SAN JOSE — After months of anticipation, Silicon Valley’s major airport has landed its fifth new international flight in a year — Air China received approval Tuesday from federal regulators to launch flights to Shanghai beginning in June.

“San Jose and Shanghai are a perfect fit,” said Lillibeth Bishop, the airline’s senior director of marketing and public relations in North America. “They are the centers of innovation in their respective countries.”

Bishop said Air China’s new service is in response to a growing demand to connect the two cities and “bridge the cultures and peoples of two of the most vibrant and forward-looking destinations in the world.”

“With its futuristic, soaring skyscrapers, Shanghai stands at the intersection of commerce and culture, technology and tradition,” Bishop said. “As home to the world’s largest high-tech companies and startups, Silicon Valley is Shanghai’s soul mate in the west.”

The announcement came a week before the City Council is expected to approve financial incentives to lure Air China to Mineta San Jose International Airport.

“We greatly appreciate Air China’s interest in flying between San Jose and Shanghai,” Mayor Sam Liccardo said. “Shanghai is a key destination for Silicon Valley businesses and residents, and this new service will provide significant benefits for both the city and our region as a whole.”

The city incentive package includes waiving landing fees for 18 months after Air China’s launch and a 50 percent discount for the next 12 months. The incentive was valued at $263,830.

Airport officials also propose waiving ticket counter fees for 18 months and then a 50 percent discount for the following year, valued at $329,472. Another proposed incentive would waive gate fees for the same time period, valued at $172,224, and provide marketing funds up to $600,000. The council will vote to approve the subsidies Tuesday.

The generous package is similar to incentives offered to other new airlines that launched from Mineta San Jose, including Lufthansa and British Airways, which both will begin service in the next three months. The city expects to gain $1.3 million in airport revenue from the Air China flights during the incentive period, according to a staff report.

Air China in March received approval from Chinese regulators to fly new routes between San Jose and Shanghai Pudong International Airport three times a week. The airline Tuesday got approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the last regulatory step before it can launch.

The flights will begin in mid-June, and the Beijing-based carrier proposes flying its Airbus A330 aircraft.

The addition of Shanghai flights is the latest in an array of new international destinations for the airport.

The city announced in November the addition of two daily Air Canada flights to Vancouver beginning in May. Also last year, Europe’s largest airline, Lufthansa, signed on to launch nonstop flights to Frankfurt, Germany, this year. Lufthansa recently delayed the launch of service from April 29 to July 1.

British Airways will begin flying nonstop to London in May and Hainan Airlines last year launched its first nonstop flight to Beijing — one of the most sought-after destinations for Silicon Valley travelers and business leaders.

City leaders say luring more passengers to Mineta San Jose is critical to pay down a $1.3 billion modernization completed in 2010.

Contact Ramona Giwargis at 408-920-5705. Follow her at Twitter.com/ramonagiwargis.