China Eastern plans to begin direct service between San Francisco and the northern Chinese east coast city of Qingdao on 29 September, according to Routes Online. This will be the first direct service between the city of more than six million people and the US, although it already connects the Kunming with Vancouver.

The route will operate three times a week with A330 aircraft and will offer ongoing service from Qingdao to Kunming, a city of approximately four million people in southwest China.

China Eastern currently only flies direct to Shanghai from the U.S. Along with San Francisco, the carrier offers service from JFK, Honolulu and Los Angeles.