Asia's largest airline, China Southern Airlines has launched a new route from the UK to China, with flights between London and Wuhan taking off in May 2018.

The new route will be the only non-stop flight operating from London to the Central Chinese city and will fly three times per week, from 30 May 2018 with fares from £377 return, including all taxes.

The historical city, which once consisted of three smaller cities – Hanyang, Hankou, and Wuchang – is the capital of the Hubei province and is the most settled city in Central China.

Divided by the Yangtze and Han rivers, the city was once a busy inland port, and today is spread across three main peninsulas, connected by bridges. Famous landmarks can be found in the city, including the Yellow Crane Tower (believed to have originally been built in 223AD, during the Three Kingdoms Period) and East Lake, a freshwater lake covering an area of 87sq km, of which 33sq km are water.

“Adding Wuhan to our portfolio marks another important step in making parts of China beyond just Beijing and Shanghai more accessible and attractive for UK travellers” says Nick Newman, Commercial Manager for China Southern Airlines, UK & Ireland. “The city is rich in history and therefore not only appeals to those with wanderlust but also serves as a strong commercial centre for business travellers”.

Based in Guangzhou, China Southern Airlines boasts the largest fleet, most developed route network, best safety record and largest passenger capacity of any airline in China, operating both the A380 and B787 (Dreamliner) aircraft. The new route, which will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, will use the Airbus 330-200.