China eases rules for foreign airlines after US retaliated with ban
Foreign carriers will be allowed to resume service to China next week.
That's the latest update from the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC), which eliminated a schedule technicality that prevented most foreign airlines from flying there. The change comes in an ongoing shadow dance between Beijing and Washington over a number of issues, including aviation.
The aviation spat was elevated Wednesday when the U.S. Department of Transportation announced it would bar Chinese airlines from serving U.S. airports beginning June 16 as long as American carriers remain prohibited from flying to China. Delta and United had sought permission to resume service to China, but the CAAC had failed to act on those requests.
The DOT has not provided an update in light of the latest news from China, but previously said it would reconsider the policy if China relaxed its stance.
Though Thursday's announcement by China represents a more relaxed policy for foreign airlines, the new permission comes with a series of restrictions that will limit service into the summer.
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For now, foreign carriers will only be allowed to operate one flight per week to a single city on a list of approved destinations. That means both Delta, which planned to resume China service this week, and United, which planned to do so later this month, will — at least initially — have to scale down those plans.
Delta intended to operate two daily flights to Shanghai Pudong (PVG), one from Detroit (DTW) and one from Seattle (SEA), both stopping at Seoul Incheon (ICN).
United planned to serve both Beijing Capital (PEK) and Shanghai beginning June 15. It planned to fly to both cities from San Francisco (SFO), plus a flight from Newark (EWR) to Shanghai.
Now, both airlines will have to choose which routes will get priority.
Related: American, Delta and United plan to fly these long-haul international routes in June.
CAAC's new guidelines have a phased plan for allowing foreign carriers to increase their schedules to China.
Airlines will be allowed to move to two flights per week, so long as no arriving passengers test positive for COVID-19 for three consecutive weeks.
The CAAC said it will bar airlines from operating for a week if five passengers on any single flight test positive for COVID-19, and will suspend carriers for four weeks if 10 passengers or more test positive.
Related: How coronavirus could change the way we travel.
That policy puts the onus on carriers to make sure their customers are coronavirus-free, possibly turning up the pressure on airlines to devise health checks for passengers traveling to China.
Previously, foreign carriers had already been permitted a single weekly flight to China, but that policy had a large asterisk: they could only operate if they were serving China during the week of March 12. Most international airlines, including all U.S. carriers, had already stopped their routes to China by then, as fears about spreading coronavirus mounted. So, 95% of foreign operators were effectively barred from serving China, according to Reuters.
CAAC's new policy removes that schedule restriction.
Read more: How far can airborne COVID germs really spread on a plane?
Chinese carriers have continued serving the U.S. with passenger and cargo-only flights throughout the pandemic, so the two countries have not been totally cut off from one another. It's unclear if the CAAC's contagion restrictions will apply to China-based carriers as well.
Even as restrictions for carriers relax, China is still barring most foreign nationals from entering the country, so only Chinese citizens will be able to avail themselves of the flights that are operating for the time being.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.