The state-owned Chinese carrier also plans to expand its India network with upcoming routes, including Kunming-Kolkata and Shanghai Pudong-Mumbai, providing Indian travellers with more options to reach China’s key commercial centres.
China Eastern Airlines will increase the frequency of its direct flights between Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, from three to five per week starting January 2, 2026. The move marks a significant step in restoring air connectivity between India and China, two of the world’s fastest-growing economies.
The announcement follows the resumption of direct flights on November 9, after a five-year suspension due to pandemic-related disruptions and geopolitical tensions. The enhanced schedule reflects growing demand for business and leisure travel between the two countries.
InterGlobe Air Transport, the exclusive general sales agent for China Eastern Airlines in India for over two decades, continues to manage the airline’s commercial and operational functions, including sales, marketing, ticketing and customer support.
On October 31, InterGlobe Enterprises’ aviation arm, IndiGo, also resumed daily flights on the Kolkata-Guangzhou sector, further signalling a broader revival of India-China air routes.
The upgraded Shanghai-Delhi service will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, using Airbus A330-200 wide-body aircraft. Each flight offers 17 lie-flat MINPRO business-class seats and 245 economy-class seats.
Flight MU564 will depart Delhi at 1955 hrs, arriving in Shanghai at 0410 hrs the following day. Flight MU563 from Shanghai will depart at 1250 hrs, landing in Delhi at 1745 hrs local time.
The Shanghai-Delhi corridor is among the most strategically important air routes in Asia, linking Shanghai, China’s financial and trade hub, with Delhi, India’s political and economic centre. The increased frequency is expected to strengthen bilateral exchanges in trade, tourism, education, culture and technology.
China Eastern also plans to expand its India network with upcoming routes such as Kunming-Kolkata and Shanghai Pudong-Mumbai, offering Indian travellers more options to access China’s key commercial centres.
With Shanghai Pudong serving as a major international hub, passengers will benefit from seamless onward connections to cities across mainland China, as well as destinations in North America, Japan, South Korea and Europe.