Residents of the Northern Territory will soon have a fresh option for reaching China and beyond: China Southern Airlines is launching a direct route between Guangzhou (China) and Darwin (Northern Territory, Australia), commencing 3 December 2025.
The new 3-weekly service is expected to deliver around 52,000 seats per year between the two cities, with onward connections via China Southern’s Guangzhou hub to destinations across China and the world.
According to Jason Sun, Regional General Manager Australia & New Zealand for China Southern, the Darwin–Guangzhou service “marks a significant milestone in connecting the Northern Territory directly with China and beyond… whether visiting for business, education, or leisure.” The comment highlights one of the key angles beyond tourism: education.
Rob Porter, Executive General Manager (Airports) at the Airport Development Group, said the new route will open the door for more Chinese visitors and “strengthen tourism, education, and trade links with China and beyond”.
Professor Scott Bowman, Vice-Chancellor and President of Charles Darwin University says “the direct flights between Darwin and Guangzhou will only make Northern Australia more appealing to China’s international students.”
“The University already has strong links with China through the University’s renowned Confucius Institute, which supports Chinese language teachers in Northern Territory schools, and through our membership in the Guangzhou International Sister-City Universities network, which I am executive chair.”
Potential local impact for the Northern Territory
The NT is relatively remote and underserved in term of international flights compared to major Australian cities. A direct China link can make it more accessible for Chinese (and other) international students seeking study options outside the typical eastern-seaboard hubs.
“It’s important that international students maintain their links to home. There is some comfort to the students to have direct flights from their home in Darwin, to their home in China,” Professor Bowman said.
Thus, this new route could support the NT’s education sector, create economic flow (via student living, accommodation, etc), and deepen links between China and the Territory.
Will the new route boost student flows?
If travel from China to Australia becomes more convenient via Darwin, there may be incremental new entrants choosing the NT or using Darwin as a transit point. It remains to be seen how significant the shift will be.
For the NT to capture growth in international students, local housing, student-services, campus support and amenity will need to keep pace. International student enrolments don’t only reflect flights; they also reflect robust local ecosystems.
Growth of international students is strong nationally, but the NT will need to ensure that growth is managed sustainably (in terms of housing, student support, integration) and aligned with its regional development goals.
The launch of the Darwin–Guangzhou direct service by China Southern is a welcome boost for Territorians: more choice, stronger connectivity, and potential for growth in tourism, trade, and, of course, education.
For the international education sector, improved flight access can reduce the barrier for students (especially from China) to consider destinations like the Northern Territory.
The Koala believes this is long overdue and congratulates the NT and China Southern on the partnership.
