Will a Large Number of Mainland Chinese Tourists Come to Taiwan? Starting Today, 'Direct Flights to One City' Fully Resumed – Two Major Airlines Restart Operations, Full List of Latest Routes

Central Taiwan's international air connectivity has achieved a significant milestone. Zhejiang Changlong Airlines officially launched the 'Chengdu Tianfu = Taichung' direct flight on June 28. This new route marks the airline's first direct cross-strait service and adds a new highlight to Taichung International Airport's network, significantly enhancing travel convenience for residents in central Taiwan visiting the mainland for tourism and business.

In addition to the Chengdu route, Taichung International Airport has also resumed regular 'Taichung to Qingdao' flights operated by China Eastern Airlines starting July 1. With multiple routes gradually resuming operations, the airport's route coverage is steadily expanding.

Taichung International Airport once operated only three international routes during the pandemic. However, through active route development and negotiations, it has now expanded to 31 routes—21 scheduled and 10 charter flights. Liao Wei-Zhi, Principal Secretary of the Taichung City Government's Tourism Bureau, noted that the eight counties and cities in central Taiwan are home to over 7 million people, whose substantial consumer demand and travel needs rely heavily on Taichung International Airport as the primary entry and exit gateway, indicating a robust market capacity.

Regarding Chengdu, the newly connected city, Liao emphasized that Chengdu is widely recognized as a culinary capital with profound cultural heritage, much like Taichung in terms of cultural and gastronomic development. Taichung boasts 63 high-quality restaurants listed in the Michelin Guide, including starred and Bib Gourmand selections, as well as iconic attractions such as the Taichung Opera House and the century-old Houli Equestrian Field. He warmly invited friends from the mainland to personally experience local cuisine and culture.

Changlong Airlines stated that this inaugural flight marks its official entry into the cross-strait air service network, establishing a new bridge connecting Chengdu Tianfu and central Taiwan. As a core city in Taiwan with strong industrial foundations and distinct cultural characteristics, Taichung has long served as a vital gateway for people-to-people exchanges. The new route not only enriches the air transport map between the two regions but also provides central Taiwan travelers with more convenient travel options.

The airline currently operates a fleet of 78 Airbus A320 series aircraft and adheres to a business philosophy emphasizing safety and punctuality. It plans to continuously optimize its route network to promote economic, trade, and cultural exchanges. The Chengdu-Taichung route will operate twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The outbound flight departs Chengdu at 11:10 AM, arriving in Taichung at 2:25 PM. The return flight departs Taichung at 3:25 PM, landing in Chengdu at 7:00 PM.