The daily route reconnects two major commercial hubs and restores another direct air link that disappeared during the pandemic-era breakdown in India–China passenger travel.
Direct passenger flights between Delhi and Guangzhou are returning from September 21, ending a six-year break on the route and adding another important connection to the gradual restoration of air travel between India and China.
China Southern Airlines says it will operate the service daily. Flight CZ359 is scheduled to leave Guangzhou at 3:35 pm and arrive in Delhi at 7:00 pm. The return service, CZ360, departs Delhi at 8:20 pm and reaches Guangzhou at 4:15 am the following day, according to the airline’s India-facing route information.
The resumption matters because Guangzhou is not only a major tourism gateway but one of southern China’s most important manufacturing, trade and logistics centres. For Indian businesses sourcing electronics, machinery, components, textiles and consumer goods, direct connectivity can reduce journey complexity compared with one-stop itineraries.
The route was suspended during the disruption to international aviation that followed the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. Direct India–China air links remained limited for years after other international routes reopened, reflecting a combination of operational restrictions and wider bilateral tensions.
Air connectivity has begun returning in stages. Other carriers have restored selected routes between Indian and Chinese cities during 2026, and the Guangzhou–Delhi restart adds another high-capacity city pair to that network.
For passengers, the practical benefit is obvious: fewer connections and a more predictable journey. Guangzhou’s Baiyun International Airport is a major hub for onward travel within China and across East and Southeast Asia, so a direct Delhi service can also improve connection options beyond Guangzhou itself.
Business travellers are likely to be an important part of demand, but the route also serves students, tourists and families. Visa rules, entry requirements and ticket conditions remain separate from flight availability, so passengers should check current documentation requirements before booking.
The airline has indicated that the route will operate every day, which is significantly more useful than a limited weekly service for business travel. Daily frequencies allow shorter trips and more flexible rebooking if plans change.
The wider significance should not be overstated. The return of one airline route does not erase the strategic and economic disagreements that remain between India and China. It does, however, show that practical travel and commercial links are being rebuilt after a prolonged interruption.
For travellers searching the route today, the key details are simple: China Southern is restarting Delhi–Guangzhou service on September 21, CZ359 operates Guangzhou to Delhi, CZ360 operates Delhi to Guangzhou, and the schedule is planned as a daily service.
After six years without this direct connection, the route’s return is likely to matter most to people who previously had to add a stop to one of Asia’s busiest India–China business corridors.
