Air China Ltd, the country's largest international carrier, will add flights to Toronto, Rome and 10 other European and North American cities by the end of 2009.

New routes next year will include flights from Beijing to Berlin, Istanbul and Warsaw next year, according to a draft plan yesterday from the General Administration of Civil Aviation.

China Southern Airlines Co will begin five new overseas routes by the end of 2009, including flights to Newark, New Jersey and Moscow.

Chinese airlines plan to add 27 routes to Europe and North America by the end of 2009 as they bid to end losses by winning market share, according to Bloomberg News.

Scandinavian Airlines, United Airlines and other overseas carriers are adding routes to China as it may become the world's most popular travel destination by 2015, according to the World Tourism Organization.

Chinese carriers "have to expand their networks, regardless of current losses, because expansions costs will be even higher after overseas rivals get market share," said Li Lei, an analyst at China Securities Co in Beijing.

China Eastern Airlines Corp, poised to sell a stake to Singapore Airlines Ltd, will start its only new route from Shanghai to Los Angeles in June 2008.