Air China, the nation's largest international carrier, increased the number of flights between Beijing and San Francisco from five times a week to daily from April 1.

The adding of two more flights on Mondays and Wednesdays would better meet increasing passenger demand on the air route, said the company.

Flight CA985 will depart Beijing at 3:30 p.m. and arrive in San Francisco at 12:10 p.m the same day. Flight CA986 will depart San Francisco at 2:20 p.m. and arrive in Beijing at 5:05 p.m. the next day (All times local).

Zhang Lan, vice president of Air China, said, "The daily flights will also help us seize more market share in America's mid-west."

She said the company was the only Chinese carrier offering nonstop flights from China to San Francisco and Los Angeles, the two major destinations in the western United States. It also offers direct flights from Beijing to both New York and Vancouver.