China Southern Sets Record High on China–Australia Routes

China Southern Airlines is set to reach a major milestone in December 2025 as it marks the 25th anniversary of its Guangzhou–Sydney service, one of the longest-running air links between China and Australia. Over the past quarter century, the route has played a central role in connecting travelers, families, and businesses across the two countries, evolving in step with rising demand and changing travel patterns.

To coincide with the anniversary, China Southern has expanded the Guangzhou–Sydney service to a record level. During peak travel periods, the route will operate four daily round-trip flights for the first time, underscoring the airline’s growing confidence in sustained demand between the two markets. A newly signed codeshare agreement with Virgin Australia further strengthens the offering, allowing passengers to book seamless single-ticket itineraries to a wider range of Australian destinations that previously required multiple connections.

Performance data highlights the route’s importance. In 2024, Guangzhou–Sydney carried more than 410,000 passengers, making it the busiest China–Australia route operated by a mainland Chinese airline. The service also achieved an average load factor of 87%, significantly outperforming the overall market average of 79% and reinforcing its status as a flagship long-haul route.

China Southern’s competitive edge is also driven by its transfer capabilities at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. Travelers originating from cities such as Harbin and Xi’an can connect to Australia on a single through-ticket, with through check-in and baggage tagged to the final destination. This end-to-end convenience has helped position the airline as a preferred carrier for Australia-bound passengers from across China’s vast domestic network.

Across all China–Australia services, China Southern transported more than 970,000 passengers in 2024, ranking first among mainland Chinese airlines on these routes. The carrier also reported load factors higher than those achieved by Cathay Pacific on comparable services, highlighting its strong market position.

China Southern currently operates seven key routes linking China and Australia, including Guangzhou services to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and Darwin, as well as Shenzhen–Sydney. During peak seasons, the airline operates up to 77 weekly flights. Looking ahead, capacity on Australia routes in the 2025/26 winter–spring schedule is set to rise by 30% year-on-year.

From a single route launched in 2000 to a comprehensive Australia network, China Southern’s 25-year expansion reflects both sustained airline investment and the deepening people-to-people ties between China and Australia.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com