The United States and China have consented to double the number of aircraft flights that each other’s airlines can work between the nations, from four to eight per week.

The deal denotes a further facilitating of a stalemate between the world’s two greatest economies over travel limitations forced during the pandemic.

The U.S. Transportation Department declared the expansion Tuesday, saying that China’s avionics authority chose for the current week to allow extended flights by United and Delta.

Not long after the declaration, Chicago-based United Airlines UAL, – 1.22% said it will go from two to four flights for each week between San Francisco and Shanghai via Seoul, beginning Sept. 4.

The Transportation Department said Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines DAL, – 1.39% is likewise qualified to expand its two week after week flights to four. Delta didn’t remark right away.

Chinese aircrafts that effectively fly to the United States — Air China 753, +0.77% , China Eastern Airlines CEA, – 2.16% , China Southern Airlines ZNH, – 3.23% and Xiamen Airlines — will be permitted to make eight week after week trips there and back rather than four, the office said.

The Transportation Department rehashed its expectation that China will consent to completely reestablish the settlement privileges of U.S. carriers to serve China, however called the latest increment in flying “a step in the right direction.”

Toward the beginning of January, there were in excess of 300 flights for each week between the two nations, yet that number crashed after the pandemic undercut interest for global air travel. United, Delta and American Airlines AAL, – 0.15% suspended flights to China by mid-March.