The US Department of Transportation (DOT) may prohibit Chinese airlines bound for the United States from flying over Russia, according to a report by Reuters. The move comes as the Trump administration seeks to eliminate what it considers an unfair advantage for Chinese carriers that are permitted to use Russian airspace.
US airlines were banned from Russian airspace after Western nations imposed restrictions and sanctions that also prohibited Russian airlines from purchasing aircraft and spare parts following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since then, Chinese airlines flying to both Europe and the United States have enjoyed an advantage, using less fuel and reducing flight times.
An Unfair Advantage
According to the report, US carriers have long criticized the decision to allow Chinese airlines to operate flights to the United States using Russian airspace, a route closed to American carriers. Chinese airlines, unaffected by the ban, have leveraged this advantage to expand their market share on international routes, including those to Europe.
The plan does not extend the proposed overflight restrictions to cargo-only flights, the Reuters report added. It also named several Chinese airlines that could be affected, including Xiamen Airlines, as well as China’s “big three” airlines, such as 
Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines. Chinese airlines have been given two days by the DOT to respond, with the agency saying the final order could be implemented as soon as November 2025.
In response to the plan to restrict Chinese airlines flying to the United States, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson was quoted by the state-owned Global Times as saying that any US restrictions on Chinese airline operations would harm personnel exchanges between the two countries.
50 Weekly Roundtrips
Currently, Chinese carriers are allowed to operate up to 50 roundtrip flights per week between China and the United States. This number has remained unchanged since March 2024, when the DOT increased the limit from 35 to 50 in an effort to normalize air connectivity between the world’s two largest economies.
The number remained unchanged for more than a year despite opposition from US airlines and unions. It is worth noting that, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, airlines from both countries were permitted to operate up to 150 round-trip flights per week. China’s three major carriers, including Air China, China Eastern, and China Southern, all operate flights to the United States. However, not all of these flights pass over Russian airspace.
For example, Air China flights from Beijing (PEK) to Los Angeles (LAX) do fly over Russia, while China Eastern flights from Shanghai (PVG) to San Francisco (SFO) do not. Additionally, some flights that traditionally flew over Russia have been avoiding the airspace since the DOT approved additional flights by Chinese carriers in 2023, after they agreed not to use Russian airspace on the new routes. It is also worth noting that Xiamen Airlines operates flights to Los Angeles from its hub at Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (XMN), and these flights do not cross Russian airspace, according to Flightradar24.com data.
Airspace Becomes A Trade Battleground
The news of the proposed plan to ban Chinese airlines from using Russian airspace on flights to the US comes amid escalating trade tensions. On October 9, 2025, the Chinese government announced cuts to rare earth exports.
In response, President Donald Trump threatened on October 10, 2025, to impose “massive” new tariffs on China and to cancel a planned summit with President Xi Jinping, citing Beijing’s latest restrictions on the export of rare earth magnets and raw materials.
In September 2025, media reports indicated that Chinese airlines were close to finalizing an order for 500 aircraft from the American aircraft manufacturer. During a press conference on September 23, 2025, US Democratic Representative Adam Smith said, “It has been a while since Boeing airplanes were sold here in China,” adding that they hope to resume sales soon. If finalized, the new deal for 500 aircraft would mark China’s first major order from Boeing since 2017, ending a long period of inactivity.
