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China Southern Airlines (CZ) Guide

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Where China Southern flies from Guangzhou, which aircraft it uses, what its cabins and bag allowances look like, and how to check in for a CZ flight. Ask a question
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In short

China Southern Airlines is a major Chinese airline headquartered in Guangzhou, with hubs at Guangzhou Baiyun and Beijing Daxing. It serves 190+ destinations in China, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and Africa, and Guangzhou works as a gateway between Australia and Asia. It left SkyTeam in 2018 and runs Sky Pearl Club. Cabins are Business, Premium Economy and Economy.

China Southern Airlines is one of China’s three major airlines, headquartered in Guangzhou. Founded in 1988, it operates one of the largest fleets in Asia and serves 193 destinations in 35 countries. It was the first mainland Chinese airline to join a global alliance (SkyTeam, 2007) and left SkyTeam at the end of 2018.

Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with China Southern Airlines. Routes, schedules, fleet and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.

What to expect

China Southern Airlines is one of China's three largest airlines, headquartered in Guangzhou, with hubs at Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen Bao'an and Beijing Daxing. It suits travellers flying within China and those using Guangzhou as a stop between Australia or New Zealand and Europe, or between Southeast Asia and the rest of the world. It carried 165 million passengers in 2024.

About 233 destinations and the Guangzhou hub

China Southern serves about 233 destinations. Guangzhou Baiyun is the largest hub and the base for most international flights, while Shenzhen and Beijing Daxing add domestic and international capacity. Secondary hubs are Chongqing, Shanghai Pudong, Ürümqi, Wuhan and Zhengzhou. Focus cities abroad include Bangkok and Seoul Incheon.

The Canton Route

Since June 2012 China Southern has marketed the Canton Route, a way of travelling between Europe and Australia or New Zealand with one stop in Guangzhou. The first link was Guangzhou to London Heathrow. It competes with the traditional Kangaroo Route via Southeast Asia or the Gulf. Check China's transit visa rules for your nationality before booking a connection through Guangzhou.

The 1988 founding and state ownership

China Southern was set up on 1 July 1988 when China's civil aviation authority was split into separate airlines. It began flying under its own name and colours in February 1991 and became independent of the authority in October 1993. It is owned by China Southern Air Holding, a state enterprise, and its shares trade in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

The airline was the only mainland Chinese operator of the Airbus A380 and flew its last commercial A380 flight on 5 November 2022.

No alliance, many partners

China Southern joined SkyTeam on 15 November 2007, becoming the first mainland Chinese airline in an alliance, and left on 1 January 2019. Since then it has relied on bilateral partners. A frequent flyer partnership with American Airlines started in March 2019, and the airline works with Qantas, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Air France and KLM through a joint venture.

Stakes in XiamenAir, Chongqing and Sichuan Airlines

China Southern holds 55 percent of XiamenAir, 60 percent of Chongqing Airlines and 39 percent of Sichuan Airlines, and owns Xiongan Airlines and the maintenance company GAMECO. China Southern Cargo runs freighters from Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Fact-checked by the bookingMentor Travel Desk Reviewed · Updated when rules or prices change

Checked against trusted sources:
China Southern official website

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  1. China Southern official website
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Good to know

  • Founded1988
  • Other gatewaysPKX / SZX / PVG / CKG / URC

Everything you should know

Airline codes

CZ · CSN

IATA · ICAO · callsign “CHINA SOUTHERN”

Every China Southern flight number begins with CZ. Flight-tracking sites and air traffic control use the ICAO code CSN, and the radio callsign is CHINA SOUTHERN.

Key facts

Main hub

Guangzhou (CAN)

Guangzhou Baiyun International

Also flies abroad fromBeijing Daxing (PKX) · Shenzhen (SZX) · Shanghai Pudong (PVG) · Chongqing (CKG) · Ürümqi (URC)

Network

190+ destinations

China · Asia · Australia · Europe · North America · Africa

China Southern’s main hubs are Guangzhou Baiyun and Beijing Daxing, with Shenzhen, Shanghai Pudong, Chongqing and Ürümqi also important. It serves 193 destinations in 35 countries.

Destinations

Cabin classes

Business

and Premium Economy, Economy

Business, Premium Economy and Economy on long-haul aircraft; first class has been phased out.

Compare cabins

Good to know

China Southern’s loyalty programme is Sky Pearl Club, and its official website is csair.com.

Frequent flyer

Sky Pearl Club

No global alliance

China Southern left SkyTeam at the end of 2018, so miles are earned in its own Sky Pearl Club and with individual partner airlines.

How it works

Start a new search

Before you book China Southern, run the same dates through bookingMentor: rival airlines on routes from CAN appear in one set of results.

Safe travels on China Southern.

Select dates

At a glance

China Southern Airlines (IATA: CZ, ICAO: CSN) is a major Chinese airline headquartered in Guangzhou. Founded in 1988, it flies a large Airbus, Boeing and Comac fleet from hubs in Guangzhou and Beijing Daxing to 193 destinations in 35 countries; it left SkyTeam in 2018.

