China's Xinjiang gets direct passenger route to Germany

Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Ma Yining) news: At 15:12 on June 1, 2026, the flight CZ6041 of China Southern Airlines took off from northwest China's Urumqi bound for Frankfurt of Germany with 228 passengers on board. The flight marked the official opening of the Guangzhou-Urumqi-Frankfurt international air route. It is the first direct international passenger route from northwest China to Germany.

"Flying directly from Xinjiang to Frankfurt saves 10 hours on a round trip. It makes travel much easier. In the past, a one way flight from Beijing alone took over ten hours," said Fan Jianxin, a passenger on the inaugural flight.

Staff of China Southern Airlines checks in passengers for flight CZ6041 at Urumqi Tianshan International Airport in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on June 1, 2026. (Photo by Li Jin)

Baersilang, deputy manager of the marketing and sales department at China Southern Airlines' Xinjiang branch, said the route is operated by a Boeing 787-9 wide body aircraft. Flights run twice a week, every Monday and Friday, offering nearly 600 seats in total for round trips.

The outbound flight CZ6041 departs from Guangzhou at 8:10 Beijing time and arrives in Urumqi at 13:10. After a stopover, it takes off again at 15:12 and lands in Frankfurt at 17:20 local time. The return flight CZ6042 leaves Frankfurt at 19:20 local time, arrives in Urumqi at 8:45 Beijing time the next day, departs Urumqi at 10:45 and lands in Guangzhou at 16:00.

A passenger boards flight CZ6041 at Urumqi Tianshan International Airport in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on June 1, 2026. (Photo by Li Jin)

The new route fills a gap in direct air links from northwest China to Germany. It changes the old travel pattern that forced passengers from Xinjiang to fly to eastern cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou or Shenzhen before transferring to Europe.

The Urumqi-Frankfurt leg takes about eight hours one way. By avoiding detours and eliminating the need for layovers and transfers in other Chinese cities, the route saves travelers more than ten hours on a round trip between China and Europe. This greatly reduces travel time and makes trips much more convenient.

Liu Yu, head of the outbound travel department at a travel agency in Xinjiang, said the company plans to roll out Germany deep dive tours, classic Europe circuits, Eastern Europe hidden gems and routes that connect Northern and Southern Europe. The agency will also tap into local resources in Frankfurt to offer study trips, holiday packages and business travel options.

He added that market inquiries and bookings have been strong, with very solid demand for the inaugural flight and the summer season.

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