▁allowing ▁reci pro cal ▁frequent ▁fly er ▁program ▁benefits ▁and ▁increasing ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁fl ights ▁that ▁an ▁air line ▁offers , ▁even ▁though ▁the ▁fl ights ▁are ▁operated ▁by ▁another ▁air line . ▁The ▁first ▁market ing ▁al liance ▁between ▁air lines ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁countries ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁between ▁North west ▁Airlines ▁and ▁Air ▁China . ▁ ▁Star ▁Alliance ▁members ▁using ▁the ▁US - Ch ina ▁Air ▁Route ▁Author ity ▁are ▁United ▁Airlines , ▁and ▁Air ▁China . ▁Sky Team ▁includes ▁D elta , ▁China ▁Southern ▁and ▁China ▁Eastern . ▁The ▁O new orld ▁al liance ▁includes ▁American ▁with ▁direct ▁service ▁( and ▁outside ▁the ▁Author ity , ▁C ath ay ▁Pacific / Drag on air ▁via ▁Hong ▁Kong ). ▁ ▁Early ▁history ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁diplom atic ▁relations ▁between ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Republic ▁of ▁China ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁were ▁established . ▁Pre viously , ▁there ▁had ▁been ▁no ▁air ▁service ▁between ▁China ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁after ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁although ▁there ▁were ▁fl ights ▁between ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁sections ▁of ▁China ▁controlled ▁by ▁the ▁government ▁based ▁in ▁Tai pe i ▁( T ai wan ). ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁CA AC ▁and ▁Pan ▁Am ▁began ▁flying ▁between ▁China ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁North west ▁Airlines ▁res umed ▁flying ▁to ▁China ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁F acing ▁financial ▁troubles , ▁Pan ▁Am ▁sold ▁its ▁Pacific ▁route