Beginning September 3rd, Qatar Airways will begin thrice-weekly scheduled flights to and from Chengdu, a major economic centre of western China.

The Doha–Chengdu route will also mark ten years of Qatar Airways services to China, with the city joining Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Chongqing as the airline’s sixth gateway into the country.

Qatar Airways will operate three flights a week to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport using an Airbus A330 in a two-class configuration of up to 248 seats in Economy and up to 36 in Business Class.

“The new service is part of the airline’s commitment to boost services to the Far East and Asia Pacific,” said Akbar Al Baker, chief executive, Qatar Airways.

“China is one of our key markets and we are excited to further expand our footprint in China, allowing us to provide greater options for business and leisure travellers ready to take advantage of new flights to and from another entry point in China.”

The launch of Qatar Airways in Chengdu will give easy access to tourist and business travellers in China to France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and Middle East, all served by Qatar Airways.

To tempt international visitors, Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport now offers a 72 hour visa-free transit to over 45 different countries. 

As such, the Chengdu route is set to become a modern “Silk Road”, connecting western China to over 125 destinations worldwide via Doha, including Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas.