NEW DIRECT QINGDAO-PENANG FLIGHT STARTING MARCH 31

GEORGE TOWN, Jan 31 (Bernama) — Penang is set to enhance its international air connectivity with the launch of a new direct flight linking Qingdao, China, to Penang starting March 31.

State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said tickets are already available for purchase on the airline’s official website.

“This announcement comes at the very start of Visit Malaysia 2026, making it a timely and meaningful boost for the tourism sector.

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"Qingdao will become the northernmost Chinese city currently connected to Penang via direct flights, reflecting the continued northward expansion of Penang’s China aviation network and further enhancing its overall air connectivity," he said in a statement today

Wong said the Qingdao-Penang service (QW923) will depart Qingdao at 9 am and arrive in Penang at 3.35 pm, with the return flight (QW924) leaving Penang at 4.35 pm and arriving in Qingdao at 10.55 pm the same day, operating three times weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

He said discussions to strengthen ties with Shandong Province began as early as June 2024, when he met a delegation from the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Shandong Province, which had shared its efforts to expand engagement with Southeast Asia.

He added that these early engagements laid the groundwork for the opening of the direct route, with the Penang Global Tourism team travelling to Qingdao in early December 2025 for preliminary discussions with Qingdao Airlines, followed by his official visit to Qingdao in January 2026 to finalise operational details and explore joint tourism promotion initiatives.

He said with the launch of the Qingdao flights on March 31 and the Chongqing-Penang flights by Chongqing Airlines on April 8, Penang’s international network will expand to 22 direct international cities, including Bangkok, Taipei, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai and Doha, in addition to charter flights from several Chinese cities.

Wong said Penang currently has scheduled direct flights connecting six Chinese cities — Chengdu, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

“The addition of Qingdao and Chongqing will make them the seventh and eighth Chinese cities with direct air links to Penang, forming a comprehensive network covering East, South and Southwest China,” he said.

— BERNAMA