CHENGDU - China's Capital Airlines has launched a direct flight connecting Madrid and Chengdu, capital of the southwestern province of Sichuan, airport authorities said Sunday.

The air route opened on Dec. 17 with an expected one-way flight time of around 13 hours from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport to Madrid.

The flight, operating on Wednesdays and Saturdays with an Airbus 330 aircraft, will be the first direct flight from Sichuan to Spain.

Chengdu now offers 95 international and regional flights.

Sichuan has many famous scenic sites, including the resort of Jiuzhaigou, famous for its natural beauty, and the Giant Buddha in Leshan city, the largest sitting stone sculpture of the Buddha in the world. Tourists also come from around the world to see the giant pandas at the Panda Breeding Research Center and the Wolong Nature Reserve, a major panda habitat in Sichuan.