Here's a fun thing about running an airline: the shortest path between two points is a straight line, unless geopolitics says otherwise. And right now, geopolitics is saying otherwise for U.S. carriers flying to China.

Aviation trade group Airlines for America, which represents carriers including Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL), United Airlines Holdings Inc. (UAL), American Airlines Group Inc. (AAL) and more, has urged the Trump administration to reject additional China-U.S. flights, warning that airlines could face competitive gaps with such a move.

Limited Access To Russian Airspace

In a letter to the administration accessed by Reuters on Thursday, the trade group's chief, Chris Sununu, said U.S. carriers were absorbing extra expense because they must route around Russia, while some Chinese flights can still take the shorter path. He framed it as a competitive gap tied to Russian airspace access on a limited number of China-operated routes.

"It's not just a minor thing. It's a huge cost to the ⁠airlines to have to go around Russia," Sununu said.

At the Washington, DC, event on Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping suggested expanding air links between the two countries. "Our two sides may also increase direct flights to facilitate two-way travel and trade," Xi said.

The report pointed to the current framework, which allows each country's airlines to run roughly 50 weekly round-trip flights, down from more than 150 before COVID-19-era limits hit in early 2020.

Russia-Ukraine War

Sununu also pointed to a recent case involving Air China's request for more scheduled service, arguing U.S. airlines face a competitive disadvantage on some East Coast-China routes because they cannot use Russian airspace.

"It's imbalanced. It's unfair," Sununu said, adding that Chinese carriers had an advantage over U.S. counterparts.

The dispute traces back to airspace restrictions that followed Russia's invasion of Ukraine, when the U.S. barred Russian aircraft from U.S. skies and Russia responded by blocking U.S. airlines from transiting Russian airspace.

Trump Hails Boeing Order

Meanwhile, Trump hailed Boeing Co. (BA) securing an 111-aircraft deal with Bangladesh's flag carrier Biman Bangladesh, as well as Turkish Airlines, touting the importance of domestic manufacturing.

However, amid Xi's visit to the U.S., a possible deal between Boeing and Chinese airlines could shift back into focus following May 2026's announcement about aircraft orders.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by a MarketDash editor.