China Southern Sales

China Southern is China's largest airline by fleet size, operating over 660 aircraft from its main hubs at Guangzhou and Beijing Daxing. It's a full-service carrier — meals, entertainment, and checked baggage are all included on long-haul fares. On Australian routes, China Southern flies Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Airbus A350-900s, both with lie-flat business class. It's a solid option if you're after good value fares to Asia and beyond.

Yes — China Southern operates nonstop flights from Australia to Guangzhou. Sydney has the most frequency, with up to three daily services. Melbourne and Brisbane each have two daily flights year-round. Perth and Adelaide now operate year-round at two to four flights per week, and Darwin has three weekly services. There's also a direct Shenzhen–Sydney route a few times per week. From Guangzhou, you can connect onward to dozens of cities across China, Southeast Asia, and Europe.

On flights between Australia and China, Economy passengers get two checked bags at up to 23kg each — that's generous compared to many airlines. Business Class gets two bags at 32kg each. Carry-on is one bag per passenger (5kg max, no larger than 115cm in combined dimensions). The two-bag Economy allowance applies on most international long-haul routes, making China Southern particularly good value if you're a heavy packer.

Yes — all fares include meals and drinks on long-haul flights. On the nine-plus hour Australia to Guangzhou route, expect two full meal services plus snacks. The food leans toward Chinese cuisine with a Western option usually available. Each seat has a personal entertainment screen. Wi-Fi is available on the 787 fleet, though it's free for Business Class and paid in Economy.

Absolutely. Guangzhou is a major connecting hub, and China Southern operates flights from there to European cities including London, Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, and Frankfurt. This makes it a one-stop option for getting from Australia to Europe. Fares can be very competitive compared to Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian carriers on the same routes, so it's worth checking if you're flexible on your connection point.

Australian passport holders can transit through Guangzhou visa-free for up to 240 hours (10 days) when travelling to a third country. You don't need to apply in advance — just present your onward ticket at immigration. China Southern has also been offering eligible Australian passengers a free hotel night in Guangzhou or Shenzhen for overnight connections, including breakfast and airport transfers. It's worth checking their website for the latest availability on that offer.

On Australian routes, China Southern uses the Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A350-900. Both have 28 lie-flat Business Class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, so every passenger gets direct aisle access. The A350 also features a 24-seat Premium Economy cabin with extra legroom and a 2-4-2 layout — this isn't available on the 787-9, so check your aircraft type when booking. Economy is 3-3-3 on both aircraft.

China Southern's loyalty programme is Sky Pearl Club. The airline left the SkyTeam alliance in 2019 and currently isn't part of any global alliance, which limits your earning options compared to some competitors. However, China Southern has a direct partnership with American Airlines — you can earn and redeem AAdvantage miles on China Southern flights. If you're an AAdvantage member, that's the most practical way to credit your flights.

Track China Southern fares on IWantThatFlight and set up alerts for your preferred routes. China Southern is often one of the cheapest full-service options from Australia to China and Europe, especially when they run sales. With the two free checked bags in Economy, the total value can beat airlines with lower headline fares but paid baggage. A new codeshare with Virgin Australia also means you can book domestic Australian connections through to your final destination on a single ticket.