Overview
- Air China restored the Beijing–Pyongyang route Monday, with flight CA121 leaving Beijing at 7:58 am and landing in Pyongyang at 10:37 am.
- Economy seats were listed at about US$200, and a return flight from Pyongyang was set for midday on a Boeing 737-700.
- Access remains narrow because North Korea is still holding back tourist visas, so current travelers are officials, business visitors or others with special purposes.
- Passenger trains between China and North Korea resumed earlier in March after years on hold, and reporters in the border city of Dandong saw a mostly empty inbound train last week.
- Analysts link the new flights to warmer ties after Kim Jong-un’s September visit to Beijing, fitting a phased reopening that included Air Koryo’s 2023 China return and revived links with Russia in 2025.