South Australians can now fly direct to one of the biggest cities on earth.
The first China Eastern flight from Shanghai to Adelaide touched down on Sunday 21 June, with the return service departing two hours later.
The airline will operate the connection with an Airbus A350-900, which offers 286 seats across economy and business classes, and about 15-tonnes of freight capacity on each flight.
Three return-services will operate each week until August as part of a seasonal service, with the airline then set to return in December.
International visitation was worth $1.8 billion to South Australia’s economy last year, up 31 per cent on the previous year and ahead of the national growth of 19 per cent. Chinese visitors contributed $375 million to the state’s economy in 2025.
The new service also opens up an important trading route, with the capacity for 45 tonnes of freight to be exported from South Australia each week into Shanghai, which has a population of around 30 million.
China remains South Australia’s largest two-way trading partner with $3.9 billion worth of merchandise goods exported to China in the year to April 2026.
China is also the state’s second largest source market for international students. These flights will allow South Australia to welcome even more students – and their visiting families and friends – and will make it easier for students to return from their semester break.
Adelaide Airport Managing Director Brenton Cox said he was excited to welcome one of China’s largest carriers to Adelaide.
"This service opens up extraordinary business and tourism opportunities between China and South Australia, while connecting us with the rest of the world through China Eastern’s vast network including cities across Asia, Europe and North America," Mr Cox said.
Bruce Cheng, General Manager (Oceania) for China Eastern Airlines said the route offered South Australian travellers a new gateway to China and beyond.
"Our flights are operated by China Eastern Airlines' flagship Airbus A350-900 aircraft, and passengers can enjoy attentive onboard service, complimentary Wi-Fi and seamless connections through our Shanghai hub, and the opportunity to explore China visa-free for up to 30 days by the end of 2026," he said.
