West Air flies south to Sabah
A new link between Shanghai and Kaohsiung
West Air flies south to Sabah
A new link between Shanghai and Kaohsiung
November 6th, 2025. Starting on November 29th, China’s West Air is launching direct flights between Chongqing and Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, a Malaysian province in Borneo.
Kota Kinabalu is the gateway to the Unesco-listed Kinabalu National Park and Borneo’s highest point, Mt.Kinabalu. The province also boasts some spectacular beaches and the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.
The service will operate once a week, departing every Saturday. Flight number PN6421 will depart from Chongqing’s Jiangbei International Airport at 21:25 and will touch down at Kota Kinabalu International Airport at 01:50 the next morning. The return leg, flight number PN6422, will leave Kota Kinabalu at 02:50 and land back in Chongqing at 07:35.
The outward journey time will be approximately four and a half hours, and about fifteen minutes less for the return. The flight will be served by Airbus A320 aircraft.
West Air’s website is Chinese language only but Skyscanner offers a few booking agents.
Shanghai to Kaohsiung
Another Chinese low-cost carrier, Spring Airlines, has opened reservations for a service linking Shanghai with Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan. The service will launch on February 1st and operate three times a week on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Flight number 9C8877 will take off from Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport at 14:30 and will arrive in Kaohsiung at 16:55. The return journey, flight number 9C8878, will depart from Kaohsiung at 16:55 and arrive back in Shanghai at 17:55.
The flight will be served by Airbus A320 aircraft, and the journey time will be a little under two and a half hours in each direction.
Picture: Mount Kinabalu with the village of Kundasang ©David Sutton/themangoroad.com
Hotel Suggestions
The Magellan Sutera Resort, Kota Kinabalu
Hotel Nikko Kaohsiung
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