To meet rising travel demand during the summer peak season, Hong Kong Airlines plans to resume its Hong Kong–Saipan service on July 12, 2026. The route will be China’s only direct service to Saipan, giving the carrier an exclusive position in the market.
The airline will operate the route with Airbus A320 family aircraft, maintaining two weekly flights. Outbound services will depart on Thursdays and Sundays, with return flights on Mondays and Fridays, consistent with the route's previous seasonal schedule and allowing travelers to plan either a five-day, three-night or six-day, four-night island getaway.
Flight schedule:
Outbound HX72: Departs Hong Kong International Airport at 18:30 and arrives at Saipan International Airport at 01:30 the following day.
Inbound HX73: Departs Saipan International Airport at 03:00 and arrives at Hong Kong International Airport at 06:20.
Hong Kong Airlines first launched the Hong Kong–Saipan route on July 6, 2016, using Airbus A330 widebody aircraft with two weekly flights, becoming the only Hong Kong-based carrier serving the route.
The service was later suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On April 28, 2024, Hong Kong Airlines resumed the route for the first time after the pandemic. The inaugural flight was personally operated by the airline's chairman and carried 292 passengers and crew members to Saipan.
The carrier also operated the route on a seasonal basis between October 2025 and March 2026, using Airbus A320 aircraft with two weekly flights.
It is worth noting that Chinese citizens with a previous U.S. visa refusal may face denial of visa-free travel authorization, additional inspection at the port of entry, or refusal of admission to Saipan.
