The inaugural flight lands at Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport. [Photo/Xiamen Daily]
Aero Dili's flight 8G881 made its inaugural landing recently at Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport from Dili, Timor-Leste's capital. This new international route, which commenced in 2025 at Xiamen Airport, is the first direct passenger air service between China and Timor-Leste, closing the gap in direct flights between the two countries, and ushering in a new chapter in bilateral exchanges and interactions.
Timor-Leste is located on Timor Island, the eastern part of the Indonesian archipelago in Southeast Asia, with a land area of 15,000 square kilometers. It is renowned among Chinese tourists for its unique beach landscapes and pristine coral reef scenery.
Over the past two years, approximately 7,000 individuals traveled between two countries. Previously, most domestic travelers to Timor-Leste had to take connecting flights, typically through Indonesia or Singapore, which resulted in travel times of more than 10 hours and high costs with low efficiency. The opening of the new air route has significantly reduced travel time between the two countries.
Aero Dili will operate the route with two flights per month during the trial operation period from February to April. Beginning in May, there will be one round trip per week.
Chinese citizens traveling to Timor-Leste benefit from convenient entry policies, allowing them to apply for a visa on arrival at the country's international airport or port, with a maximum stay of 90 days.