HAIKOU, June 28 (Xinhua) -- A new direct air route linking Haikou, the capital city of China's southernmost island province of Hainan, and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia was launched on Saturday.

The route is operated by Hainan Airlines and will include three round trips per week, every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

Outbound flights depart from Haikou Meilan International Airport at 3:40 a.m. Beijing Time, arriving at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah at 8 a.m. local time, with an estimated flight duration of 9 hours and 20 minutes.

Return flights take off from Jeddah at 1:40 p.m. local time, arriving in Haikou at 4:40 a.m. Beijing Time the following day, with an estimated flight duration of 10 hours.

Jeddah, the second-largest city in Saudi Arabia, is a significant tourist destination.

The new route will provide more options for passengers from both China and Saudi Arabia, facilitating further cultural and economic exchange between the two countries. ■