Air China Cargo upgrades Prestwick–Chengdu route to daily service.
Air China Cargo has increased its cargo service between Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and Glasgow Prestwick Airport to a daily frequency, expanding air freight capacity for Scottish seafood exporters, including salmon shipments to China.
The route, launched in June 2025, previously operated four times per week. With the upgrade, the number of scheduled cargo flights between Prestwick and China has risen to 15, according to industry publication Air Cargo News.
China was Scotland’s third-largest export market for salmon in 2025. Shipments rose 28 percent to £97 million ($122 million), behind France at £337.6 million and the United States at £300.6 million, according to the same source.
Airport officials said the direct connections are expected to support more than £250 million in cross-border trade during 2026.
“The connectivity allows Scottish exporters to move premium products, including salmon, seafood and whisky, to China,” said Colin Dai, regional director for Asia at Glasgow Prestwick Airport, speaking to Air Cargo News. He described Chengdu as a gateway to southwest China and a major logistics hub.
Prestwick has rapidly expanded its China-linked cargo capacity over the past year. The airport processed 25 million parcels through Terminal E in February, nine months after the first regular China-linked e-commerce cargo flights began arriving in May 2025.
Both Air China Cargo and China Southern Airlines now operate cargo services from the airport, providing exporters with additional options for moving perishable goods such as fresh salmon to Asian markets.