The Penang State Government has received notification that 9 Air (九元航空) plans to launch a direct charter flight route between Haikou and Penang, starting 18 November 2025.
The route will operate three direct flights per week—on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
The Haikou–Penang route will begin as a charter service, with the potential to be upgraded into a regular scheduled direct flight in the future, establishing a convenient and stable air bridge between Haikou and Penang.
The flight from Haikou to Penang is AQ1297, departing from Haikou Meilan International Airport (HAK) at 1:15 AM and arriving at Penang International Airport (PEN) at 5:35 AM on 18 November 2025.
The return flight from Penang to Haikou is AQ1298, departing from Penang International Airport (PEN) at 6:35 AM and arriving at Haikou Meilan International Airport (HAK) at 10:00 AM on the same day.
It is noteworthy that the 18th World Hainan Friendship Convention will be held in Penang from 14–16 November 2025, bringing together Hainanese community leaders and guests from around the world.
The launch of 9 Air’s Haikou–Penang direct flight shortly after the convention is both timely and meaningful—it symbolizes the continued friendship between Penang and Hainan, while also creating a more convenient air link for future cultural exchange and networking between the two regions.
Penang State and China’s Hainan Province signed an agreement in 2013 to establish a provincial–state friendship relationship. Subsequently, in 2017, Penang Island City Council and Sanya City in Hainan signed a Memorandum of Friendship, deepening cooperation in culture, creative industries, people-to-people exchanges, and tourism development.
As of now, Penang has regular international direct flights operated by 9 airlines, connecting to 6 cities in China, including:
- Chengdu (Sichuan Airlines)
- Xiamen (Xiamen Airlines)
- Guangzhou (China Southern Airlines)
- Shenzhen (Shenzhen Airlines and AirAsia)
- Hong Kong (Cathay Pacific and HK Express)
- Shanghai (Juneyao Air and Shanghai Airlines)
- In addition to these scheduled international flights, Penang also has charter flights connecting to Chongqing, Xi’an, Kunming, and Guiyang in China. With the addition of 9 Air’s new Haikou–Penang charter route, Penang’s air connectivity with southern, western, and southwestern China will be further strengthened, fostering even greater convenience for tourism, trade, and cultural exchanges between the two regions.