The Spring Airlines and the Japanese Ibaraki prefecture government have signed a memorandum on the launch of a Shanghai to Ibaraki route. It is the first time that a privately-owned Chinese airline has launched an international air route.

Spring Airlines will launch charter flights between Shanghai and Ibaraki by the end of July 2010. With Airbus A320 aircraft, this aviation services will be operated three times-a-week. Tickets will be distributed through travel agencies in China, while about 10% will be sold to individual travelers in Japan. When the EXPO 2010 closed in October, the charter flights will become scheduled flights, and all the tickets will be available to individual travelers.

Located 80 kilometers away from Tokyo, the Ibaraki Airport takes only 85 minutes to reach downtown Tokyo by bus. This new airline will offer another choice for Japanese tourists in Tokyo and its neighborhood to visit the Expo in Shanghai.

Based on the president of the airline, Mr. Wang Zhenghua, after the Japan flights have become established Spring Airlines will launch other international routes to destinations such as Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and Russia. In July 2009 Spring Airlines gained approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China to operate aviation services to Hong Kong, Macau and other neighboring countries and regions.