Air China is the only airline company which carries the national flag. It is ranked first in brand value among domestic airline companies (the world brand laboratory evaluated it in 2006 as 18.896 billion RMB), and it is among the leading companies in air passenger transport and freight transport. Air China is responsible for flying Chinese national leaders to their destinations and bringing foreign leaders and governmental leaders to China.

The headquarter of Air China is located in Beijing with several branch companies such as Southwest, Zhejiang, Chongqing, Inner Mongolia, Tianjin, Guizhou, and Tibet. Air China also has a Shanghai and Huanan base. Air China owns a project technology branch company, a business plane branch company, Ameco, China International Freight Transport Airline Co. Ltd. and Beijing Air Food Company. Air China has equity in Shenzhen Airline and Cathay Pacific Airline and is the biggest stockholder of Shangdong Aviation Group Co. Ltd. Air China controlled Macao Airline Co. Ltd. until December 2005. Air China owns 176 Boeing and Airbus planes and flies to 22 countries and districts, among which there are 36 international cities and 70 domestic cities. There are 4,160 periodical flights per week.