Tourists take a group photo in Surabaya, Indonesia.

China Southern Airlines announced at a route promotion event that it will inaugurate a direct flight between Guangzhou and Surabaya, Indonesia, starting March 21, 2024. This marks the first direct air link between the Chinese Mainland and Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city and a key financial hub.

Operating four weekly round-trip flights, the Airbus A321 service (CZ8137) will depart from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport at 5:15 pm (Beijing time), and arrive in Surabaya Juanda International Airport at 10 pm (local time). Return flights CZ8138 will leave Surabaya at 8 am (local time) and land in Guangzhou at 2:50 pm (Beijing time), cutting travel time between the two cities to less than six hours.

As a Friendship city of Guangzhou, Surabaya—the capital of East Java—is a vital commercial port and economic gateway under the Belt and Road Initiative. The new route is expected to bolster cultural and trade ties, enhancing connectivity between China and Southeast Asia.