Hainan Airlines has inaugurated a thrice-weekly nonstop flight between Brussels and Chongqing, creating the first direct air bridge from Belgium to China’s vast western interior. Flight HU470 departed Brussels Airport on 24 November, touching down in Chongqing some 10 hours later and shaving at least four hours off routings that previously required a Shanghai or Beijing connection.
Brussels becomes the carrier’s fourth mainland Chinese destination after Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, underscoring Chongqing’s rise as an advanced-manufacturing and logistics powerhouse along the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. For European corporates with operations in Sichuan and the wider Western Development Zone—from automotive parts to battery gigafactories—the new link offers same-day cargo uplift and a convenient passenger schedule timed for trans-European rail and connecting flights.
![Hainan Airlines Launches Brussels–Chongqing Service, Opening Western China to European Business Hubs]()
The move is equally significant for Belgium. Brussels Airport, anxious to recover Asian traffic lost during the pandemic, now markets itself as the only European hub offering direct service to Chongqing. Airport officials expect China-bound passenger volumes to surpass pre-Covid levels in 2026, citing Beijing’s decision to extend 30-day visa-free stays for Belgian nationals until the end of 2026.
Onboard, Hainan Airlines deploys a 289-seat Boeing 787-9 featuring lie-flat business class, premium economy and high-speed inflight Wi-Fi—critical amenities for corporate flyers. The outbound sector departs Brussels at 12:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, arriving in Chongqing at 6:20 a.m. the next day. The return leg leaves Chongqing at 1:30 a.m., landing back in Belgium at 6:30 a.m., enabling full-day onward meetings.
Travel managers should note introductory fares starting at €649 round-trip in economy and a promotional €2,299 in business class for tickets booked before 31 December. Shippers can forward 15-tonne palletised loads in the belly hold and connect to Hainan’s extensive domestic network, including Urumqi, Kunming and Xiamen, within four hours of arrival in Chongqing. The service thus strengthens Belgium-China supply-chain resilience at a time when Red Sea disruptions and rail bottlenecks are forcing companies to diversify transit options.
Brussels becomes the carrier’s fourth mainland Chinese destination after Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, underscoring Chongqing’s rise as an advanced-manufacturing and logistics powerhouse along the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. For European corporates with operations in Sichuan and the wider Western Development Zone—from automotive parts to battery gigafactories—the new link offers same-day cargo uplift and a convenient passenger schedule timed for trans-European rail and connecting flights.
The move is equally significant for Belgium. Brussels Airport, anxious to recover Asian traffic lost during the pandemic, now markets itself as the only European hub offering direct service to Chongqing. Airport officials expect China-bound passenger volumes to surpass pre-Covid levels in 2026, citing Beijing’s decision to extend 30-day visa-free stays for Belgian nationals until the end of 2026.
Onboard, Hainan Airlines deploys a 289-seat Boeing 787-9 featuring lie-flat business class, premium economy and high-speed inflight Wi-Fi—critical amenities for corporate flyers. The outbound sector departs Brussels at 12:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, arriving in Chongqing at 6:20 a.m. the next day. The return leg leaves Chongqing at 1:30 a.m., landing back in Belgium at 6:30 a.m., enabling full-day onward meetings.
Travel managers should note introductory fares starting at €649 round-trip in economy and a promotional €2,299 in business class for tickets booked before 31 December. Shippers can forward 15-tonne palletised loads in the belly hold and connect to Hainan’s extensive domestic network, including Urumqi, Kunming and Xiamen, within four hours of arrival in Chongqing. The service thus strengthens Belgium-China supply-chain resilience at a time when Red Sea disruptions and rail bottlenecks are forcing companies to diversify transit options.
