On January 10, United Airlines won tentative approval from the US government for the first daily nonstop flight between Washington and Beijing.

The route, the last awarded to a US carrier before 2008 under the current Sino-US aviation agreement signed in 2004, was awarded to United after more than six months of jousting with three other US carriers.

The service, coveted by executives and government officials, will strengthen United's already-extensive network in the Asia-Pacific region.

It could also prove a shot in the arm for the carrier, which is still struggling after a three-year bankruptcy restructuring that ended in February last year.

"United Airlines is honored to be selected as the first carrier to connect the governments, commerce and cultures of these two important capital cities," Glenn Tilton, United chairman, president and CEO, said in a statement.

The US Department of Transportation said interested parties have 14 days to file objections. If the tentative award becomes final, United can start the service between Washington Dulles International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport on March 25, using a three-class, 347-seat B747-400.

United beat three other US carriers in DOT's evaluation. American Airlines had applied to fly between Dallas/Fort Worth and Beijing, Continental Airlines sought daily nonstop flights between New York and Shanghai, and Northwest Airlines applied for a Detroit-Shanghai daily nonstop service.

"American will reapply for an additional China service when the Department of Transport is ready to consider granting additional frequencies," Will Ris, American Airlines' senior vice-president, said in a statement. The carrier launched a daily nonstop service between Chicago and Shanghai last spring.

Continental and Northwest were not available for comment last night.

"With the new service, United will become a tiger with wings," said Li Lei, an aviation analyst with CITIC China Securities.

United, already flying daily nonstop between Beijing-Shanghai and San Francisco-Chicago, is already the largest US carrier between China and the US.

Some analysts had expected American to be awarded the route. The Dallas-Beijing route would have been the first linking the southern part of the US with China.

But American made a last-minute change to its proposal to add a stop in Chicago before continuing to Beijing.

"That weakened the significance of this route because United is already flying between Chicago and Beijing," said an analyst who declined to be named.

Offering the capital-to-capital service was probably the deciding factor in United winning the route, Li said.

The service will allow Washington to join 28 other world capitals in having nonstop flights to Beijing.

Washington-based fliers applauded the news.

"It will save me a lot of time," said Jiang Hua, a doctorate student at the University of Maryland's department of communications.

"I don't need to head to New York or Chicago first when traveling back to Beijing for research or to visit my parents."