Shanghai to resume flights to Sabah amid travel shift

​A diverse fleet of aircraft from multiple carriers at a Shanghai airport terminal. [Photo/Shanghai Observer]

Shanghai will resume daily direct charter flights to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, on Jan 28, 2026, as South Korea has emerged as the top outbound travel destination for Chinese tourists, surpassing Japan, according to Spring Tour.

The shift follows a travel warning issued by China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, which triggered a surge in cancellations to Japan, as noted by Qunar, an online travel platform.

"Younger tourists are increasingly driving winter tourism trends," a Spring Tour representative said.

Data from Qunar shows South Korea leading in international flight bookings, followed by Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Seoul also has the highest number of international flight searches.

To meet growing winter travel demand, Spring Tour will offer daily direct flights from Shanghai to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, and packages combining Sabah with Brunei or Semporna.

Industry experts expect strong demand for off-peak outbound travel among Chinese tourists through the end of 2025, with Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia remaining popular for their affordability and proximity.

With the nine-day Chinese New Year holiday in 2026 approaching, long-distance outbound travel bookings are also expected to rise.