A direct international flight was launched between China's Changsha and Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia on April 8, according to the Hunan Airport Management Group. It is the first direct air route connecting central China and Mongolia. The aim is to facilitate travel for passengers from Hunan and surrounding areas and seek new opportunities for Hunan's involvement in the Belt and Road Initiative.

The route is operated once a week by Mongolia's Hunnu Air and serviced by E190 aircraft. The outbound flight leaves Changsha at 1:55 am every Sunday and arrives in Ulaanbaatar at 5:30 am. The return flight departs Ulaanbaatar at 21:40 every Saturday and reaches Changsha at 1:00 am.

The air route service reduces the travel time between Changsha and Ulaanbaatar to three hours and thirty minutes. Before that, air passengers have to make a stopover in Beijing for six to twelve hours.

Since 2023, Changsha airport has resumed 18 international and regional passenger routes to Nairobi, London, Singapore, Seoul, and Kuala Lumpur. Changsha has secured stable operation of central China's only China-Africa passenger air route. Zhangjiajie airport has reopened 11 passenger flights to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Bangkok, Seoul, Manila, and Hong Kong.