These are the key Chinese cities that Edinburgh Airport is targeting for direct flights
Airport on course for record passenger numbers as it also pursues extended Middle East and US links
Edinburgh Airport is seeking flights to Hong Kong and Shanghai to increase its direct links to China.
The airport is on course for another record year in passenger numbers after handling nearly 17 million in 2025.
It reported “very strong international growth” between April and June of nearly 7 per cent to almost 3.7 m passengers compared to the same period last year.
Edinburgh Airport plays a key role in Scottish tourism by having the highest proportion of inbound passengers of any UK airport.
Chief executive Gordon Dewar said it was looking to add more transatlantic flights too, and hinted at discussions with Middle Eastern airline Etihad Airways over resuming flights to its Abu Dhabi hub which ended in 2018, as The Scotsman revealed.
Mr Dewar told the airport's consultative committee that the Hainan Airlines flights to Beijing, which operated in 2018-19 and then since 2023, had enjoyed “really strong growth”.
He said: “In terms of travel time to Beijing and other parts of China, it’s phenomenal because they have the advantage of being able to fly over Russian airspace, so have a much more direct route.”
Mr Dewar said he intended to use the service later this year to lobby for more routes, such as to China’s largest city.
He said: “We believe there is still call for further direct connectivity - Shanghai being one, Hong Kong being another.
"That's about trying to get airlines - largely the Chinese airlines - to put us high up the agenda and try and get these direct services. That's been an ongoing conversation."
On Etihad potentially resuming flights, Mr Dewar said: “I can’t say too much an awful lot about that”.
However, he added that it “has always been on the agenda” and “we thought they were a good operator when they originally did it”.
On transatlantic growth, Mr Dewar said it was “a matter of pride what we have achieved” in expanding from one daily flight to New York in 2012 to four airlines now operating to the city, and two to Boston, along with flights to Atlanta, Chicago, Orlando, Philadelphia and Washington DC.
He said: “It’s absolutely startling”, but added: “I don’t think we’re finished there.”
The airport is seeking those US routes which are summer only to be extended year round. Gaps in its network include to to Dallas and Houston.
However, Glasgow Airport has even bolder plans, with its chief telling The Scotsman in May it was after a Los Angeles route.
Mr Dewar said the airport would also continue its ten-year-old campaign for US-bound passengers to be able to clear immigration and customs checks before taking off, like in Dublin.
He said that would it “a huge boost”, having declared nearly two-and-a-half years ago that it was “closer than ever”.
The US Embassy in London said then that it would involve “a lengthy evaluation process that requires several years before a determination may be made.”
A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: “We continue to explore opportunities across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, building on our strong existing network.
“With Scotland’s only direct route to China, we’re keen to see further growth in the Far East and India.
"There is strong demand for international travel and we want to ensure Scotland remains well connected to the markets that matter most for tourism, trade and investment."
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