- China Southern Airlines restores Delhi-Guangzhou direct flights after six years.
- Services begin September 21, suspended since 2020 pandemic amid tensions.
- This return means all three major Chinese airlines now link India.
China Southern Airlines is set to restore direct flights between Delhi and Guangzhou after nearly six years, marking another step in the gradual revival of air connectivity between India and China. The service will begin on September 21, with the Chinese carrier operating flights between the two cities after direct services were suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Air connectivity remained disrupted for years amid broader tensions between the two countries, including the Ladakh border dispute.
Delhi-Guangzhou Flight
According to the available flight schedule, China Southern’s CZ360 service will depart from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport at 8:20 pm and arrive in Guangzhou at 4:15 am the following morning.
The airline will operate the route using a Boeing 737-8 (7M8) aircraft. Flight tracking schedules also list CZ360 as a scheduled service from Delhi to Guangzhou on September 21.
The return service from Guangzhou to Delhi will operate as CZ359, providing passengers with a direct option in both directions.
There is, however, some variation in reports about the initial frequency of the service. Some reports from China indicate that the airline could operate the route daily from the outset, while others suggest that it may initially run five flights a week before moving to a daily schedule.
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China’s Major Airlines Return
China Southern’s return follows the resumption of India services by two other major Chinese carriers.
China Eastern Airlines has already restarted direct flights between Shanghai and Delhi, while Air China resumed its Beijing-Delhi service in April 2026.
With China Southern now returning to the Indian market, all three of China’s major airlines will once again have direct air links with India.
The development is expected to provide passengers travelling between India and China with another direct option, particularly those travelling between Delhi and Guangzhou.
Six-Year Gap Ends
Direct flights between India and China were suspended during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and did not fully resume for several years. The prolonged disruption coincided with strained bilateral relations and the border situation in eastern Ladakh.
China Southern’s decision to restart the Delhi-Guangzhou route comes as connectivity between the two countries gradually returns.
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