GEORGE TOWN: In the first four months of Visit Malaysia 2026, Penang is welcoming a new direct flight from a China city every month.
State tourism committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said Spring Airlines launched its Shanghai-Penang direct flight on Jan 30, followed by the Guangzhou-Penang direct flight on Feb 1.
He said this will be succeeded by Qingdao Airlines’ Qingdao–Penang route on March 31, while Chongqing Airlines is scheduled to commence its Chongqing–Penang direct flight on April 8.
He said the new direct flights demonstrate Penang’s growing appeal in the Chinese market and the steady enhancement of its aviation connectivity.
"The inaugural Guangzhou–Penang flight will be operated by Spring Airlines and has officially touched down in Penang," he said in a statement on Sunday (Feb 1).
Wong said the launch of this route symbolises closer ties between the two cities and injects fresh momentum into people-to-people exchanges, tourism collaboration and industrial cooperation.
He described the new flight route as a significant milestone in strengthening connectivity between the two destinations.
He noted that the development comes at an opportune time as Malaysia gears up for Visit Malaysia 2026, during which Penang has continued to make notable progress in expanding its China-bound air connectivity.
He further highlighted Penang’s rapid expansion in international air connectivity in recent years, attributing it to sustained efforts by the Penang State Government.
“As of December 2025, Penang recorded 325 international direct flights per week. Following the launch of Spring Airlines’ daily Shanghai–Penang service and the thrice-weekly Guangzhou–Penang service, Penang’s international direct flight frequency has increased to 335 flights per week.
“This represents an increase of 68 weekly flights, or 25.5%, compared to 267 weekly international flights in August 2023, underscoring Penang’s steadily strengthening position as a regional aviation hub," he said.
As of the end of 2024, Guangzhou’s population stood at 18.978 million, while Guangdong Province’s total population exceeded 127.8 million.
In terms of the economy, Guangzhou recorded a gross domestic product (GDP) of RMB3.10325 trillion in 2024, placing it firmly among China’s top five cities by GDP and within the first tier of cities exceeding RMB3 trillion in economic output.
Guangdong province has long maintained its position as China’s largest provincial economy, ranking first nationwide in GDP, Wong added.
