The first Hong Kong Airlines flight to Sydney touched down at Sydney Airport over the weekend, piloted by the airline’s President, Jeff Sun.

To mark the milestone in its network expansion, Hong Kong Airlines held celebratory events at both Hong Kong International Airport and Sydney Airport.

Destination NSW was proud to work closely with Sydney Airport and Hong Kong Airlines to secure this new service and will work in market to promote travel to Sydney and regional NSW.

Hong Kong is a priority international market for the state, with incoming travellers contributing $309 million to the NSW visitor economy in 2024.

The new daily service between Sydney and Hong Kong boosts seat capacity on the route by nearly 20 per cent and was enabled by the first expansion of bilateral air traffic rights between Hong Kong and Australia in nearly two decades.

Established in 2006, Hong Kong Airlines currently flies to 30 cities and popular destinations in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as more than 100 destinations worldwide.

NSW Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said: “Hong Kong is a priority international market for NSW, with incoming travellers contributing substantially to the NSW visitor economy.

“The NSW Government has made it very clear; we want to grow our visitor economy and the best way to do this is by increasing airline capacity and unlocking new international markets for NSW.

“We’ve set our sights on increasing the state’s aviation capacity by 8.5 million seats, and this new Hong Kong route will complement other new routes we’re securing as we work towards landing this goal.”

Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton said: “We’re proud to welcome Hong Kong Airlines to Sydney as our 52nd airline partner with its strong reputation for service excellence, efficiency and value.

“This inaugural service comes on the back of the first expansion in bilateral air traffic rights between Australia and Hong Kong in 19 years and we thank the Albanese Federal Government for its role in enabling this important agreement, which reflects the strength of our longstanding cultural and economic ties.

“Expanding traffic rights delivers far-reaching benefits - from greater choice and connectivity for passengers to stronger opportunities for tourism, trade and investment. A daily service like this is estimated to generate up to $120 million annually for the local economy, reinforcing the critical role aviation plays in driving prosperity across the region.”

Hong Kong Airlines President Jeff Sun, who is also a licensed pilot, said: "As a full-service local carrier, the launch of our Sydney service marks a significant step in our transformation from a regional to an international airline.

"Sydney is not only a popular destination for leisure and business travel but also one of Australia's most vital economic hubs. The expansion of the bilateral traffic rights agreement allows us to offer more choice to travellers in both cities, strengthening the connection between them.

"While Hong Kong Airlines may be a younger brand in the mature Australian market, we are endeavouring in our commitment to providing quality service.

"We operate this route with our Airbus A330 aircraft, featuring comfortable business and economy class cabins, and strive to deliver a passenger-centric in-flight experience through attentive service and fine dining for our long-haul customers."

Representatives from Destination NSW, the Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Sydney and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Sydney) attended the Sydney welcome ceremony.

Facts about Sydney to Hong Kong route

  • The historic connection between Sydney and Hong Kong dates back 75 years to 1949.
  • Today, the Sydney to Hong Kong route remains one of Sydney Airport’s busiest, with more than 850,000 passengers flying between the two cities in 2024.
  • Hong Kong is ranked as Sydney’s third busiest city route after Singapore and Auckland.