China's Indigenous C909 Airliner Operates First International Flight

China's domestically developed C909 commercial jetliner completed its first international commercial flight on Tuesday.

The aircraft, carrying 74 passengers, departed at around 08:00 from Hohhot Baita International Airport in north China's Inner Mongolia and landed at Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The flight was operated using a C909 aircraft adorned with the Chinese national flag, symbolizing the jetliner's international debut.

The C909, formerly known as the ARJ21, is China’s first short- to medium-range turbofan regional airliner built to international civil aviation standards. It has a seating capacity of 78 to 97 and a range of 2,225 to 3,700 kilometers.

Tuesday’s flight comes as the C909 celebrates the ninth anniversary of its maiden flight. A total of 166 aircraft have been delivered, serving more than 700 routes and transporting over 24 million passengers, according to its developer, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd. (COMAC).

"The C909 has achieved a breakthrough in the commercial operation of homegrown jetliners and explored a development path for their entire life cycle," said Chen Yong, chief designer and chief engineer at COMAC, in an interview with Xinhua.

The C909 has been actively deployed in China's border areas such as Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and the northeast. Since its introduction to Xinjiang in June 2023, 22 aircraft have launched over 120 routes, carrying more than 1.3 million passengers.

Four daily round-trip flights began operating in June 2025 between Kashgar and Yining, coinciding with Xinjiang’s tourist season. Airlines like Chengdu Airlines and China Express have reported favorable performance in challenging environments.

"We have received feedback from airlines such as Chengdu Airlines, indicating that in terms of flight performance, they are very well-suited to the operating environment in places like Xinjiang," said Chen.

The C909 has also made inroads in Southeast Asia. Its first flight in the region occurred in Indonesia in April 2023, followed by services on the Manado–Guangzhou route—the longest operated by the aircraft, spanning over 2,700 kilometers.

Three Southeast Asian airlines—TransNusa (Indonesia), Lao Airlines, and Vietjet Air (Vietnam)—now operate a total of seven C909s. These aircraft fly 15 regional routes across 18 cities, serving over 370,000 passengers so far.

The C909’s capabilities on short and narrow runways were tested at Con Dao Airport in Vietnam, where Chengdu Airlines operates two wet-leased aircraft for Vietjet Air.

“This has fully verified the C909’s operational capability on short and narrow runways and its adaptability to the humid environment in Southeast Asia,” said Chen.

Four C909 variants have been introduced—freighter, emergency rescue command aircraft, medical aircraft, and business jet—targeting cargo services, disaster response, air medical transport, and executive travel.