Delta Air Lines has welcomed China Eastern Airlines as an official member of the SkyTeam alliance, further strengthening the alliance’s connections throughout China.

“We’re proud that China Eastern has chosen to align itself with Delta and our SkyTeam partners,” said Charlie Pappas, vice president – Alliances. “The addition of China Eastern into the alliance is great news for Delta and SkyTeam customers, offering unrivalled connections to one of the world’s fastest-growing regions and enhancing SkyTeam’s industry-leading position in China.”

China Eastern’s membership in SkyTeam complements its recently announced codeshare agreement with Delta. The codeshare offers Delta customers greater connectivity to China, with Delta flight numbers being added to 49 China Eastern-operated domestic flights in China, as well as nonstop trans-Pacific flights connecting Shanghai with Los Angeles and New York.  China Eastern flight numbers will be added on 38 Delta-operated U.S. domestic flights as well as trans-Pacific service connecting Detroit and Atlanta to Shanghai.

China Eastern, headquartered in Shanghai, is located in the country’s fastest-growing and most economically developed region. China Eastern’s extensive route network includes more than 150 destinations in China and worldwide, including cities in Southeast Asia, Europe, North America, South Africa and Australia.

With China Eastern’s hub in Shanghai, and current SkyTeam member China Southern’s hubs in Guangzhou and Beijing, SkyTeam will now offer services out of the three largest Chinese markets.

Delta Air Lines serves more than 160 million customers each year, and was named by Fortune magazine as the most admired airline worldwide in its 2011 World’s Most Admired Companies airline industry list. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 354 destinations in 65 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft.

A founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance, Delta participates in the industry’s leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 13,000 daily flights, with hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita.

The airline’s service includes the SkyMiles frequent flier program, a world-class airline loyalty program; the award-winning BusinessElite service; and more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs in airports worldwide. Delta is investing more than $2 billion through 2013 in airport facilities and global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and review flight status at delta.com.