▁closure , ▁D elta ▁announced ▁a ▁new ▁Seattle – Sh ang hai ▁route ▁effective ▁June ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁second ▁Seattle - Ch ina ▁route ▁operated ▁by ▁this ▁air line ▁( after ▁D elta ' s ▁Seattle – Be ij ing ▁route ▁which ▁was ▁launched ▁ 3 ▁years ▁earlier ). ▁▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁expansion ▁China ▁Eastern ▁res umed ▁Shang hai - San ▁Francisco ▁service ▁in ▁April . ▁ ▁On ▁January ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Air ▁China ▁announced ▁its ▁plans ▁to ▁launch ▁non - stop ▁service ▁between ▁Houston ▁and ▁Be ij ing , ▁beginning ▁Th urs day , ▁July ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁pending ▁appro val ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Department ▁of ▁Transport ation . ▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Hawai ian ▁Airlines ▁announced ▁its ▁plans ▁to ▁launch ▁non - stop ▁service ▁between ▁Hon ol ulu ▁and ▁Be ij ing , ▁China ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁pending ▁appro val s ▁by ▁U . S . ▁and ▁Chinese ▁regul atory ▁ag encies . ▁ ▁In ▁September , ▁United ▁gets ▁D OT ▁OK ▁for ▁San ▁Francisco – Ch eng du ▁route . ▁The ▁first ▁flight ▁of ▁this ▁route ▁would ▁be ▁on ▁June ▁ 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁American ▁Airlines ▁announced ▁that ▁they ▁were