XiamenAir to Launch Nonstop Flights From Xiamen to London Heathrow This September

A Chinese carrier is set to begin three-weekly direct services between Fujian Province and the UK's busiest airport from 9 September.

XiamenAir is preparing to launch nonstop flights between Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport and London Heathrow Airport this autumn, marking a significant new development for air travel between the UK and China. The service will operate three times weekly from 9 September, offering passengers a direct connection between Fujian Province and one of the world’s busiest international airports for the first time. The route will operate in both directions, with flights from Xiamen to London Heathrow and return services from London Heathrow to Xiamen, giving travellers on both sides a smoother and more convenient journey. For UK travellers, it removes the need for stopovers through major Chinese hubs and meaningfully reduces total journey times on a route that has long required a connection. ​​​​​​​

XiamenAir is a Chinese airline based in the coastal city of Xiamen, from which it takes its name. The carrier is part of the China Southern Airlines group — one of the largest airline groups in the world — and operates an extensive network spanning destinations across mainland China, Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea, and the Pacific. Its decision to launch a nonstop service to London Heathrow marks its first scheduled entry into the European market and extends its long-haul international reach significantly. At Heathrow, it joins a small number of Chinese carriers already operating direct services to the UK.​​​​​​​

Xiamen is one of China's most distinctive and visited coastal cities. It is known for its relaxed atmosphere, seafront colonial architecture, and proximity to Gulangyu Island — a UNESCO World Heritage Site accessible by a short ferry crossing, home to historic buildings, botanical gardens, and cultural museums. The wider Fujian Province offers travellers a compelling range of experiences, from ancient Hakka earthen roundhouses known as tulou to dramatic coastal scenery and a celebrated regional cuisine centred on fresh seafood. Until now, reaching Xiamen nonstop from the UK has not been possible, making this new Heathrow service a genuine step forward in accessibility for British visitors to the region.

The launch of XiamenAir's London route is part of a broader expansion in direct air services between China and the UK. Demand between the two countries has grown steadily in recent years, driven by both leisure travel and business connectivity. XiamenAir's arrival at Heathrow adds new capacity to this corridor and gives UK passengers a greater choice of carriers and departure points when planning travel to China and onward connections across Asia and the Pacific.

XiamenAir's nonstop Xiamen to London Heathrow service launches on 9 September, operating three times weekly from Terminal 4. ​​​​​​​

Travellers looking to book flights on the new route can get in touch with the team at Crystal Travel for guidance and reservations.​​​​​​​