(Yicai) Oct. 28 -- Flag carrier Air China has completed the maiden flight of its new service from Beijing to Reykjavik via Copenhagen, establishing the first scheduled passenger air link between the Chinese mainland and Iceland, potentially boosting tourism, trade and bilateral exchanges as the two countries mark 55 years of diplomatic ties.

Air China will operate three flights a week using an Airbus A330-300 plane on the new route, which launched on Oct. 26. The journey from Beijing Capital International Airport to Keflavik International Airport takes about 15 hours and 45 minutes, the Beijing-based carrier said.

"The new route will build an air bridge connecting China and Iceland and linking the Nordic region, while opening up a convenient and smooth air channel for personnel and economic, trade, cultural and tourism exchanges between the two countries," Air China noted.

The two countries are marking their 55-year milestone of bilateral relations with a series of high-level diplomatic and cultural events throughout 2026. China’s foreign affairs ministry said the new air link was one of the outcomes of meetings between the two countries' leaders and was expected to further strengthen people-to-people exchanges and bilateral cooperation.

Travelers flying between China and Iceland previously had to transit through other European cities, with Helsinki as the main transit hub, followed by Frankfurt, London, Vienna, and Copenhagen, media outlet Aviation Week reported, citing data from Sabre Market Intelligence. Passenger traffic between the Chinese mainland and Iceland climbed 8 percent to around 27,000 last year.

Editor: Martin Kadiev