The route connecting Hangzhou to Chicago is run by Atlas Air of the US. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

A new flight route for cargo aircraft connecting Hangzhou and Chicago, the third-most populous city in the United States, was inaugurated at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport in the Zhejiang provincial capital on Sept 13.

The first direct freight route from Hangzhou to America, shortens the travel time for goods made in Zhejiang and sets up a stable channel for the cross-border trade between the province and the key areas in North America.

The route will be operated by the cargo department of Hong Kong Airlines and the flights will be run by Atlas Air from US. The aircraft is Boeing 747-400, which has an available payload of 112 metric tons.

Initially, there will be three flights per week to and from Chicago, bringing an estimated 20,000 tons of international goods to Hangzhou airport every year. The goods will primarily be high-tech electronic products such as mobile phones and computers, as well as garments and daily necessities.

The launch of the freight route is going to significantly boost the trade between Zhejiang and North America. Moreover, it is expected to benefit the construction of Hangzhou's cross-border e-commerce pilot zone and raise the status of Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport as a freight hub.