AUSTRALIA. Chinese airline Juneyao Air will commence direct flights between Shanghai and Sydney from December.
Juneyao Air will become the ninth Mainland China-based carrier to connect with Sydney Airport, reinforcing the New South Wales (NSW) gateway’s status as Australia’s premier gateway to China.
Juneyao Air’s entry will drive seat capacity from Sydney into Mainland China to 53,000 weekly – equivalent to 101% of pre-pandemic December 2019 levels and a record high among Australian airports.
Sydney Airport served 49% of Australia’s passengers on Mainland China routes in the year to June 2024, solidifying its status as the leading national hub for travel between the two countries.
The airport will become the first in Australia to welcome Juneyao Air, which has the potential to run daily services over peak months in 2025 on its flagship, 324-seat Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton commented: “We are proud to welcome Juneyao Air to Sydney Airport, the home of Chinese airlines in Australia. The introduction of Juneyao’s services in December provides passengers from Mainland China with unprecedented choice and convenience when travelling to Sydney.
“This expansion is a strong vote of confidence in Sydney as the premier gateway to Australia and underscores the enduring appeal of New South Wales to Chinese travellers. We’re especially pleased to have worked in partnership with Destination NSW and the NSW Government to deliver this service.”
Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham added: “The addition of direct flights from Shanghai to Sydney by Juneyao Air is welcome news and will give NSW the highest seat capacity from Mainland China.
“Increasing aviation capacity into NSW is critical to our plans to grow tourism’s contribution and the 117,000 businesses that make up the sector. The NSW visitor economy, worth A$50 billion (US$33.5 billion) a year, is the largest among Australian states.”
Juneyao Air President Chengji Yu said: “We are thrilled to be expanding our network into Oceania with new services to the fantastic harbour city of Sydney, our first Australian destination.
“We look forward to bringing our own unique brand to the route utilising our new Boeing 787-9 aircraft and trust the people of Sydney will enjoy this new direct service into our Shanghai home and beyond through our China network.” ✈️
