China Southern's new Darwin flights deliver global connectivity
China Southern Airlines will connect Darwin directly to mainland China for the first time in six years, offering access to more than 240 global destinations.
The arrival of one of the world’s largest airlines is set to be a “game-changer” for the Northern Territory, providing unprecedented global connectivity for inbound and outbound tourists and business, according to industry experts.
Darwin will gain its first nonstop link to mainland China in nearly six years in December when China Southern Airlines launches service from Guangzhou, in a major boost for the Northern Territory.
Industry leaders are excitedly counting down the days to December 4, when flight CZ8361 from Guangzhou will arrive in Darwin at 6.20am, with the return flight CZ8362 scheduled to leave the Top End at 7.30am and land at the airline’s Guangzhou hub at 12.25pm - in time to connect to a range of onward flights on China Southern’s domestic and international destinations.
With three flights per week departing from December, the new China Southern route will provide up to 52,000 seats a year on the Boeing 737-8 services.
China Southern Airlines, Asia’s largest airline in fleet size, revenue, and passengers carried, is one of the “big three” airlines in China, along with Air China and China Eastern Airlines, and is one of the top carriers in the world.
The development continues to strengthen the NT’s cultural and economic ties with Asia through aviation.
In 2025, new destinations (Kuala Lumpur, Guangzhou), additional services to key aviation hubs (Bali, AirAsia and Singapore, Qantas) and new airlines (China Southern and AirAsia) have all come online in the NT.
NT Chamber of Commerce CEO, Glen Hingley, said the arrival of China Southern is a great addition to the line-up of carriers already flying into and out of Darwin International Airport. “The Territory is about to come online with the fourth biggest airline in the world by aircraft, which flies to over 240 destinations via Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.
“It is an airline that is massive in the way it is connected around China and then onwards globally,” Mr Hingley said.
“They are arguably one of the most sophisticated airlines that operate of all the Chinese carriers. They are a big player in terms of leisure travel, business travel and freight.”
Mr Hingley said that with China Southern hauling from 90 cities across China and Singapore Airlines flying into 65 Chinese cities, Territorians could now be in many locations faster than they can fly to other Australian capital cities.
“Having China Southern online is an awesome outcome, this is a game-changer not just for Darwin but for Northern Australia. “With the international connectivity that we now have from Darwin, we are directly connected – just one flight away – from a population of 31.8m people.
“Darwin, connected Timor-Leste’s Dili by Airnorth and Qantas, in addition to other cities including Singapore, Denpasar, Kuala Lumpur and shortly Guangzhou. “There’s got to be solid opportunity in that. All of that is on our doorstep now from December 4.”
“The Territory’s unprecedented international airline connectivity provides both long-term residents and recent arrivals with greater opportunities to experience Asia.
“With our growing migrant population, this connectivity also offers newly arrived Territorians more options than ever to make quick trips back to visit family and friends across South, South East and North East Asia”
Air routes a boom for the NT
economy: NT business leaders cheer
new Asia connections
The Northern Territory's expanded Asian flight routes and 19 per cent visitor surge has business leaders confident the region will become Australia's undisputed gateway to Asia.
Northern Territory business leaders are confident the NT is well on the way to establishing itself as Australia’s undisputed Gateway to Asia for businesses and tourists following the expansion of aviation routes to the region.
The Northern Territory has strengthened its relationship with Asia this year with new airline destinations in Kuala Lumpur and Guangzhou, additional services to key aviation hubs (Bali through AirAsia and Singapore thr-ough Qantas) and new airlines coming online with China Southern and AirAsia.
Chair of the International Business Council, Kevin Mulvahil, said for the Northern Territory, seamless connectivity with South East Asia is not just advantageous — it’s essential.
“Our proximity to major regional hubs like Singapore places us at a unique strategic crossroads, closer to Asia’s growth markets than to Australia’s southern capitals.”
“Asia represents an unparalleled scale of opportunity for Territory enterprises — vastly exceeding domestic market potential. Reliable and consistent air links are therefore fundamental to business con-fidence, trade expansion, and investment attraction.”
“High-quality direct flights are the backbone of regional engagement. They enable investors, innovators, and decision-makers from South East Asia to access the Territory efficiently, reinforcing our role as Australia’s true gateway to Asia.”
“The expansion of aviation services to Darwin is great news,” he said.
The development comes as the NT’s visitor economy grows strongly, with a 19% year on year increase in total visitation to the Territory for the year ending June 2025, according to Tourism Research Australia.
The Territory welcomed 227,000 international visitors who spent close to half a billion dollars across the NT in the year end to June 2025, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
NT Chamber of Commerce CEO Glen Hingley said the new aviation routes provided the Territory with access to new categories of travellers from Asia. “This is an outstanding opportunity for tourism, for that high-end market, for the adventure traveller from China,” Mr Hingley said.
“China Southern hauls from over 90 cities across China into Guangzhou and we are now directly connected.”
Mr Mulvahil said that expanded aviation services were vital to bring new investment into the Territory.
“Having quality direct flights is essential when we want investors to come in from South East Asia, and that’s why the recent expansion of the NT’s aviation services is such a great outcome.”
Meanwhile, Mr Hingley said industry leaders hoped the anticipated success of the new passenger services would lead to the introduction of wide-bodied freight services from Darwin into Asia to alleviate the current situation where NT produce has to be taken to other capital cities for export.
“Freight is a significant game-changer for our economy.
“To be able to put some of our amazing produce into an aircraft and get that to market without sending it via Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne as we currently do, there are amazing opportunities.
“First, we have to maintain what we’ve got, grow it and then build it so we can get wide-body aircraft to the NT.”
