Penang State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy, YB Wong Hon Wai, shared more good news that Penang will soon welcome another brand-new direct flight connection from another Chinese city — a direct route from Qingdao to Penang — further expanding Penang’s air connectivity with major cities in China and injecting new momentum into bilateral tourism and people-to-people exchanges.
He said that the Penang State Government has been informed that effective 31 March 2026, Qingdao Airlines will officially commence a direct flight service between Qingdao, Shandong Province, China, and Penang. Ticket sales have already opened on Qingdao Airlines’ official website. This marks the first-ever direct flight between Qingdao and Penang, a truly encouraging development. More importantly, the good news arrives at the start of Visit Malaysia Year 2026, making it especially timely and significant.
He added that with the launch of the Qingdao–Penang direct route, Qingdao will become the northernmost Chinese city currently connected to Penang by a direct flight. This reflects the continued northward expansion of Penang’s aviation network in the China market, with coverage becoming increasingly comprehensive.
The Qingdao–Penang flight, operating under flight number QW923, will depart from Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport (TAO) at 9:00 a.m. on 31 March 2026, arriving at Penang International Airport (PEN) at 3:35 p.m.
The Qingdao–Penang direct flights operated by Qingdao Airlines will run three times weekly, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Wong said that as early as June 2024, he met with a delegation led by Mr. Li Yongsen, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Shandong Province. During the meeting, in-depth and pragmatic discussions were held with the Shandong delegation, who highlighted that while Shandong’s engagement with Southeast Asia had previously been limited, the province has in recent years stepped up its focus on the region through active exchanges and visits.
“At that point, there were no direct flights between Penang and Shandong, and there remained substantial room for growth in tourism, trade, and people-to-people cooperation.”
“Through sustained groundwork and consistent engagement, early efforts have now borne fruit, Building on the relationships established earlier, I dispatched representatives from Penang Global Tourism to Qingdao in early December 2025, where they held an initial meeting with Qingdao Airlines’ management to discuss the launch of the direct route and future cooperation.”
“Once the preliminary framework was in place, I personally visited Qingdao in early January 2026 to meet again with Qingdao Airlines’ management to finalise the details of the Qingdao–Penang direct flight and to hold concrete discussions on jointly promoting bilateral tourism and deepening collaboration,” he added.
He said that the official launch of the Qingdao–Penang route is a testament to long-term dedication and sustained efforts.
“The direct connection between Qingdao and Penang is like a brilliant rainbow spanning the sea, linking the landscapes of the Yellow Sea with the charm of Penang Island — a truly gratifying achievement.” said Wong.
He further noted that Penang’s international flight network currently connects 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 chartered direct flights from several Chinese cities. With the launch of Qingdao–Penang flights on 31 March 2026 and Chongqing–Penang flights by Chongqing Airlines on 8 April 2026, Penang’s international air network will expand further to include its 21st and 22nd direct international cities — Qingdao and Chongqing, strengthening Penang’s role as a regional aviation hub and international tourism gateway.
He also shared that Penang currently has 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).
The upcoming routes from Qingdao (Qingdao Airlines) and Chongqing (Chongqing Airlines) will become the 7th and 8th Chinese cities with direct flights to Penang. This network effectively covers East China, South China, and Southwest China, forming a well-connected and extensive aviation network.
Wong expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC) and Tourism Malaysia for their long-standing commitment to developing Malaysia’s tourism industry. He affirmed that the Penang State Government will continue to work closely with all relevant stakeholders to strengthen Penang’s tourism economy and elevate the state’s tourism industry to greater heights.
Source – Penang State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy