Delta Air Lines has launched a new non-stop service from Seattle to Shanghai today with an inaugural service ceremony.

The flight is the latest addition to Delta’s growing Asian gateway in Seattle, as the service, between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Shanghai Pu Dong International Airport complements current non-stop service from Seattle to Beijing, Osaka, Tokyo-Narita and most recently, Tokyo-Haneda.

“Delta’s new Shanghai service is the latest step toward building Seattle into a world-class Asian gateway,” said Richard Anderson, Delta’s chief executive officer.

“Seattle’s strong business and cultural ties to Asia as well as geographic location make it a natural departing point for flights across the Pacific.”

Like all of Delta’s trans-Pacific flights, the new Shanghai service features full flat-bed seats in BusinessElite as well as Economy Comfort seating and in-flight entertainment in every seat throughout the aircraft.

The flight will operate using a 208-seat Boeing 767-300ER aircraft with 36 full flat-bed seats in BusinessElite, 29 seats in Economy Comfort and 143 Economy class seats.

Shanghai service is Delta’s second route between Seattle and China, following Beijing service which began in 2010.

In addition to its Asian routes, Delta operates non-stop service from Seattle to Paris and Amsterdam.

This summer the airline will operate more than 45 daily flights to 18 destinations worldwide from Seattle.

Delta’s recent partnership with Virgin Atlantic also provides the opportunity to offer new service between Seattle and London-Heathrow, pending government approval.

In addition, this summer Delta added a fifth daily flight between Seattle and New York-JFK with upgraded BusinessElite service to match the airline’s trans-continental product from Los Angeles and San Francisco to New York.