Air China to launch daily flights between Beijing and Budapest!
Hungary and China’s air connectivity is set for a major boost next year as Air China expands its Beijing–Budapest route to daily operations. The move, starting from 29 March 2026, comes after a steady increase in passenger numbers on the route, reflecting growing demand between the two capitals.
Flights increase from 4 weekly to daily
Currently operating four times a week, the national carrier will now fly every day, with CA 719 departing Beijing at 02:50 local time and arriving in Budapest at 07:00. The return flight, CA 720, will leave Budapest at 13:00 and land in Beijing at 04:10 the following day, according to the airline’s booking system. The flights will continue to be operated by Air China’s modern Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, AIRportal.hu reports.
The airline’s secondary route between Budapest and Chongqing will remain a weekly service on Wednesdays, meaning Budapest Airport will see two Air China 787s on that day.
Air traffic has grown rapidly between Hungary and China
This expansion follows a period of rapid growth in air traffic between Hungary and China. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, the number of passengers travelling the Beijing–Budapest route rose by nearly 70% compared with the previous year. A recent study analysing Chinese–Hungarian air traffic reported a total of 113,500 passengers across the seven direct routes in early 2025, a remarkable 190.5% increase year-on-year, Origo writes.
Air China has steadily increased its Budapest flights since launching the first direct service on 1 May 2015. Initially operated by Airbus A330 aircraft with a technical stop in Minsk, the flights became non-stop after the COVID-19 pandemic, with Dreamliners replacing the A330s. The airline gradually increased weekly flights over the past year, from two to three in April 2024, and later to four during the 2024/25 winter schedule.
Further expansion might be in the cards
It seems that the move to daily service underscores the growing cooperation between China and Hungary in aviation and signals the potential for further route expansions and increased connectivity in the near future.
With Air China reporting 77.11 million passengers in the first half of 2025, up 2.87% on the previous year, the airline’s investment in the Budapest route shows the importance of Central Europe in its international network.
Passengers can now book flights for the upcoming summer season directly on the Air China website, ensuring convenient daily travel between the two capitals for both business and leisure.