American Airlines today launches its first flight between Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport, one of the world’s busiest airports.

“Our new service to and from Beijing is an important milestone for our company and our customers.  We long have wanted to institute Beijing service to complement our flights between Chicago to Shanghai Pudong International Airport, which began in 2006, in order to meet passenger expectations and to expand our route network,” said Virasb Vahidi, American’s Senior Vice President – Planning. “This new route also enhances American’s cornerstone network strategy that bolsters our presence in the five key markets of Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, New York and Los Angeles.  Of these, our Chicago hub is our premier ‘Gateway to Asia and the Pacific’ with daily flights to Tokyo, Delhi, Shanghai and now Beijing.”

“American is a sponsor of the USA Pavilion at the World Expo being held in Shanghai this summer, and our participation is designed to strengthen the bonds between the people of the United States and China,” said Craig Kreeger, American’s Senior Vice President – International. “This new route to Beijing will do so as well.”

“China and the United States are two highly, mutually-complementary markets containing enormous business opportunities,” said The Honorable Ping Huang, the former Chinese Consul General in Chicago. “The coming take-off of the flight is just opportune and will, in turn, inject fresh impetus into the ever deepening and expanding Sino-U.S. relations and bring great benefits to the people of our two countries.”