China Southern Airlines will return to Christchurch Airport this November with its biggest summer schedule to date, offering more flights, more seats, and a longer operating window that stretches across Chinese New Year.
The popular Guangzhou to Christchurch service resumes on 1 November 2025 with five flights per week, before moving to daily flights from 18 December through to 3 March 2026, aligning with the peak summer travel period and Lunar New Year celebrations.
More than 60,000 seats will be available across business, premium economy and economy cabins, giving South Islanders improved access to China and beyond.
This year marks a decade since China Southern first flew into Christchurch, launching in 2015 with a single charter flight. Since then, the airline has carried more than 500,000 passengers to and from the South Island.
For South Island exporters, the return of China Southern provides a faster and more direct route for high-value goods, including cherries, salmon, and other fresh produce destined for Chinese and wider Asian and European markets.
“Every flight carries more than just passengers,” Christchurch Airport’s General Manager Aeronautical Development Gordon Bevan said. “The belly of the aircraft delivers huge value for South Island businesses getting their premium goods to global markets.”
China Southern’s vast international network via Guangzhou will also connect South Islanders with onward travel to destinations including Thailand, Vietnam, Turkey, and Nepal, as well as cities throughout Asia and Europe.
The airline’s return is particularly important for Christchurch’s growing Chinese community, which numbers more than 20,000 in the South Island.
ChristchurchNZ Chief Executive Ali Adams said the resumption of services carried emotional and cultural weight.
“China Southern’s service means so much to our city, especially during Chinese New Year. For so many in our Chinese community it’s an important bridge home. It’s a chance to be with loved ones, honour cherished traditions, and feel close to family, even across great distances,” she said.
“It also deepens the cultural and economic bonds between Christchurch and China in a truly meaningful way.”
China remains New Zealand’s third-largest tourism market, with close to 170,000 holidaymakers visiting last year. The South Island benefits directly from these high-value travellers, who tend to stay longer and explore further.
