Airline profile · Southeast Asia & Pacific

China Eastern Airlines

ChinaFull-service carrierSkyTeam memberSince 1957

MUIATA code
CESICAO code

China Eastern Airlines (IATA MU, ICAO CES) is a Shanghai-based full-service carrier and one of China's three state-owned majors. A SkyTeam member since June 2011, it operated 826 aircraft at 31 December 2025, including 14 COMAC C919s, and flew 249 international and regional routes to 40 countries.

Founded
1957
Headquarters
Shanghai, China
Country
China
Main hubs
Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)
Airline type
Full-service carrier
Alliance
SkyTeam
Loyalty
Eastern Miles
Parent
China Eastern Air Holding Company Limited (CEA Holding)
Ownership
China Eastern Air Holding Company Limited, a state-owned enterprise, is the immediate and ultimate holding company. Shares are listed on the Shanghai and Hong Kong stock exchanges.
Callsign
CHINA EASTERN
Website
ceair.com

How travel agents book China Eastern Airlines

GDS distribution

China Eastern content is available through Amadeus, under a worldwide NDC distribution agreement signed in April 2024, and through Travelport, under a long-term multi-source content agreement signed in January 2025.

NDC

China Eastern signed with Amadeus in April 2024 to distribute its NDC offers worldwide, the first mainland Chinese airline to do so. In January 2025 Travelport added China Eastern NDC content, letting agencies shop, book and service NDC orders, including cancellations and exchanges, in Travelport+.

Direct channels

Direct bookings on ceair.com and the China Eastern app.

Notes for travel agents

Agencies on Amadeus and Travelport can access China Eastern NDC content; check market availability and servicing functions with the GDS provider before switching from traditional content.

On ReservationHub

ReservationHub gives agencies GDS content from Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport plus NDC and low-cost channels in one platform. See the full list on our integrations page.

History of China Eastern Airlines

China Eastern traces its origins to the first civil aviation squadron set up in Shanghai in January 1957. The listed company, China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited, was established on 14 April 1995, and its shares trade in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Its parent, China Eastern Air Holding Company, is one of China's three central state-owned airline groups.

The airline joined SkyTeam in June 2011. Its subsidiary Shanghai Airlines, previously a Star Alliance member, flies under the China Eastern group within SkyTeam. China Eastern was the global launch customer for the Chinese-built COMAC C919 and runs the largest fleet of the type.

China Eastern has also moved early on modern distribution. In April 2024 it became the first airline from mainland China to sign a worldwide NDC distribution agreement with Amadeus, and in January 2025 it signed a long-term content deal with Travelport that includes NDC. It has expanded in the Gulf too, adding Shanghai to Abu Dhabi in April 2025 in a joint venture with Etihad.

Milestones

  1. 1957First civil aviation squadron formed in Shanghai in January, the origin of China Eastern.
  2. 1995China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited established on 14 April.
  3. 2011Joined SkyTeam in June.
  4. 2024Signed a worldwide NDC distribution agreement with Amadeus in April, a first for a mainland Chinese airline.
  5. 2025Signed an NDC content agreement with Travelport in January and opened Shanghai to Abu Dhabi on 28 April.
  6. 2025Fleet reached 826 aircraft at 31 December, including 14 C919s.

Fleet

Airbus A320 family Airbus A330 Airbus A350-900 Boeing 737 family Boeing 777-300ER Boeing 787 COMAC C909 (ARJ21) COMAC C919

Aircraft types in service as of 2025

At 31 December 2025 China Eastern operated 826 aircraft: 390 A320-family jets, 278 Boeing 737s, 56 A330s, 20 A350-900s, 20 Boeing 777-300ERs, 17 Boeing 787s, 31 COMAC C909s and 14 C919s. It added 48 aircraft and retired 26 during 2025. Its plan for 2026 to 2028 includes 35 more C919s, four C909s, further A320-family jets and Boeing 737s, and nine 787s, with no new A350s scheduled.

Network and hubs

China Eastern's main hub is Shanghai, where it held a 43% market share in 2025, with further hubs in Beijing, Xi'an and Kunming. At the end of 2025 it flew 249 international and regional routes covering 40 countries and 93 overseas destinations, and carried about 150 million passengers that year.

Long-haul routes from Shanghai Pudong include London, Paris, Moscow and Sydney, plus a Shanghai to Auckland to Buenos Aires service. In the Gulf, China Eastern flies to Dubai from Shanghai, Xi'an, Qingdao and Kunming, to Riyadh from Shanghai, and since April 2025 to Abu Dhabi from Shanghai.

China Eastern Airlines: frequently asked questions

What are China Eastern's airline codes?

China Eastern Airlines uses the IATA code MU and the ICAO code CES, with the radio callsign CHINA EASTERN. Its three-digit ticket prefix in the IATA airline register is 781, so its tickets begin with 781. Its subsidiary Shanghai Airlines uses separate codes.

Does China Eastern offer NDC content to travel agents?

Yes. China Eastern signed a worldwide NDC distribution agreement with Amadeus in April 2024, the first mainland Chinese airline to do so, and Travelport added its NDC content in January 2025 under a long-term multi-source agreement covering booking and servicing.

Which alliance is China Eastern in?

China Eastern has been a SkyTeam member since June 2011. Eastern Miles members can earn and redeem miles on SkyTeam partners and use alliance benefits such as SkyPriority and partner lounges when travelling with member airlines.

Does China Eastern fly the C919?

Yes. China Eastern was the global launch customer for the COMAC C919 and had 14 in its fleet at 31 December 2025, the largest C919 fleet. It plans to add ten more in 2026, ten in 2027 and 15 in 2028.

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Sources

  1. China Eastern Airlines — About China Eastern
  2. China Eastern Airlines — 2025 annual results announcement (HKEX)
  3. China Eastern Airlines — Shanghai to Abu Dhabi route (Business Wire)
  4. Amadeus — China Eastern Airlines to expand NDC offering with new Amadeus partnership
  5. Travelport — Travelport secures NDC content from China Eastern Airlines
  6. SkyTeam — History
  7. SkyTeam — China Eastern member page
  8. IATA — Airline members list
  9. FAA — JO 7340.2 Contractions, ICAO aircraft operator designators

Profile updated by the ReservationHub team. Airline details change: confirm schedules, fares and policies with the airline before booking. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.