Starting January 5, Air China's southwest offshoot will open rotations from Chengdu to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, also known as the "City of Temples", giving culture enthusiasts an additional travel option. The introduction of the new services will bring the number of foreign destinations served by Air China's flights to and from Chengdu up to six and further cement the city's position as a regional hub of the carrier.

The two weekly flights, CA437 / 8, will be operated with A319 aircraft. The new services will spare the passengers the trouble of having to transfer in Lhasa, thusly cutting the travel time of one journey from 4 hours to 2 hours. Meanwhile, the new services will also optimize Air China's Chengdu-based international route network.

Kathmandu has always been a draw for both domestic and international tourists. With Chengdu's unique position in the travel market of southwest China, it is expected that leisure travelers will be the bulk of the passenger traffic on the route.