A new air route connecting Dali, Southwest China's Yunnan province, with Bangkok of Thailand, was launched on Tuesday.

Spanning over 1,300 kilometers, the flight route allows passengers to travel directly between the two cities without the need for transfers.

Operated by West Air, the maiden flight departed from Dali at 9:00 am Tuesday and arrived in Bangkok at 10:20 am local time. The return flight left Bangkok at 11:20 am local time and touched down in Dali at 2:35 pm.

The launch of the new air route offers passengers a more convenient travel option, and is expected to help boost tourism, cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and Thailand.