Budget Airlines to China: Shenzhen

Cheap Flights with Regional Airlines Tiger Airways and Air Asia

Jul 14, 2007

Just north of Hong Kong and a Special Economic Zone, the Chinese shopping paradise can be reached with low cost carriers from Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

The growth in the Asian budget airline market has ensured that it is now a lot cheaper to reach China than it has been in the past.

One of the cities that has benefited from this reduced price access is Shenzhen, a curious oddity that doesn’t really feel part of China at all.

This is partly because of the status it has. In 1980, what was formerly a fishing town was declared a Special Economic Zone. This meant that it essentially became a major trading hub – all about business, commercialism and making money. Hardly the Chinese way…

This led to an explosion in population, and now Shenzhen is a major economic hub.

Another reason for its importance is what’s to the south of it – Hong Kong. For many Hong Kong residents, Shenzhen is one big shopping mall, a place where they can stock up on all manner of goods at bargain prices. It’s not difficult to get to – just a quick hop on the train from Kowloon station – and the costs are considerably cheaper than in Honkers.

Now Shenzhen is firmly accessible for bargain hunters from all around, though, as the budget airlines have made their way in with cheap flights from across the region.

One of the major players in the Asian budget airline market is Tiger Airways, which is based in Singapore. It has pursued an aggressive price-cutting and cost-saving strategy in order to compete with the region’s major international airlines and the string or rivals that have sprung up in South-East Asia. This, of course, means that very good deals can be found at bargain prices on Tiger’s flights from Singapore Changi to Shenzhen.

Tiger Airways is also making strong inroads into the Australian market, mainly flying in and out of Darwin in the Northern Territory. Their regular flights from Darwin to Shenzhen are the cheapest way of getting directly from Australia to the Chinese mainland.

Another big boy amongst the Asian budget airlines is Air Asia. They run cheap flights on the route from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to Shenzhen in China.

Air Asia also offers a service to Shenzhen from Bangkok in Thailand. Competitor Bangkok Airways also offers a rival service on the route from the Thai capital.

The copyright of the article Budget Airlines to China: Shenzhen in Budget Transportation is owned by David Whitley. Permission to republish Budget Airlines to China: Shenzhen in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.