China's Hainan Airlines has opened a direct air route connecting Southwest China's Chongqing municipality and New York.

Flight HU415, operated by B787, took off at 10 pm Friday from the Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, the airport said Saturday.

The flight is scheduled for Wednesdays and Fridays, and returns on Thursdays and Saturdays from JFK airport.

Flight duration is around 15 hours.

The route is the first direct connection between Southwest China and New York.

Chongqing airport has 67 international routes and more will be launched to Melbourne, Vientiane, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh this year.

The airport handled 36.6 million passengers and 363,000 tons of cargo and mail last year, up 10.6 percent and 13.1 percent year-on-year, according to the airport.