China Eastern Airlines operated its inaugural nonstop flight between Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) and Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) on July 15, 2026, according to AeroTime. The service is the first direct air link between China and Georgia, and the first route connecting the Yangtze River Delta region to the Georgian capital. It is also the first time a widebody aircraft has flown between the two countries.
Flights operate three times weekly on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays using Airbus A330 aircraft. The route takes approximately 10 hours in each direction. Outbound flight MU285 departs Shanghai at 12:50 p.m. local time and arrives in Tbilisi at 7:00 p.m. local time. Return flight MU286 departs Tbilisi at 9:00 p.m. and arrives in Shanghai at 10:00 a.m. the following day, according to Meet in Shanghai, the official tourism portal of the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism.
The inaugural flight arrived approximately 98% full with 274 passengers on board, indicating strong initial demand. The China Civil Aviation Administration confirmed the route in its Belt and Road connectivity bulletin. The launch follows a mutual visa-exemption agreement between China and Georgia that took effect in May 2024, removing a key friction point for leisure and business travelers on both sides.
Aviation Week noted the service as part of China Eastern's continued push to expand connectivity across the Caucasus and Eastern Europe, a region where Chinese carrier competition has accelerated in 2026.
Sources
- AeroTime
- Meet in Shanghai / Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism
- China Civil Aviation Administration (CAAC)
- Aviation Week Routes & Networks
Sources & references (5)
Things to do at each end of the route
Top-rated tours & experiences in Shanghai and Tbilisi.