WASHINGTON (Reuters) - American Airlines on Friday asked the U.S. Transportation Department to allow it to delay resuming two daily flights to China from the United States, citing lagging travel demand between the world's two largest economies.

The U.S. air carrier currently operates a daily flight between Dallas and Shanghai and asked approval to extend a waiver to continue not flying two other daily flights to China saying "U.S.-China passenger demand has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels."

Both Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have also sought permission to continue not operating most of their China flights.