Shenzhen Airlines will begin direct flights between Shenzhen and Sydney on 14 December 2026, adding another mainland China connection to Sydney Airport.
The airline plans to operate four services a week using Airbus A330-300 aircraft. Sydney Airport estimates the route will add about 130,000 seats each year and support around 100,000 passengers annually.
What the new route adds
Shenzhen Airlines will become the tenth mainland Chinese carrier serving Sydney and will take the number of airlines operating at Sydney Airport to a record 55.
The route also gives travellers another direct option into southern China, with onward connections through Shenzhen Airlines’ domestic and international network across China, Asia and Europe.
Sydney Airport says Chinese nationals are its second-largest international traveller group and were up 13.9 per cent year-on-year in its second-quarter 2026 traffic data.
Shenzhen demand has been growing
Shenzhen was Sydney Airport’s seventh-largest mainland China destination in 2025 for passengers travelling directly between the two cities. Airport figures put that market at about 56,000 passengers for the year, an increase of 16 per cent.
The city is a major technology and business centre in southern China and sits within the Greater Bay Area, giving the service relevance for tourism, business and visiting-friends-and-relatives travel.
Flight times
Flight ZH815 is scheduled to depart Shenzhen at 12.20am and arrive in Sydney at 1.40pm local time. The return ZH816 is scheduled to leave Sydney at 10.30pm and arrive in Shenzhen at 5.25am the following day.
Schedules can change before launch, so passengers should confirm operating days and times with the airline when booking.