Home » AIRLINE NEWS » Direct Flights from Chengdu to Auckland Set to Transform New Zealand’s Tourism Market

Published on
September 26, 2025

Auckland, which is the largest city in New Zealand, is expected to benefit from a rise in the tourism sector due to the recently announced flight route services from Chengdu, China, which Sichuan Airlines plans to offer. This will allow Sichuan Airlines to commence flight operations from Auckland and Chengdu from December 7 with A350 aircraft and offer 2 weekly flights.

This also means a move away from the seasonal operations that the airline sustained in the past, which only covered the southern parts of the hemisphere and were only available during the summer months. This is also a shift from the airline’s previous flight operations, which only sustained the southern hemisphere and summer months. This flight route is expected to begin in the next winter, and it will operate with A350 aircraft and offer 2 flights a week, which is a significant positive addition to the airline.

One of the most significant features of this airline is its ability to operate all year round, which means it will benefit both international trade and tourism. Currently, the airline will become the 6th to operate flights between Auckland and China, which includes Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, and Hainan Airlines. Therefore, the airline will significantly add to the connectivity of Auckland. This location is known as one of the fastest-growing travel and tourism points in the world.

The circumpolar Chengdu Region of Sichuan Province is absolutely bursting with potential and opportunities for growth and development – and the Chengdu International Airport’s new direct flight connection to Auckland is extremely helpful for the development of New Zealand’s tourism. These new flights open new worlds to even more potential Chinese tourists willing to spend a holiday visiting beautiful New Zealand.   These flights have added the ‘date for exchange’ on the Chinese calendar, the Chengdu flight, a new Sichuan’s flagship airline service opening to Auckland, New Zealand from Chengdu. dietary concerns) direct flights, New Year’s service, tourism all year, New Zealand.

Tourism and Trading Improvement.

 New Zealand as said earlier, the new flights are expected to translate to an extra 23,000 tourists to the nation every year. This tourism spend alone contributes well over an estimated additional 135 million annually to a small town’s economy. This extra spend is expected to promote New Zealand’s culture. These new flights will open new worlds to even more potential spend worth New Zealand dollars.

Most Chinese tourists have an interest in New Zealand due to its natural beauty and attractions. Places like Queen, Rotorua, and Auckland are some of the most popular sites for visitors from China. New Zealand appears to remain an alluring place for Chinese tourists because of its stunning landscapes, adventure tourism, and variety of wildlife. The new flights from China to New Zealand allow tourists an easier trip to sites like the bungee ranch in Queenstown and scenic Southern Alps tours.

Aside from tourism, New Sichuan Airlines will likely have positive consequences for New Zealand imports and exports. The flights enhance the annual cargo capacity of the region by more than $150 million, establishing critical links for New Zealand’s agri, dairy, and wine exports. Efficient transportation of goods between Chengdu and Auckland strengthens trade links in the region, giving New Zealand firms greater access to the Chinese market.

New opportunities for tourism operators.

Auckland-based tourism operators, as well as those in other parts of New Zealand, are poised to reap substantial gains as a result of the new airline routes, which will enable them to develop more sophisticated and competitive travel offerings for New Zealand-bound tourists from China. Travel agencies and operators focusing on New Zealand-bound tourists from China are now able to join forces with Sichuan Airlines to craft value propositions that are in tune with the tastes and preferences of Chinese travellers.

Such offers may include organised excursions to major sites, cultural activities featuring New Zealand’s Māori culture, and tailor-made premium travel services. Besides, the expansion of air services will enable Chengdu tourists to more easily discover the many options New Zealand has to offer, especially those involving outdoor recreation, wildlife, culture, and cuisine.

In addition, other tourism-related businesses, such as local hospitality providers (e.g., hotels, restaurants, and leisure activities), will also accrue substantial benefits, especially for the Akld. Chinese tourists have a tendency to book mid to above midrange hotel rooms and have meals at the more frequented eateries, which is a key ingredient for enhancing local economies.

Marketing and Collaboration in New Zealand Travel and Tourism

As both Tourism New Zealand and the airline aim to enhance New Zealand–China travel and tourism promotions, the year-round service is a welcome addition. “To capture the potential demand from China, a combination of joint marketing activities, travel trade shows and partnerships with targeted Chinese travel agents will be needed to drive New Zealand’s year-round visitation. This includes promoting a wide range of activities, such as world-famous wineries, trekking, and skiing in the Southern Alps.”

Added to New Zealand’s tourism infrastructure of luxury accommodations and customised experiences designed for the Chinese tourist is the need to also promote the enduring value of these offerings. Chinese tourists are known for their enthusiasm to explore the “best” of any given destination, which makes New Zealand’s nature and culture tourism quite remarkable.

Future Directions: Enhancing Cultural and Economic Relations

With the commencement of year-round services by Sichuan Airlines to Auckland, the cultural, trade and tourism relationship between China and New Zealand is set to deepen further. There is also a combination of direct airline services and government tourism agency collaboration already established, with New Zealand and China determined to improve visitation from China.

Due to its size, Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand, and as such, is the urban centre of the nation’s aviation industry. Its position as the urban centre of New Zealand and its fully international airport permit it to nurture and fully maximise the burgeoning airline traffic between China and New Zealand, which is expected to increase in the coming years.