Delta Air Lines and China Eastern Airlines have significantly improved the transfer experience for travelers. Together, they have introduced a seamless baggage check-in process for customers traveling between the U.S. and Interior China. 

Delta customers traveling from the U.S. to Interior China connecting on China Eastern flights at Shanghai-Pudong International Airport (PVG) can now check in their bags to their final destination in China. The opposite also applies as well. Customers traveling from Interior China to the U.S. via PVG can also check in their bags with China Eastern at their origin cities in China.

Customers no longer need to collect and recheck their baggage at PVG for both incoming and outgoing flights and can simply clear immigration and board their onward flight. The procedure greatly improves the transfer experience at PVG on Delta and China Eastern flights, making the entire process seamless and efficient.

The connecting procedure, called “TransChina,” used to be available before COVID-19, but due to pandemic restrictions, was suspended. Delta was the first foreign carrier to partner with China Eastern in June 2018 but was forced to halt it in February 2020. Three years later, Delta hopes to reclaim its title as the first foreign airline on July 17, 2023.

The procedure is available on all flights to and from 96 cities in China via PVG operated by China Eastern, and its subsidiary Shanghai Airlines, including Delta codeshare services.

“Thanks to the partnership with China Eastern, we can offer a great benefit for our mutual customers who fly between the U.S. and China via Pudong Airport,” said Wong Hong, Delta’s President of China. “We continue to work together to create a better travel experience for our customers in China and the U.S.”

Delta Air Lines and China Eastern Airlines, which are both SkyTeam members, launched their strategic partnership in 2015 when Delta invested $450 million to take a 3.55% equity stake in China Eastern. The partnership allows both Delta and China Eastern to compete more effectively on routes between the U.S. and China, provide more travel options for customers in both countries and make joint investments in the customer experience.

Delta and China Eastern currently operate 260 codeshare flights per week. In doing so, both carriers can sell seats from each other’s flights in order to increase revenue. By reintroducing TransChina, Delta and China Eastern will effectively draw in more travelers, especially due to summer traveling, and will be able to boost each other’s sales significantly.