This photo taken on May 5, 2023, shows a view of the Urumqi Diwopu International Airport, which is undergoing reconstruction and expansion, in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]

A new airport began operations on Thursday in Qitai County in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, bringing the number of civil airports across the vast region to 26.

The maiden flight to Qitai Jiangbulake Airport landed on Thursday morning after a nearly two-hour journey from an airport in Kashgar in western Xinjiang, according to China Express Airlines, the flight's operator.

The new airport is expected to handle an annual passenger throughput of 470,000 people and a cargo and mail throughput of 1,000 tonnes, with six flight routes now operational to connect Qitai with eight cities both in and outside Xinjiang.

With its vast territory and rich tourism resources, Xinjiang has the highest number of airports in China. The region aims to increase the total number of civil airports to 33 by the end of 2025.