New direct air route links Sanya, Ulaanbaatar

At 9:13 am on Dec 11, a landmark flight carrying 129 passengers set down at Sanya Phoenix International Airport from Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia.

The event represented an upgraded connection for the Sanya-Ulaanbaatar international air route – marking the opening of the first direct flight route operated by a domestic airline from Sanya Airport to an overseas destination this year.

Operated by Shanghai-based Juneyao Air, the new flight is being serviced by an Airbus A321NEO aircraft, with one flight per week.

Outbound flight HO1527 departs Sanya every Tuesday at 9:55 pm local time and arrives in Ulaanbaatar at 3 am the following day. Inbound flight HO1528 takes off from Ulaanbaatar at 4 am local time every Wednesday and lands in Sanya at 9:10 am local time.

Mongolia is widely regarded as being a significant country along the Belt and Road Initiative.

The opening of the new air route is expected to contribute to enhancing mutual exchanges between the two regions, as well as promoting joint economic development.

In 2024, Sanya Airport has been servicing 27 international routes linked to 20 cities abroad.