By V. Sivaji
Penang is fast becoming the “darling” of Chinese airline companies such as Spring Airlines, Qingdao Airlines and Chongqing Airlines are the latest to add to the already impressive list of airlines.
Spring Airlines marked a significant milestone by operating its inaugural flight from Shanghai to Penang on Friday, 30 January, with another new direct route from Guangzhou scheduled which commenced on Sunday, 1 February 2026.
The positive momentum continues, as Qingdao Airlines is set to officially launch direct flight services between Qingdao, Shandong Province, China, and Penang starting 31 March 2026.
Shortly after, Chongqing Airlines will also commence direct flights to Penang on 8 April 2026.
With these additions, it comes as no surprise that Chinese tourists now account for over 40 percent of Penang’s visitor growth, underscoring China’s growing importance as a key source market for the state.
With the introduction of the Qingdao–Penang route on 31 March 2026 and the Chongqing–Penang route on 8 April 2026, Penang’s international air connectivity will expand further to include its 21st and 22nd direct international cities — Qingdao and Chongqing. These new routes will further strengthen Penang’s position as a regional aviation hub and an international tourism gateway.
Penang State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy YB Wong Hon Wai shared that Penang currently enjoys scheduled direct flights from six Chinese cities: Chengdu (Sichuan Airlines), Xiamen (Xiamen Airlines), Guangzhou (China Southern Airlines and Spring Airlines), Shenzhen (Shenzhen Airlines and AirAsia), Hong Kong (Cathay Pacific and HK Express), and Shanghai (Juneyao Airlines, Shanghai Airlines and Spring Airlines).
He also highlighted that Penang’s international flight network currently connects the state to 20 international cities, including Bangkok, Don Mueang, Phuket, Medan, Jakarta, Surabaya, Banda Aceh, Taipei, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Dubai, Doha, Chennai and Yangon, in addition to several chartered direct flights from various Chinese cities.
Commenting on the newly launched Shanghai–Penang direct route, Wong said its significance extends far beyond the opening of another air corridor.
“It represents a two-way flow of culture, tourism and people-to-people connections. From today onwards, more travellers from Shanghai and across East China can conveniently fly directly to Penang to experience our UNESCO World Heritage Site, savour Penang’s renowned local cuisine, and immerse themselves in our rich multicultural heritage. Likewise, this route enables travellers from Penang and beyond to access Shanghai and the wider Chinese mainland with greater ease and flexibility.”
He added that Penang’s tourism sector has demonstrated a strong and resilient recovery in the post-pandemic period, not only rebounding swiftly but also surpassing pre-pandemic performance levels.
“Over the past two years, tourist arrivals to Penang have continued to rise steadily, reflecting sustained and healthy growth. Among these trends, the growth in arrivals from China has been particularly remarkable. Since January 2025, China has officially overtaken Singapore to become the second-largest source market among Penang’s top ten international arrivals.”
More notably, Wong pointed out that over 40 percent of the overall increase in tourist arrivals to Penang in 2025 was contributed by visitors from China, highlighting the pivotal role of the Chinese market in supporting Penang’s tourism growth.
Penang’s overall tourism performance remains highly encouraging. In 2025, passenger traffic at Penang International Airport reached 8.3 million, an increase of 0.43 million passengers compared to 7.47 million in 2024, representing a growth rate of 5.8 per cent.
“These tangible figures not only reflect the strong momentum of Penang’s tourism recovery over the past two years, but also reaffirm Penang’s enduring appeal as a well-established and internationally recognised tourism destination,” he said.
Wong added that China has long been one of Penang’s most important international source markets, noting that the Penang State Government has consistently adopted a strategic and long-term approach in attracting Chinese visitors through sustained efforts and careful planning.