Direct Beijing-Bucharest-Zagreb flight opens new gateway to Central, Eastern Europe

Air China flight CA723 takes off from the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 12, 2026. (Photo by Tao Ran/Xinhua)

Air China launched its maiden Beijing-Bucharest-Zagreb flight on Friday, restoring direct passenger links between China and Romania after more than two decades and inaugurating the first-ever scheduled passenger service between China and Croatia.

Operating three times a week, the new route comes as Central and Eastern Europe -- known for its Adriatic coastline, medieval towns and rich cultural heritage -- is attracting growing interest from Chinese travelers. Travel has become more convenient than ever following China's unilateral visa-free policy for ordinary citizens of both Romania and Croatia.

For Croatia, where tourism accounts for about one-fifth of GDP, the direct flight is a long-awaited gateway to the world's largest outbound tourism market. For Romania, it restores a connection that has been absent since 2003. And for Chinese travelers, it offers a new, hassle-free entry point to the wider Balkan region.

VISA-FREE BENEFITS

China and Romania once enjoyed direct air links, with Air China operating the route until 1994 and Romania's TAROM taking over until its suspension in 2003. For the next 23 years, travelers had to transit through third countries, turning a straightforward journey into a half-day ordeal. The new Beijing-Bucharest-Zagreb route has finally restored that missing link.

The timing is no coincidence. In November 2024, China expanded its unilateral visa-free policy to include Romania and Croatia, along with seven other countries. Ordinary passport holders from both nations can now stay in China for up to 30 days without a visa for tourism, business, family visits or transit.

The results have been striking. Around 35,000 Romanian citizens traveled to China in 2024, twice the figure recorded a year earlier. In the first seven months of 2025 alone, nearly 36,000 Romanians visited China, up 78 percent year-on-year, according to the National Association of Travel Agencies in Romania.

A Romanian tourist tries a silk scarf inside a store at Tianzifang art area in east China's Shanghai on July 21, 2025. (Photo by Zhang Yue/Xinhua)

Dan-Horia Maxim, Romania's ambassador to China, described the restored direct flights as "a major diplomatic and economic success aimed at bringing our communities closer together" in a press release.

Chen Feng, China's ambassador to Romania, told Xinhua that the resumption of regular direct passenger flights has been a shared aspiration of the Chinese and Romanian peoples and reflects sustained joint efforts on both sides.

"It is expected to help further strengthen bilateral economic and trade cooperation, deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges, promote mutual understanding, and inject fresh momentum into the sustained and healthy development of China-Romania relations," Chen added.

For Croatia, the numbers tell a story of promise still waiting to be fulfilled. In 2024, the country welcomed over 250,475 Chinese tourist arrivals, up more than 41 percent from the previous year. Yet that figure remains barely half of the pre-pandemic peak of some 490,000. Industry insiders view the new air link as a key step toward unlocking further growth.

This photo taken on June 4, 2024 shows a view of Dubrovnik seen from the Srdj Hill in Dubrovnik, Croatia. (Zvonimir Barisin/PIXSELL via Xinhua)

Qi Qianjin, China's ambassador to Croatia, called the route "the first direct flight in the history of the two countries and the latest achievement in deepening bilateral relations," adding that it would "significantly reduce travel time and costs, further unleash cooperation potential, and promote exchanges in trade, tourism, culture, sports and people-to-people ties."

For China, the route fits into a broader pattern of deepening air connectivity with Central and Eastern Europe. Air China now serves 27 European destinations with nearly 260 weekly flights between the two continents, with the Beijing-Bucharest-Zagreb route adding another thread to this growing network.