Beijing Capital Airlines (from Hangzhou to Vancouver via Qingdao, beginning November 2016).
Fuelled by strong tourism and the addition of a number of new routes, YVR hit a record 20 million passenger count in 2015. Another record is expected to be broken in 2016, exceeding last year’s figure.
The airport authority anticipates it will reach 25 million passengers by 2020.
New and improved major YVR routes 2015/2016
- March 15, 2015: Manila, Philippines and New York City, U.S.A. – Philippine Airlines adds four weekly flights to its route from Manila to NYC, with a stop in Vancouver.
- March 29, 2015: Paris, France – Air France begins three times weekly non-stop flight service, with five times weekly schedules during the summer months.
- May 1, 2015: Osaka, Japan – Air Canada Rouge begins five times weekly service to Kansai International Airport.
- June 26, 2015: Kungming, China – China Eastern Airlines begins three times weekly flight service via Shanghai.
- December 9, 2015: Mexico City, Mexico – Aeromexico to begin daily non-stop flight service.
- January 1, 2016: Orlando International Airport – WestJet to begin twice weekly non-stop flight service.
- January 20, 2016: Orlando-Sanford International Airport – National Airlines to begin two times weekly flight service.
- May 1, 2016: London Heathrow Airport – British Airways to use an AirBus A380 superjumbo jet for its existing daily non-stop London Heathrow Airport service. The A380 will only be used during the summer months.
- May 6, 2016: London Gatwick Airport – WestJet to begin six times weekly non-stop flight service.
- May 9, 2016: Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport – Air Canada to begin twice daily, non-stop service to San Jose.
- June 4, 2016: Chicago O’Hare International Airport – Air Canada to begin daily, non-stop service.
- June 6, 2016: San Diego International Airport – Air Canada to begin daily, non-stop service.
- June 10, 2016: Dublin Airport – Air Canada to begin seasonal non-stop flight service.
- June 17, 2016: Brisbane, Australia – Air Canada to begin daily non-stop flight service.
- July 25, 2016: Xiamen, China – Xiamen Airlines to begin three times weekly non-stop flight service.
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