South Australia will soon celebrate a major milestone, with China Eastern Airlines set to launch direct flights between Adelaide and Shanghai from mid-2026 — the first in history between the two cities.
The new service will run three times a week, marking a significant boost for trade, tourism, and exports. As China’s second-largest airline with a fleet of nearly 800 aircraft, China Eastern will operate wide-bodied planes for the 10-hour journey between Adelaide and Shanghai Pudong.
The announcement comes as the China International Import Expo takes place in Shanghai, where Commonwealth Trade Minister Senator Don Farrell is meeting with the airline’s chairman. For South Australia, it represents a key step in the Malinauskas Government’s goal to expand global connections with major economies.
Minister for Trade and Investment Joe Szakacs said the new route will deliver enormous benefits for South Australian businesses and jobs. “Shanghai is the financial and economic capital of China, South Australia’s largest trading partner. More exports, more tourists, more students and more businesses connect to Shanghai than any other part of China,” he said. “This historic new flight is a win for those businesses and local jobs.”
The flight will also carry up to 15 tonnes of cargo per journey — good news for the state’s booming lobster industry. Chinese demand for South Australian southern rock lobster continues to grow, alongside strong exports of wine and nuts. In the past year alone, South Australia exported $3.6 billion worth of goods to China, including $731 million in wine and $286 million in nuts.
Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison said the new service highlights South Australia’s increasing global appeal. “South Australia is more globally connected than ever before, and this is further strengthened as China Eastern introduces direct flights from Shanghai,” she said. “International tourism is worth a record $1.7 billion to our economy, and this is only set to increase with the introduction of more direct flights from key markets such as China.”
Adelaide Airport Managing Director Brenton Cox said the addition of China Eastern builds on the airport’s expanding network. “This is an extraordinary opportunity to open up business and tourism opportunities between China and South Australia,” he said. “It will connect Adelaide with China’s largest city and one of the biggest cities in the world.”
The announcement adds to a busy period of international growth for Adelaide Airport, which will welcome the return of Cathay Pacific next week, followed by United Airlines’ inaugural San Francisco service in December 2025. Other international connections include Doha, Dubai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Nadi, Denpasar, Auckland, Christchurch and Guangzhou.
The international routes operating or scheduled that directly connect Adelaide Airport to the world are:
- Qatar Airways: Doha
- Emirates: Dubai
- Singapore Airlines: Singapore
- Malaysia Airlines: Kuala Lumpur
- Fiji Airways: Nadi
- Jetstar: Denpasar
- Indonesia AirAsia: Denpasar
- Air New Zealand: Auckland
- Air New Zealand: Christchurch (seasonal)
- China Southern Airlines: Guangzhou (seasonal)
- Qantas: Auckland (seasonal)
- Cathay Pacific: Hong Kong (from next week, seasonal)
- United Airlines: San Francisco (starting December 2025, seasonal)
With China currently accounting for $358 million of South Australia’s visitor economy, the new Shanghai link is expected to strengthen both cultural and commercial ties while bringing more travellers, students and investment into the state.
