South Australia’s export and international travel industries are expanding. Photo: Chala Bala.
Adelaide’s longest-serving international airline is on track to set an aviation record as it increases its offerings to 12 flights a week to and from South Australia’s capital.
Currently, the airline runs 10 flights a week between South Australia and Singapore, and the boost will add 1328 seats. The flights will land every afternoon and take off five mornings a week, giving South Australians access to Singapore’s Changi Airport, a major airline hub.
Singapore is South Australia’s fifth-top destination for air freight, representing 3452 tonnes of product, up 37 per cent to May. This export market is worth $39.8 million, with merchandise exports to Singapore worth $239.8 million, up 10 per cent to May.
To December last year, South Australia welcomed 15,613 visitors from Singapore, an increase of 17 per cent from the previous year.
“This is amazing news from Singapore Airlines,” Adelaide Airport’s managing director Brenton Cox said. ”It is the first time an international airline has flown 12 flights a week year-round out of Adelaide.
“Singapore Airlines has been an incredible supporter of the Adelaide market for more than four decades and was a groundbreaker in providing South Australians with one-stop connections to Europe and the UK. Now, they offer more options than ever before to fly to Singapore and connect with their significant global network.
“It’s also significant for our local exporters who rely on Singapore Airlines’ regular services to reach key markets.”
At the same time, China Southern, which runs three flights into Adelaide a week and recently started operating a year-round schedule, has announced it will expand daily flights between December 2026 and March 2027, connecting to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.
China Southern Airlines regional director of sales and marketing William Wang said: “We are thrilled to expand our Adelaide-to-Guangzhou service to daily flights between 1 December and 10 March, 2027, catering to the strong peak-season demand for business, leisure and family travel.
“With China’s 30-day visa-free policy now in place for Australian passport-holders, travelling to and exploring China has never been more seamless.
“Beyond Guangzhou, South Australian travellers can take full advantage of China Southern’s expansive global hub, enjoying smooth, high-frequency connections across our extensive network to key destinations in Europe, Japan, Vietnam, South Asia and beyond.”
The increase in direct flights will further unlock opportunities for South Australian exporters and allow premium producers from the state to bring their fare to international markets.
The flight expansion comes as South Australian air freight exports rose by 35 per cent in the year to May, to 23,000 tonnes.
