- Glasgow Prestwick Airport has confirmed a new direct cargo route to Shanghai Pudong International Airport, giving Scottish exporters access to one of Asia’s largest freight hubs and expanding the airport’s China cargo network.
- Air China Cargo will switch three of its four weekly Boeing 777 services from Guangzhou to Shanghai while maintaining 11 scheduled weekly flights to Prestwick, supporting growing UK e-commerce imports and exports of premium Scottish seafood and other time-sensitive goods.
- The new route follows strong cargo growth at Prestwick, which now handles 15 weekly mainland China services and three Hong Kong services, alongside milestones of more than 25 million e-commerce parcels processed since May 2025 and over one million kilograms of Scottish salmon exported since January 2026.
Glasgow Prestwick Airport has announced the launch of a new direct scheduled cargo route connecting Scotland with Shanghai Pudong International Airport, marking another significant milestone in the airport’s rapidly expanding China cargo network and reinforcing its growing role as a strategic gateway for UK-China trade and e-commerce logistics.
The new service, operated by Air China Cargo, was officially confirmed on May 28, 2026, and will provide Scottish exporters and UK logistics operators with direct access to one of Asia’s largest and most influential freight hubs.
Under the revised network arrangement, Air China Cargo will switch three of its four weekly Boeing 777 freighter services currently operating from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport to Shanghai Pudong International Airport, while maintaining a strong overall operational footprint at Prestwick with a total of 11 scheduled weekly services to and from the Scottish airport.
The addition of Shanghai significantly diversifies Prestwick’s cargo connectivity across mainland China and strengthens the airport’s position as an increasingly important logistics hub supporting transcontinental trade, cross-border e-commerce flows and time-sensitive export movements.
Strengthening Scotland’s Access to Asian Markets
Airport executives described the new Shanghai route as a major strategic development for Scottish exporters and international freight forwarders seeking faster and more flexible access to Asian markets.
Ian Forgie, Chief Executive Officer of Glasgow Prestwick Airport, said the introduction of Shanghai into the airport’s scheduled China network represents an important expansion of trade and logistics opportunities between the United Kingdom and Asia.
“Shanghai is a major global cargo hub and an important addition to Prestwick’s scheduled China services,” said Forgie.
“This new route gives cargo customers more choice across mainland China and strengthens our ability to support fast-growing e-commerce traffic into the United Kingdom.
“It also opens a valuable new trade lane for Scottish exporters, including producers moving premium seafood and other time-sensitive goods into Asia.”
Industry observers note that Shanghai Pudong International Airport is one of the world’s busiest cargo gateways and plays a critical role in global supply chains linking Asia with Europe and North America. Direct connectivity to Shanghai is expected to improve market access for Scottish exporters while enhancing import capacity for inbound e-commerce shipments into the UK.
Cargo Growth Continues at Prestwick
The launch of the Shanghai service comes amid a sustained period of cargo expansion at Glasgow Prestwick Airport, which has increasingly positioned itself as a specialist hub for e-commerce logistics, perishables handling and China-UK freight connectivity.
Over the past year, the airport has experienced significant growth in scheduled cargo operations, with 15 weekly scheduled services now operating between Prestwick and mainland China, alongside an additional three weekly services linked to Hong Kong.
The airport has also reported major operational milestones linked to the rapid growth of e-commerce volumes and Scottish export activity.
Since May 2025, Prestwick has processed more than 25 million e-commerce parcels in partnership with major delivery operators including Royal Mail and Evri, highlighting the airport’s growing importance in the UK’s cross-border online retail supply chain.
In parallel, the airport recently confirmed that it has handled more than one million kilograms of Scottish salmon exports since January 1, 2026, underlining rising demand for premium Scottish seafood products across Asian markets.
Industry analysts say the combination of growing e-commerce imports and high-value perishables exports is helping establish Prestwick as a specialised cargo gateway capable of supporting both consumer-driven logistics and temperature-sensitive international trade flows.
Expanding Role in UK-China Logistics
The new Shanghai route further enhances Prestwick’s role within the broader UK-China cargo corridor at a time when demand for diversified trade lanes, resilient logistics infrastructure and faster transit times continues to increase.
The airport’s expanding China network reflects broader trends within the global air cargo industry, where regional airports with dedicated cargo infrastructure are increasingly capturing traffic linked to e-commerce growth, perishables transportation and integrated multimodal supply chains.
Shanghai’s addition to Prestwick’s network is also expected to provide greater flexibility for freight forwarders and logistics providers managing cargo flows between the UK, mainland China and wider Asian markets.
Cargo industry stakeholders note that direct freighter connectivity to major Chinese hubs such as Shanghai and Guangzhou offers exporters improved access to manufacturing centres, distribution networks and international onward connections across the Asia-Pacific region.
Focus on Industry Engagement
As part of its continued international cargo expansion strategy, Glasgow Prestwick Airport has also confirmed its participation at the upcoming Air Cargo China 2026 trade fair, scheduled to take place in Shanghai from June 24 to June 26.
The airport will exhibit at Booth W5.447, where it plans to promote its expanding cargo capabilities, UK-China trade connectivity and specialist handling services to global freight operators, airlines and logistics partners.
Industry observers say Prestwick’s growing visibility in Asian cargo markets reflects the airport’s ambition to strengthen long-term partnerships with Chinese carriers and position itself as a preferred logistics gateway for UK imports and exports.
With scheduled cargo capacity between Scotland and China continuing to expand, the launch of the Shanghai service represents another step in Prestwick’s transformation into a major player within the UK’s international air cargo landscape.
