China Southern Airlines is set to launch direct flights between Darwin and Guangzhou from 3 December 2025, marking a major milestone in the Northern Territory’s international connectivity.
Operating three flights per week aboard a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, the new route will provide approximately 52,000 seats annually, strengthening links between the NT, China, and global destinations beyond Guangzhou.
The airline’s Guangzhou hub connects passengers to multiple destinations across China and internationally, making Darwin more accessible than ever for business and leisure travellers.
This new route presents a significant growth opportunity for the NT’s visitor economy and tourism sector.
China remains one of Australia’s largest inbound tourism markets, welcoming over 850,000 visitors in the 12 months ending March 2025 and generating $9.2 billion in tourism expenditure - a 26% increase year-on-year, outperforming all other major markets.
Guangzhou, at the heart of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macau Greater Bay Area, is home to Chimelong, one of China’s premier cultural tourism operators. Chimelong manages world-renowned theme parks, resort hotels, wildlife parks, and international circus performances across Guangzhou, Zhuhai (Hengqin), and Qingyuan - underscoring the strong tourism linkages between the regions.
This announcement marks the sixth new aviation route to commence operations in the Northern Territory in 2025, reinforcing the NT’s growing status as a destination of choice for international travellers.
