China Eastern Airlines launched a new direct route between Shanghai and Milan on Friday, further expanding air travel between China and Italy amid China's visa-free policy.

Flight MU243, operated by an Airbus A350, left Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 1:46pm with 273 passengers. It will land at Milan Malpensa International Airport at 7:35pm local time.

The return flight, MU244, takes off from Milan at 9:55pm and arrives in Shanghai at 3:25pm the next day.

The airline will operate the Shanghai-Milan route daily. With this addition, China Eastern now runs five routes between the two countries, including Shanghai-Roma and Shanghai-Venice, totaling 46 round-trip flights a week.

Milan is a major European destination renowned for its fashion, art and rich history. The new direct flight shortens the journey between the cities to about 11 hours, the airline said.

The Airbus A350 used on the new route features a three-class cabin layout and offers high-speed Internet during the flight.

China Eastern said passenger travel demand is growing, especially during the summer peak. A spokesperson said the airline is expanding long-haul routes to meet this demand and respond to favorable entry and exit policies.

China has expanded its unilateral visa-free access program, allowing travelers from 47 countries, including Italy, to stay for up to 30 days.

Additionally, the visa-free transit period has been extended to 240 hours for travelers from 55 countries.

In 2024, international travelers made 64.88 million cross-border trips to China, up 82.9 percent on year. More than 20 million of these were visa-free entries, according to the National Immigration Administration.