Xinhua reported on November 16 that China Eastern Airlines will open a direct Beijing Daxing–Muscat service on 30 November, operated twice weekly with Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The outbound leg departs Beijing at 14:00 on Wednesdays and Sundays, reaching Oman at 19:55 local time; the return leaves Muscat at 21:55, arriving Beijing 10:00 the next day.
Why it matters
• First regular non-stop between mainland China and Oman, complementing recent 30-day visa-free access that China granted to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) citizens in June.
• Supports Chinese EPC contractors and energy firms executing projects under Oman’s Vision 2040 and China’s Belt & Road Initiative.
• Facilitates pilgrimage and study travel for Omani citizens, who previously relied on one-stop routings via Dubai or Doha.
![Beijing–Muscat Non-stop to Debut, Strengthening China-Gulf Mobility]()
Corporate-mobility takeaways
• Relocation teams should revisit policy handbooks: Muscat now qualifies for direct-flight clauses, reducing permissible travel time and layover allowances.
• Risk profiles improve as staff avoid connections in higher-risk transit hubs.
• Forwarders gain a twice-weekly wide-body cargo channel suitable for machinery and perishables.
Tourism upside
China recorded 12 000 Omani arrivals in 2024, up 220 % year-on-year after the visa waiver. Stakeholders expect numbers to double in 2026 once the route matures and feeder traffic from secondary Chinese cities builds via Daxing’s domestic network.
Why it matters
• First regular non-stop between mainland China and Oman, complementing recent 30-day visa-free access that China granted to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) citizens in June.
• Supports Chinese EPC contractors and energy firms executing projects under Oman’s Vision 2040 and China’s Belt & Road Initiative.
• Facilitates pilgrimage and study travel for Omani citizens, who previously relied on one-stop routings via Dubai or Doha.
Corporate-mobility takeaways
• Relocation teams should revisit policy handbooks: Muscat now qualifies for direct-flight clauses, reducing permissible travel time and layover allowances.
• Risk profiles improve as staff avoid connections in higher-risk transit hubs.
• Forwarders gain a twice-weekly wide-body cargo channel suitable for machinery and perishables.
Tourism upside
China recorded 12 000 Omani arrivals in 2024, up 220 % year-on-year after the visa waiver. Stakeholders expect numbers to double in 2026 once the route matures and feeder traffic from secondary Chinese cities builds via Daxing’s domestic network.
