Air China to Resume Beijing–Pyongyang Flights as North Korea Gradually Reopens Borders

Air China will resume flights between Beijing and Pyongyang starting March 30, according to the airline’s website, marking another step in the gradual restoration of cross-border travel between the two countries.

The airline said the route will operate once a week, with flights scheduled every Monday until May 18. Services will then be reduced to two flights in June as part of the current schedule. The resumption follows the recent restart of passenger train services between China and North Korea earlier this week.

International travel to North Korea was largely halted in 2020 when the country imposed strict border closures at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. Authorities in Pyongyang introduced some of the world’s toughest pandemic restrictions, banning foreign tourists, expelling many diplomats and severely limiting cross-border movement.

These measures remained in place for several years as North Korea attempted to shield itself from the virus. Border controls also disrupted trade and travel with neighbouring countries, including China, which has long been North Korea’s largest economic partner.

Two years after imposing the restrictions, Pyongyang began cautiously relaxing some of its pandemic controls and reopening its borders in stages. The gradual reopening has included the restoration of transport links that had been suspended for several years.

In 2023, North Korea’s national carrier Air Koryo resumed flights between Beijing and Pyongyang, restoring the first regular air connection between the two capitals since the pandemic began.

The reopening of travel links has also included limited tourism. In February 2024, North Korea allowed a group of visitors from Russia to enter the country for sightseeing trips. The move attracted attention among international observers because many had expected Chinese tourists to be the first foreign visitors permitted to return after the pandemic.

China has historically been North Korea’s most important trading partner and a key political ally. Chinese tourists also accounted for the majority of international visitors to the country before travel restrictions were introduced.

Following the visit by Russian tourists, North Korea began gradually allowing other foreign travellers to enter, though tourism numbers remain limited compared with the period before 2020.

Analysts say the restoration of transport links such as flights and train services signals that North Korea is slowly rebuilding international connections while maintaining tight control over border access.

The resumed Beijing–Pyongyang flights are expected to support travel for diplomats, business travellers and approved visitors as the two countries continue restoring economic and transport ties disrupted during the pandemic.