Christchurch Airport announced the return of China Southern Airlines for an expanded summer season starting at the end of October. Asia’s largest carrier will resume its direct service between Christchurch and Guangzhou, bringing significant benefits for travellers and the regional economy.
The return comes with a boost for the Chinese New Year period. Between 17 December 2024 and 12 February 2025, the airline will fly seven days a week during the peak season, that’s 75% more seats than during the same period last year. This is a boon for all those choosing to celebrate the Chinese New Year in Te Waipounamu (South Island), as well as providing more opportunities for travel and commerce.
To accommodate the high demand, the additional services will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays, in addition to the five weekly flights that took place between Christchurch and Guangzhou last season. The flight, which takes approximately 12 hours, will be operated by China Southern’s state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.
For eight years since 2016, China Southern has offered direct flights to Christchurch, with close to 400,000 passengers using the Guangzhou service.
Gordon Bevan, General Manager of Aeronautical Development at Christchurch Airport, is delighted about the strengthened partnership with China Southern Airlines. “China is a high-value market for us, and the greater flexibility of flight options opens connection opportunities for travellers from China Southern’s extensive network that spans more than 220 destinations across 40 countries. That creates so many more opportunities for global travellers who want to experience the awesome tourism offerings in Aotearoa.”
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