Economic　resilience　represents　a　nation＇s　capacity　to　withstand　external　shocks,　quicken　economic　recovery,　and　attain　sustainable　development.　Can　Pilot　Free　Trade　Zones　(PFTZs),　as　testing　fields　for　China＇s　institutional　openness,　boost　the　economic　resilience　of　host　cities?　This　study　empirically　investigates　the　impact　and　mechanisms　of　establishing　PFTZs　on　urban　economic　resilience.　It　does　so　by　building　overlapping　Difference-in-Differences　(DID),　Propensity　Score　Matching　DID　(PSM-DID),　and　spatial　DID　models　using　panel　data　across　284　cities　in　China　from　2007　to　2021.　It　is　found　that　establishing　PFTZs　significantly　promotes　urban　economic　resilience,　and　PFTZs　largely　achieve　this　by　increasing　population　density,　consumer　demand,　and　economic　growth　in　host　cities.　Spatial　heterogeneity　analysis　reveals　that　PFTZs　in　North,　East,　Central,　and　South　China　notably　enhance　urban　economic　resilience,　whereas　those　in　Northeast,　Southwest,　and　Northwest　China　do　not.　Regarding　spatial　spillover　effects,　the　establishment　of　PFTZs　has　a　beneficial　impact　on　the　economic　resilience　of　nearby　cities　within　a　radius　of　100　km　to　400　km.　The　impacts　become　stronger　as　the　distance　grows,　peaking　at　a　radius　of　400　km.　This　research　offers　important　policy　implications　for　promoting　the　establishment　of　PFTZs,　unlocking　the　benefits　of　institutional　openness,　and　strengthening　urban　economic　resilience.