Delta Air Lines says passengers connecting to SkyTeam partner China Eastern Airlines’ domestic flights at Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) will no longer have to collect and recheck baggage.

Also, China Eastern passengers traveling from China to the U.S. via PVG will be able to check bags at their origin cities and then collect the luggage in the U.S.

The “TransChina” connection procedure was available for Delta passengers transferring to China Eastern flights at PVG prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but had been suspended since February 2020. It was reinstated on July 17.

The change “greatly improves the transfer experience at PVG on Delta and China Eastern flights,” Delta says in a statement. The U.S. carrier operates flights to PVG from Detroit and Seattle.

Delta passengers flying to PVG will now be able to “simply clear immigration and board their onward flight,” the airline adds.

China Eastern and Delta currently codeshare on a combined 260 weekly flights. The carriers have been engaged in a strategic partnership since 2015, when Delta invested $450 million to take a 3.55% equity stake in China Eastern.

Delta notes the check-through service will be “available on all flights to/from 96 cities in China via PVG operated by our partner, China Eastern, and its subsidiary Shanghai Airlines, including Delta codeshare services.”

Delta President for China Wong Hong adds: “We can offer a great benefit for our mutual customers who fly between the U.S. and China via Pudong Airport. We continue to work together to create a better travel experience for our customers in China and the U.S.”