2nd new European route: China Eastern Airlines resumes flights from Shanghai to Stockholm
March 8, 2026
China Eastern Airlines will be resuming flights between Stockholm Arlanda Airport and Shanghai Pudong International Airport from June 2026. The carrier hopes to launch three weekly services, operating on Monday, Thursday and Saturday from the Swedish capital. It will use an Airbus A330.
The new route is part of its continued European expansion which will see it add a considerable number of seats to its existing network and introduce two routes, including the one to Stockholm.
China Eastern began this route in 2018 but suspended it after the COVID-19 pandemic hit. It has not returned to Sweden since the final flight to Shanghai took off in 2020.
China Eastern to launch new route between Stockholm and Shanghai
The new connection will begin on 22 June, becoming the only carrier to link Sweden with Shanghai. The only other flights to China from Stockholm are with Air China to Beijing. The last time a non-Chinese airline linked the two countries was in 2009 when Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) flew between Stockholm and Beijing. The route was suspended that year and has not returned.
SAS has concentrated on long-haul flights from its Copenhagen hub instead and offers convenient connections for those flying from Sweden. This year, SAS’ only long-haul flights from are to Miami and Newark.
In a statement, Arlanda Airport welcomed the new route. “The new connection also makes it easier to travel onward within China and across Asia. China Eastern has an extensive international network with many connecting flights to destinations throughout the region.”
China Eastern continues its European growth
The Shanghai-Stockholm route is one of two new connections the carrier is launching this year. The other links Xian with Vienna, a service that will begin in April 2026. However, China Eastern’s capacity growth to Europe goes beyond new routes. Both flight frequencies and seat numbers are up across a large portion of its international network.
Information from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows that overall, China Eastern’s flights are up 16% to Europe (including Russia and Turkey) with services to Barcelona, Copenhagen and Geneva seeing the largest increases. Only flights to London Heathrow, Rome Fiumicino and Madrid will see reductions, down by 14%, 4% and 2% respectively. It is, however, increasing service to London Gatwick.
| European gateway | Growth in flights | Destinations served |
|---|---|---|
| Barcelona | +454% | Shanghai |
| Copenhagen | +104% | Shanghai |
| Geneva | +100% | Shanghai |
| Milan | +48% | Shanghai, Xian |
| Venice | +38% | Shanghai |
| London Gatwick | +15% | Shanghai |
Separately, the carrier announced this week that it would be doubling down on flights to Brisbane, introducing daily year-round services from Shanghai as of 15 June.
European airlines have gradually retreated from the Chinese market
It’s no longer as easy flying to China. Flights operated by carriers in Western Europe have reduced dramatically over the last couple of years. Most recently, SWISS decided to reduce flying to Shanghai – it’s only remaining destination in China.
The inability to fly over Russian airspace, fierce competition from Chinese and Gulf carriers, as well as reduced demand, have contributed to the reduction in European interest in the Chinese market.
Chinese carriers have been quick to capitalise on changing market dynamics though. All four of the major airlines in the country have increased their services to the continent. Air China flights are up by 33% this year compared to 2019, China Southern by 49%, Hainan Airlines by 56% and China Eastern by 92%.
In absolute numbers, Air China and China Eastern offer the most capacity in the market by quite a margin.
Featured image: VanderWolf Images / stock.adobe.com
