China Southern Airlines and Virgin Australia have signed a codeshare agreement to strengthen air links between China and Oceania, as airlines move to rebuild capacity and capture renewed demand along the China–Australia travel corridor.
Signed in Brisbane on December 8, the agreement is scheduled to take effect in early 2026. It will allow China Southern passengers arriving in Australia to connect onto Virgin Australia’s domestic and regional services under a single booking, extending travel beyond Australia’s major international gateways.
The codeshare will initially apply to China Southern services arriving in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Darwin, providing onward access to 17 destinations across Australia, New Zealand and Vanuatu. These include regional commercial centres such as Newcastle, Townsville and Mackay, as well as leisure markets including the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Cairns and Queenstown. Port Vila in Vanuatu is also included, expanding connectivity into the South Pacific.
The partnership aligns China Southern’s long-haul international network with Virgin Australia’s domestic and short-haul regional footprint, improving access to secondary cities and tourism destinations that are not directly served by long-haul international flights.
For Virgin Australia, the agreement marks its first codeshare partnership with a Chinese carrier since Bain Capital acquired the airline in 2020 following its exit from administration. Virgin operates one of Australia’s largest domestic and regional networks, and the deal signals a measured expansion of its international partnerships as inbound travel from China recovers.
The agreement comes as China re-emerges as a key growth market for Australian aviation, tourism and education, following the gradual restoration of international capacity. China Southern remains one of the largest operators in the China–Australia market, flying seven core routes linking Guangzhou and Shenzhen with Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Darwin. During peak periods, the airline operates up to 77 services a week between the two countries, accounting for a significant share of long-haul capacity.