In December 2025, China Southern Airlines will mark the 25th anniversary of its Guangzhou–Sydney route. Over the past quarter-century, the service has connected generations of travelers between China and Australia. During peak season, the route has been increased for the first time to four daily round-trip flights. More importantly, a newly signed codeshare agreement with Virgin Australia means itineraries that once required multiple connections can now be booked as a single-ticket journey.
In 2024, the Guangzhou–Sydney route carried more than 410,000 passengers, making it the busiest China–Australia route operated by a mainland Chinese carrier. The route also achieved an 87% load factor, well above the market average of 79%.
China Southern’s transfer services further improve the travel experience. Passengers departing from cities such as Harbin and Xi’an can travel to Australia via Guangzhou on a single through-ticket, with through check-in and checked baggage to the final destination. This convenience has made China Southern a preferred choice for many Australia-bound travelers.
Across all China–Australia routes, China Southern transported more than 970,000 passengers in 2024, ranking first among mainland Chinese airlines. Its load factor on these routes was even higher than that of Cathay Pacific’s.
As a core player in the China–Australia aviation market, China Southern currently operates seven major routes, including Guangzhou to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Darwin, as well as Shenzhen to Sydney. During peak seasons, the airline operates up to 77 weekly flights. In the 2025/26 winter–spring schedule, capacity on its Australia routes is set to increase by 30% year-on-year.
From a single route launched in 2000 to a network supporting travel across Australia, China Southern’s 25-year Australia story reflects continuous evolution alongside passenger demand—and a broader rise in people-to-people exchanges between China and Australia.
