China Southern Airlines To Resume Delhi-Guangzhou Flights After Six-Year Hiatus From September 21

New Delhi: China Southern Airlines is set to resume direct passenger flights between New Delhi and Guangzhou from September 21, 2026, ending a six-year suspension of the route and marking the airline’s return to the Indian market.

The restart comes amid a gradual revival of direct air connectivity between India and China, with bilateral ties showing signs of improvement and airlines from both countries restoring services between major cities.

Daily flights between Delhi and Guangzhou

China Southern will operate one daily round trip between Indira Gandhi International Airport and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.

According to Global Times, flight CZ359 from Guangzhou is scheduled to depart at around 3:35 pm and arrive in New Delhi at approximately 7 pm.

The return flight, CZ360, is expected to leave Delhi at around 8 pm to 8:20 pm and reach Guangzhou at approximately 4:15 am the following day.

The service will be operated using Boeing 737 aircraft, including the 737-8/MAX 8 series.

Third major Chinese airline

The resumption makes China Southern the third major Chinese carrier to restore flights to India, following China Eastern Airlines and Air China.

China Eastern has already resumed services connecting Shanghai and Delhi, besides operating the Kunming-Kolkata route. Air China restarted its Beijing-Delhi service in April 2026.

Indian airlines have also been gradually restoring and expanding connectivity with Chinese destinations.

Six-year suspension ends

Direct air links between India and China were largely suspended around 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently remained disrupted during a period of strained bilateral relations following tensions along the border.

The gradual return of direct flights comes against the backdrop of efforts to improve India-China relations and increase people-to-people contact.

The latest announcement also coincides with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India for the BRICS Summit, adding significance to the restoration of the air link between the two countries.

Boost for trade and tourism

China Southern said the resumed service is expected to support bilateral trade, tourism, student travel and broader people-to-people exchanges between India and China.

According to India Today, following the restart, the airline expects to operate more than 100 weekly flights across eight round-trip routes in South Asia.

The direct Delhi-Guangzhou connection is also expected to provide passengers with a more convenient link to southern China and improve travel options for business travellers, tourists and students.

Tickets available for booking

The Delhi-Guangzhou flights are available for booking ahead of the September 21 restart.

With China Southern joining China Eastern and Air China in restoring India services, the revival of direct routes is expected to further strengthen air connectivity between the two countries after years of limited options for travellers.