KUCHING, 15 December 2025: China’s Loong Air launched direct flights last week from Shenzhen (SZX) to Kuching (KCH), the capital of Sarawak, Malaysia, starting with a weekly scheduled charter every Tuesday in December
Announced by the Ukas Sarawak government news portal, the official press release stated the airline plans to introduce additional direct routes to Kuching from Hangzhou and Guangzhou by March 2026.
This new route is expected to significantly boost tourism and business connectivity between China and Sarawak during the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign.
Flight schedule
Flight time is four hours and 15 minutes using a 172-seat A320 on the route. One-way fares start at USD130.
GJ8055 departs Shenzhen (SZX) at 0830 and arrives in Kuching (KCH) at 1245 (Tuesday).
GJ8056 departs Kuching (KCH) at 1955 and arrives in Shenzhen (SZX) at 0005 (Wednesday).
Sarawak’s tourism authorities rolled out the red carpet on 9 December for the inaugural Loong Air charter from Shenzhen, marking the first direct air connection between the southern Chinese tech hub and Kuching. The Airbus A320 arrived with 85 passengers.
VisaHQ (www.visahq.com/china/) noted that for Chinese companies in Guangdong and Zhejiang, the link provides a one-stop service via Shenzhen to Sarawak’s energy and agri-processing clusters, shortening journey times for project teams.
Malaysia, which grants 30-day visa-free entry to Chinese nationals, expects increased air services from China to support its goal of welcoming 5 million Chinese visitors in 2026.
Sarawak’s Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Transport Sarawak (MOTS), Datu Wong Hee Sieng, representing Sarawak Minister for Transport Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, welcomed the inaugural flight alongside Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Kuching, Xing Weiping.
Datu Wong said increased arrivals will generate economic spillover, particularly for Kuching’s tourism and hospitality sectors. He also noted that improved connectivity could encourage additional airlines from China and other regions to consider operating in Sarawak, further strengthening bilateral ties between China and Malaysia, especially in the state,” according to the UKASnews report.
For more information on Sarawak’s tourist attractions, visit the Sarawak Tourism Board.
(Source: Your Stories — Sarawak Tourism Board, Ukas. Photo credit: Alezxandria Kapple).
