Shenzhen opens air route to Laos' Luang Prabang

Shenzhen officially opened a direct passenger route to Luang Prabang, Laos, on Saturday, bringing the number of international passenger routes launched by the city this year to more than 10.

Crew members of the inaugural Hainan Airlines flight to Luang Prabang, Laos, pose for a group photo during the launch ceremony at Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport on Saturday.  Photos from WeChat account "深圳交通"

Operated by Hainan Airlines, the route runs one round trip per week. Outbound flight HU475 departs from Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport at 7:35 a.m. Beijing time and arrives in Luang Prabang at 9:05 a.m. local time. The return flight, HU476, leaves Luang Prabang at 10:55 a.m. local time and lands in Shenzhen at 2:10 p.m. Beijing time.

The new link provides a more convenient air corridor between the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and Luang Prabang, facilitating deeper cultural, tourism, and trade connections. It also offers residents of the GBA an appealing new winter travel destination to explore Southeast Asia’s rich cultural heritage.

Luang Prabang, Laos’ former royal capital and second-largest city, is celebrated for its well-preserved architectural and Buddhist legacy. It is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage designation.

Passengers proceed through the check-in process at a Hainan Airlines service counter at Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport.

Before this launch, the Shenzhen airport had already introduced a direct route to Laos’ capital, Vientiane. Its Southeast Asian network now spans 26 destinations across nine countries, operating more than 200 weekly departures to the region.

From January to October this year, passenger traffic on Shenzhen’s Southeast Asia routes exceeded 2.6 million, accounting for more than half of the airport’s total international and regional passenger volume.

Looking ahead, the Shenzhen airport is set to continue expanding its international network, with new services planned to Melbourne, Australia, and Kuching, Malaysia expected to launch by the end of the year. Once operational, the airport’s international and regional destinations are projected to exceed 60.