Media release from Sydney Airport:

The inaugural Juneyao Air service from Shanghai to Sydney, flight HO1669, touched down at Sydney Airport this morning at 6.30am, in a move that pushes seat capacity from Sydney to mainland China to the highest level ever.

The airline will operate four direct services a week from Sydney to Shanghai, rising to daily during the 2025 lunar new year period, with Juneyao Air welcomed as the ninth mainland-based carrier to connect Sydney Airport with China, the highest number ever.

Sydney Airport now offers the highest seat capacity to mainland China of any Australian airport. Scott Charlton, CEO of Sydney Airport, stated, “We are honoured that Juneyao Air has chosen Sydney as its first Australian destination, cementing our position as Australia’s premier gateway to China.

“Juneyao Air’s decision to launch the Shanghai-Sydney route with four flights per week is a testament to the strong and growing relationship between Sydney and Shanghai.

“China is one of Sydney Airport’s most important markets – our third largest - and Shanghai is the leading gateway within that market, so we’re excited about the opportunities this will bring for the airport and our passengers.

“I’d like to thank and acknowledge the significant support of the NSW Government and Destination NSW in helping make this possible. Their collaboration continues to be instrumental in driving tourism and international connectivity for Sydney and the broader region."

Acting Minister for Jobs and Tourism Jo Haylen said: "The NSW Government welcomes Juneyao Air’s first flight from Shanghai to Sydney. The new flights from China will be a big win for the NSW visitor economy, supporting approximately 450 jobs and bringing in $80 million in new expenditure each year.

“The Juneyao Air flights were made possible through the Minns Labor Government’s Aviation Attraction Fund. Bringing more passengers through Sydney Airport is part of our plan to boost jobs and grow our visitor economy across the state.”

Destination NSW Acting CEO Stephen Mahoney said "The arrival of Juneyao Air’s inaugural Sydney-Shanghai flight marks an exciting milestone for the NSW visitor economy. China continues to be one of our top-performing international markets, contributing $3.5 billion in visitor expenditure in the year ending June 2024. This new route will strengthen connections and drive further growth.

“Destination NSW is proud to have collaborated with Juneyao Air and Sydney Airport through the Aviation Attraction Fund to secure this service, which is projected to inject $80 million annually into the NSW visitor economy and support approximately 450 jobs.

“Sydney is more than a gateway to NSW—it’s a global destination in its own right. Increasing passenger flows into our airports is central to our vision for a thriving and resilient visitor economy."

Tourism & Transport Forum CEO, Margy Osmond said, “Juneyao Air touching down at Sydney Airport this morning is a significant win for our tourism sector and an important step for boosting aviation capacity back to our key market of China.

With this new route improving travel accessibility, and the recent extension of the visa-free threshold for Australians visiting China, we are optimistic about the continued surge of travellers between our two great nations.”

Mr Chengji Yu, President of Juneyao Air, said, "We are excited to announce the expansion of our network into Oceania with new services to the vibrant harbour city of Sydney, marking our first destination in Australia.

"We are eager to introduce our distinctive brand to this route, featuring our flagship Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. We are confident that the people of Sydney will appreciate this new direct service, connecting them seamlessly to our Shanghai hub and beyond through our extensive China, Asia, and Europe network."

In 2019, more than 1.8 million passengers travelled between Sydney and China, with almost half a million of these journeys linked directly to Shanghai.

Since the reopening of borders in 2023, Sydney Airport has been at the forefront of the recovery of the Australia-China aviation market. In 2024, 1.3 million passengers travelled between Sydney and China from January to October, and more than 300,000 of these were to or from Shanghai.

Sydney is the first airport in Australia to welcome Juneyao Air and the airlines entry will push seat capacity from Sydney into mainland China to 101 percent of December 2019 levels, with 53,000 weekly seats.

Notes to Editors

Chinese carriers now operating routes between Sydney and mainland China:

  • Air China
  • Beijing Capital Airlines
  • China Eastern Airlines
  • China Southern Airlines
  • Hainan Airlines
  • Juneyao Air
  • Sichuan Airlines
  • Tianjin Airlines
  • Xiamen Airlines

About Juneyao Air

  • Juneyao Air launched in 2006.
  • The airline now operates a modern fleet of 92 aircraft reaching nearly 200 destinations across Asia, Europe and now Australia.