Talking Travel: LAX-Beijing Route Remains Red Hot

For all the new air routes that have been added between Beijing and other parts of the world over the past two years, one still seems to attract more attention than others: Beijing to Los Angeles. Maybe it's all that talk about Beijing becoming the new Hollywood (yeah, right)?

Regardless of whether it's movie people or tour groups that are filling up planes between the two cities, American Airlines wants to get in on the action. If they receive regulatory approval, American's service would start December 16, the same day that Delta Airlines is due to begin its direct service. United Airlines already flies between the two cities, and Air China has not one, not two, but three flights daily. Randy Newman should be making some money off this.

In other route news, Italian airline Alitalia will resume its non-stop Rome-Beijing route, on July 18. Both Air China and Cathay Pacific Airlines have been cleaning up between Rome and Beijing and Rome and Hong Kong, respectively, so the return of the Italian national carriers seems well overdue.

In hotel news, the Intercontinental Beijing Sanlitun is set to open in September, despite the Topwin Center being just about ready to open and featuring the Mercedes me concept complex. We've stopped holding our breath as to when the Mandarin Oriental will finally open, even though it's expected to do so this year. It was supposed to open for the Beijing Olympics. We'll be surprised if it's operating by the time the Rio games rolls around.

Correction: This article earlier indicated that United Airlines flies non-stop between Beijing and Los Angeles. It does not, instead serving LAX via flights into and out of San Francisco. The information has been corrected above.

More stories by this author here.

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Comments

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Really? Did it waste more time than it took you to post a pointless comment?

American and Delta won't both be flying the route. There's only one spot available--if AA gets regulatory approval, Delta won't be flying, and vice versa.

Michael, I have corrected this information. For the moment United only serves LAX via SFO.