China Eastern announces Exciting New Routes in Europe 2025

China Eastern Is Coming to Europe and Packing a Shortcut

Get ready, Europe—China Eastern Airlines is unpacking a whole suitcase of new routes, and they’re not just bringing dumplings and duty-free. Starting this summer, the Shanghai-based airline is rolling out three shiny new European destinations: Milan, Copenhagen, and Geneva. It’s not a Eurotrip—it’s a strategic expansion with a side of airspace advantage.

Starting June 20, 2025, you’ll be able to hop on a daily Shanghai–Milan flight and land just in time for aperitivo. Then on July 17, Copenhagen joins the party with three weekly flights, so you can pair dim sum with Danish design. And just before all that, on June 16, Shanghai–Geneva kicks off with four weekly flights—because apparently, even pandas need a Swiss bank account.

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Shorter Flights, Thanks to a Big Sky Shortcut

Now here’s the clever bit. While most Western airlines are still flying the long way ‘round due to ongoing Ukraine-related airspace restrictions, Chinese carriers like China Eastern are still allowed to fly through Russian airspace. That means shorter flight times, less fuel, and more time on the ground pretending you’re fluent in Italian.

It’s like someone found a back door into Europe and just walked in with a suitcase full of noodles and confidence.

While Western carriers are busy playing airspace hopscotch, China Eastern is zipping across the skies like it’s 2019, and they’re not wasting a second of their extra edge.

Milan, Meet Shanghai. Copenhagen, Meet Your New Crush.

Let’s talk destinations. The Milan route puts China Eastern toe-to-toe with Air China, turning the fashion capital into a bit of a runway showdown (aviation pun fully intended). Expect competitive fares, plenty of pandas in Prada, and a touch of high-altitude drama.

Meanwhile, Copenhagen’s route was left wide open when SAS ghosted Shanghai last year, citing market challenges (aka “we have commitment issues”). So now, China Eastern is swooping in as the only airline flying this route. Translation: if you want to go from mermaid statue to megacity, this is your golden ticket.

And Geneva? It’s the perfect place to sip something expensive by the lake while pretending you understand international diplomacy. Add in increased flights to Venice, and it’s clear: China Eastern isn’t just dipping its toe into Europe—it’s cannonballing in.

The (Sky) Empire Strikes Back

This isn’t just a China Eastern solo mission. It’s part of a much bigger trend. Chinese Airlines now control a whopping 82.5% of seat capacity between mainland China and Europe (not counting Russia). For reference, in 2019 that figure was 66%, so yeah—China is taking over the skies one croissant at a time.

Sichuan Airlines, Hainan Airlines, and Air China are also throwing their hats into the European ring, adding routes faster than you can say “Schengen visa.”

Meanwhile, back in Europe, 43 new routes were launched in March 2025 alone, mostly thanks to SAS and Condor. But here’s the plot twist: a third of these routes are operated by just one airline, making it a playground of opportunity… and cutthroat competition.

What Does It All Mean?

In plain English? International travel is bouncing back hard, and the aviation map is being redrawn—with strategic airspace access, politics, and some good old-fashioned competition reshaping how and where we fly.

So whether you’re planning a business trip to Geneva, a pizza pilgrimage to Milan, or you’ve always wanted to eat a hot dog in Copenhagen while scrolling through WeChat—China Eastern’s got you covered.

The skies are heating up, the shortcuts are getting shorter, and Europe just became a lot more Shanghai-adjacent. Better book now—before everyone else figures out how fast that flight really is.