The planes of Xiamen Airlines. [File Photo]
Xiamen Airlines will launch two new international routes this September — a direct service from Xiamen to London and a route connecting Xiamen with Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia.
The direct passenger route between Xiamen and London will launch on Sept 6, making Xiamen the first city in Fujian to offer non-stop flights to the United Kingdom, eliminating the need for travelers to transfer via a third city.
The route will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, using a Boeing 787 wide-body aircraft.
Outbound flight MF821 departs Xiamen at 12:50 am and arrives at London Heathrow at 6:35 am local time. The return flight, MF822, leaves London at 12:35 pm and lands in Xiamen at 7 am local time the following day.
The direct route from Xiamen to Kota Kinabalu will open on Sept 23 and operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays using a Boeing 737-800.
Outbound flight MF8641 departs Xiamen at 8:45 am and arrives in Kota Kinabalu at 12:05 pm local time. Return flight MF8642 leaves Kota Kinabalu at 1:05 pm and lands back in Xiamen at 4:40 pm local time.
The airline previously resumed its Fuzhou–Kota Kinabalu service in September 2025, with daily flights. With the addition of the Xiamen route, travelers from Fujian will now have direct access to this popular Malaysian destination from both Xiamen and Fuzhou.
China has extended its 240-hour visa-free transit policy and Hainan's 30-day visa-free entry policy to citizens of Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam, the National Immigration Administration said on Aug 20.
China's latest departure tax refund measures will allow overseas visitors to obtain instant refunds across more regions and give them up to 28 days to leave the country, making multi-city trips easier and encouraging longer stays and greater spending.
