Shenzhen Airlines is one of the major Chinese carriers and belongs to the Star Alliance. While it is not a global airline like its alliance partner (and part shareholder) Air China, it fills a particular niche connecting most of China with the rest of Asia.
Its hub airport, Shenzhen, is in southeast China, and this gives it a strategic advantage in connecting travellers from southeast Asia to certain Chinese destinations without having to backtrack through other major hubs in the country. Its all-Western fleet and alliance partner benefits make Shenzhen Airlines a carrier worth considering when travelling in the region.
Shenzhen Airlines major hub
Shenzhen Airport’s location in the southeast is very close to Hong Kong. A ferry carries traffic between the two cities, making Shenzhen a key gateway to the mainland. Hong Kong is a major hub for Oneworld member Cathay Pacific, which is why Shenzhen Airlines plays such an important (competitive) role for Star Alliance in this region.
Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport is the main hub and has an incredibly modern and bright terminal. The passenger flow is so strong that the airport added a satellite terminal to the airport. Most gates are dedicated to domestic flights with just a dozen for international departures.
Since the airline belongs to Star Alliance, many of its partners like Asiana and ANA fly here, too. This allows them to feed traffic from their global networks to Shenzhen’s route map of Chinese secondary and tertiary destinations.
Interestingly, travellers can go from Shenzhen’s airport, via ferry, to Hong Kong’s airport without having to pass through transit customs or immigration checks. This gives Shenzhen-based travellers access to Cathay Pacific’s global network and provides an alternative to Shenzhen Airlines.
While this competing airport and airline network is not great news for Shenzhen Airlines’ regional business, it does provide an alternative for those who need to travel further afield. Cathay Pacific even opened its own airline lounge at the ferry terminal to drive more business.
The route map for Shenzhen Airlines
Shenzhen Airlines also has secondary hubs and operating bases in other Chinese cities like Shenyang, Nanning and even Guangzhou (which is a global hub and not far from Shenzhen).
The airline flies to nearly 70 cities across China and flies to major cities around Asia including Bangkok, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Nagoya, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo among many others.
Most passengers travelling farther will have to connect to another airline, and Star Alliance usually has that covered thanks to more than two dozen airlines in the group. If you are flying to Doha or London Heathrow though, Shenzhen Airlines can take you there. Unlike many other Chinese carriers, Shenzhen does not fly to North America.
Fleet and cabin classes
Nearly 200 aircraft (with more on order) are on the fleet roster for Shenzhen Airlines. It is split between modern Airbus and Boeing aircraft, and the vast majority is in the narrowbody aircraft category. A handful of widebody Airbus A330 flies the longest routes or those with the highest demand.
Cabin layout
Boeing 737-800 and Airbus A320 family aircraft have business class cabins with recliner-model seats in a 2-2 layout. Most planes only have two or three rows of business class, but larger planes have a few more rows. It is important to note that Shenzhen calls its highest cabin first class, but by international standards, it is business class.
Premium class is the airline’s extra-legroom seats, and all of the airline’s planes have this cabin. Like standard economy class seats, they are all in a 3-3 layout. But, the premium class has a curtain that separates this cabin for a bit more privacy.
The Airbus A321neo and A330 planes have lie-flat seats in a 2-2 layout (former) and 2-2-2 layout (latter). These planes also have premium and standard economy in 3-3 (former) and 2-4-2 (latter) layouts.
These aircraft are used on longer flights and provide excellent comfort for business class passengers. In fact, these narrowbody A321neos offer the best business class product of any Chinese carrier on similar narrowbody aircraft since their seats lie fully flat.
Onboard service
Shenzhen Airlines has mixed reviews from frequent travellers. Its website is buggy with constant problems when it comes to selecting seats or even checking in for a flight. But as someone who flies often within China or on Chinese airlines, I find it to be one of the better airlines here. I prefer Shenzhen over airlines like China Eastern or Air China.
I like that they offer newspapers to passengers as they board in all cabins, something that seems to have disappeared on other airlines. Another perk I appreciate is that Star Alliance Gold members (no matter where you are sitting) receive a dedicated flight attendant greeting thanking them for their loyalty and offering a bottle of water, which is a really nice touch.
On the A330 and A321neo, there is also seatback entertainment with free headphones. I wish the airline had more Western programming; most movies and programs are in Chinese. Instead, I peruse different types of international music, which is entertaining. Other features include a moving map and several games.
Other planes have overhead screens playing one option, often only in Chinese. The newest Boeing Max planes come with streaming entertainment that allows travellers to connect to the onboard Wi-Fi and use their own devices.
Premium class and Economy offer the same services. The only difference is the legroom and more privacy in the former cabin. Economy class passengers enjoy hot meals and blankets on longer flights and boxed snacks on shorter ones.
Shenzhen Airlines does not serve alcohol in either cabin, but there is a limited selection in business class on longer flights (but not on most domestic sectors). The wine is passable, but will not win any international vintner awards.
In business class, I like how they provide slippers to passengers on all flights (both long-haul and short hops), but there are no amenity kits. And when not using a jet bridge and being transferred to the plane by bus, the airline always provides a dedicated bus for business class flyers.
When it comes to meal service in the business class cabin, white table cloths come first with a drink. Most meals are served all on one tray with either a Chinese or Western option. On shorter flights, there may only be one option, and I find it is usually a Chinese noodle dish.
Notable Shenzhen Airlines services
To compete with the growing number of Chinese carriers, Shenzhen Airlines has several offerings that make the travel experience better.
Lounges
At Shenzhen, the airline’s main hub, the Shenzhen Airlines International King Lounge welcomes premium cabin tickets or Star Alliance Gold membership. It has a hot and cold buffet, basic bar with drinks, massage chairs and showers.
Other major airports for the airline also have King Lounges, which tend to be much nicer than the airport-operated facilities. But, you will only find them in the focus cities for the airline like Guangzhou or Xiamen.
In other airports, eligible passengers enjoy access to third-party lounges with basic refreshments. Many airports in China accept Priority Pass, including the airline’s hub in Shenzhen. If you do not pay for a membership, check to see if any of your credit cards come with complimentary credentials.
Intercity bus service
Customers booking certain ticket classes or with top elite status with the airline are eligible for complimentary bus services from other cities to reach its hubs.
For flights from Shenzhen, free bus service is available from Longgang and Dongguan. From Guangzhou (a nearby city that is a hub for the airline as well as a major hub for competitor China Southern Airlines), free bus service is available from Huizhou, Dongguan, Foshan, Zhuhai, Qingyuan, Heyuan, Sanshui, Taishan and Zhaoqing.
Loyalty program
Shenzhen Airlines participates in Air China’s loyalty program PhoenixMiles. Passengers earn miles based on the length of the flight and the price and cabin class of their ticket.
Personally, I opt to credit my flights to other Star Alliance programs like Air Canada Aeroplan or United MileagePlus because their loyalty programs are more rewarding and easier to use when it comes to redeeming miles.
Special meals
Passengers in all cabins can request a special dietary meal like a vegetarian or diabetic selection. But, I like the long range of alternative options that Shenzhen provides. When I am not sure I will like the Chinese option on shorter flights (where there may only be one choice), I choose things like the fresh fruit or fruit and salad meal. Families can order children’s or baby meals.
Onboard upgrades
A new system is available that allows flight attendants to use their tablets to sell upgrades to passengers once they board the flight. The prices can sometimes be cheaper than what it offered weeks before departure making it a good deal. I still think it would be a good idea if the airline opted for a bid-for-upgrade system in advance though.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up to date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
