CHENGDU -- A direct flight linking southwest China's Chengdu with Paris will be launched on Jan 28 next year, the southwest branch of Air China said on Friday.

An airbus A330-200 will fly the new route three times a week on Monday, Thursday and Saturday. It will shorten the one way travel time to about 11 hours.

Previously no direct flight linked the two cities and travellers from Chengdu were required to take a connecting flight in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.

It will become Air China's second direct route linking Chengdu with a European city. The first direct air route linking Chengdu with Frankfurt was launched in 2013.