Key facts about China Southern Airlines
HeadquartersBaiyun District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Fleet typesAirbus A319neo–A321neo, A330, A350, Boeing 737, 777, 787 and Comac C909 and C919
Frequent flyerSky Pearl Club
Official websitecsair.com

Flight routes

Destinations and routes

Direct routes
These are the cities on China Southern’s published route map. Timetables change through the year, so check the China Southern schedule before you plan around a route. Search flights

Asia

Guangzhou (CAN) departures18 destinations

Check all

Fleet and aircraft

The fleet has about 705 aircraft in service and more than 270 on order. Short and medium routes use the Airbus A320 family and Boeing 737s, and long-haul routes use the Airbus A330 and A350-900 and the Boeing 777-300ER and 787-9. China Southern also flies the Chinese-built COMAC C909 and C919. Cabins are Business, Premium Economy and Economy, depending on the aircraft.

  • Airbus A319neo Narrow-body Shorter domestic and regional flights
  • Airbus A320 Narrow-body Shorter domestic and regional flights
  • Airbus A320neo Narrow-body Shorter domestic and regional flights
  • Airbus A321 Narrow-body Higher-capacity domestic and regional flights
  • Airbus A321neo Narrow-body Higher-capacity domestic and regional flights
  • Boeing 737-800 Narrow-body Domestic trunk routes and nearby Asian destinations
  • Boeing 737 MAX 8 Narrow-body Domestic trunk routes and nearby Asian destinations
  • Comac C909 Regional jet Domestic routes
  • Comac C919 Narrow-body Domestic routes
  • Airbus A330-300 Wide-body · 25 in service Regional and medium-haul routes
  • Airbus A350-900 Wide-body · 20 in service Long-haul Airbus wide-body
  • Boeing 777-300ER Wide-body · 15 in service Long-haul routes that need the most seats
  • Boeing 787-9 Wide-body · 21 in service Mid-size long-haul jets
  • Boeing 777F Freighter · 19 in service China Southern Cargo

Cabin classes

China Southern sells three cabins, Business, Premium Economy and Economy. The aircraft and route decide which China Southern cabins you can book.

Business Most flights

Business class

Business class across the network.

Lie-flat on long-haulLounge access

Premium Economy Long-haul

More space

Offered on long-haul wide-bodies.

Extra legroom

Economy All flights

Standard seat

The main cabin.

Meals

Sky Pearl Club

China Southern’s loyalty programme. Join Sky Pearl Club online before you fly so the trip counts.

Sky Pearl Club members earn miles on China Southern flights and on codeshare partners, and can also earn and redeem with partners such as Sichuan Airlines, China Eastern and Air China.

The loyalty programme is Sky Pearl Club. Partner miles can be earned on airlines such as American. Check the baggage allowance for your fare on the official China Southern website, since it varies by route, cabin and whether the flight is domestic or international.

Baggage allowance

On China Southern, the bag allowance follows your fare type, cabin and route, and the exact figure is printed on your CZ e-ticket.

Checked baggage
On your e-ticket
Cabin baggage
Set by your fare
Extra bags
Add online before you fly
Power banks
Cabin bag only

A long-haul China Southern trip and a short hop can come with different allowances, and every cabin above the lowest economy fare gets more. The baggage page on csair.com shows the rule for your route.

Pro tip: weigh your bags at home before leaving for the airport; extra weight on China Southern usually costs more at the counter than when you add it online.
Travel day

Online Check-in

Here is the order to follow for a CZ flight: check in, sort your documents, meet the airport deadline and drop your bags.

  1. Step 1

    Check in online

    Online check-in for CZ flights is on the official China Southern website. You need the CZ booking reference or e-ticket number and the passenger’s surname.

    Booking ref + surname
  2. Step 2

    Prepare your documents

    Before leaving for the airport, check that your passport is valid and that you hold any visa or entry document needed at the other end of your China Southern flight. Domestic CZ passengers should bring a photo ID the airline accepts.

    Passport · visa · ID
  3. Step 3

    Arrive early

    China Southern closes its check-in counters before departure, and passengers who miss the cut-off can be refused boarding. Leave room for bag drop and security at CAN.

    Check your deadline
  4. Step 4

    Drop your bags

    China Southern desks and bag-drop points take your hold luggage. Keep the bag-tag receipt with your boarding pass until the bags come off at the end of your CZ trip.

    China Southern counter
Ready to check in? Check in and manage your booking on the official China Southern website.
Check in with China Southern
Save money

Cheap tickets

China Southern fares out of Guangzhou move with the season and the fare brand. These habits help keep the price down.

  1. 01

    Look across the week

    If your dates can move, look at CZ flights across the whole week. Midweek seats are often cheaper than weekend ones.

    Midweek flights
  2. 02

    Avoid peak holiday dates

    Fares rise around Chinese New Year, the May Day holiday and Golden Week in October. Book early for those dates.

    School holidays · festivals
  3. 03

    Check what each China Southern fare includes

    A China Southern fare that includes a checked bag, seat choice or cheaper changes can cost less overall than adding those extras later.

    Baggage & changes
  4. 04

    Don’t leave busy routes late

    On busy China Southern routes such as CAN to Sydney, booking several weeks ahead usually leaves more fares to choose from.

    Popular routes
  5. 05

    Join Sky Pearl Club

    Add a Sky Pearl Club number to your booking so points from your CZ flights are credited.

    Before you fly

  6. Ready to compare fares?

    Search China Southern alongside every other airline on your route, with flexible dates.

    Search China Southern flights

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Everything travellers ask before flying China Southern Airlines.
We checked these China Southern answers with the airline’s own pages and public airline records on 10 October 2026.

Getting there

None. Partnerships with airlines such as Qantas and Qatar Airways, and a joint venture with Air France and KLM, take the place of alliance membership.