Qantas has resurrected its Sydney-Beijing route with plans to launch daily flights to Beijing Capital International Airport, beginning January 25, 2017.

The service marks the first time the airline has flown the route since it scrapped it back in 2009 following a decline in leisure travel from Australia to China. As travel between the two destinations has picked up, however, the airline is expanding its services.

The revived route, which will be served by an A330-200 and will be timed to connect with the carrier’s domestic and trans-Tasman network, is Qantas’ third destination in Greater China. Qantas currently operates daily return services to Shanghai and 28 return services a week to Hong Kong, and the new Beijing route is expected to add a further 3,300 seats a week between Australia and China.

The new service also forms part of the expansion of Qantas’ joint venture partnership with China Eastern. The Chinese airline will codeshare on the Australian carrier’s new Beijing service, along with three other international codeshare routes, including Sydney-Hangzhou, Sydney-Kunming and Brisbane-Shanghai, that are planned to be added as part of the joint venture.

“The tourism industry in Australia is very excited about what the Chinese market will deliver over the next few years, especially given it’s already become our second-biggest source of visitors after New Zealand,” said Alan Joyce, Qantas group chief executive. “The business travel market is another key focus for this route, particularly off the back of the free trade agreement with China, which is increasing the amount of freight we’re carrying.”

Flight details are as follows:

From To Flight Number Depart Arrive Days
SYD PEK QF107 1350 2240 Daily
PEK SYD QF108 15 1455 Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat
PEK SYD QF108 20 1455 Thu, Sun

qantas.com