According to EqualOcean, on May 11th, China Southern Airlines(中国南方航空)announced the official opening of the direct passenger air route from Shenzhen to Mexico City. With a total length of over 14,000 kilometers, this route sets a new record for the longest direct international passenger air route in Chinese civil aviation history.
On the evening of May 11th, the inaugural flight operated by China Southern Airlines landed at Benito Juárez International Airport in Mexico City. Analysts suggest that the opening of this route will promote economic, trade, and tourism development between the two countries, strengthening China's relations with Latin American countries.
The Shenzhen-Mexico City route is currently the only direct passenger air route from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau to Mexico, and even to the entire Latin America region. Previously, Chinese travelers flying to Mexico or other Latin American countries generally had to make at least one stopover in Japan, South Korea, North America, Europe, or the Middle East, with a travel time of up to 30 to 40 hours. The flight on this route takes approximately 16 hours and operates twice a week, using Airbus A350 wide-body aircraft.
The Shenzhen-Mexico City direct route spans over 14,000 kilometers, surpassing the Guangzhou to New York route's 12,878 kilometers, making it the longest direct international passenger air route in Chinese civil aviation. The flight time is approximately 16 hours, with two flights per week, direct on the outbound journey and a technical stopover in Tijuana, northern Mexico, on the return journey.
EqualOcean understands that in recent years, economic and trade cooperation between China and Latin America has entered the fast lane. China is Mexico's second-largest trading partner in Latin America, and Mexico is China's second-largest trading partner in the region. The opening of the Shenzhen-Mexico City passenger air route will better meet the diverse needs of tourism, business, and other sectors between the two countries, further strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Shenzhen's advanced manufacturing and innovative technology industries complement Mexico's automotive, home appliance, electronics, machinery, and building materials industries, with many high-tech companies from Shenzhen expanding into the Mexican market and integrating into the local supply chain. As the capital of Mexico, Mexico City is one of Latin America's most important political, economic, and financial centers. China is Mexico's second-largest trading partner, and Mexico is China's second-largest trading partner in Latin America, with broad prospects for cooperation.
It is worth mentioning that previously, passengers flying from China to Mexico or other Latin American countries typically had to make one or two stopovers in Japan, South Korea, North America, Europe, or the Middle East, with some stopover destinations requiring transit visas and travel times of up to 30 to 40 hours. With the opening of the route, direct flights to Mexico City now only take 16 hours, significantly reducing travel time.
Furthermore, on May 5th, Shenzhen Airport increased the frequency of the previously opened Shenzhen-Mexico City cross-border e-commerce special route to four flights per week. The enhanced Shenzhen-Mexico City international cargo route now has a total weekly capacity of over 400 tons.