Last updated 2 June 2026
If you're looking for a Business Class flight to the UK and Europe with full lie-flat seats at a price point that can be close to Premium Economy on other airlines, China Southern should be high on your list.
We have been selling China Southern Business Class flights to the UK and Europe since 2016. In this article we cover our own experiences, and those of Fine Travel clients, flying with China Southern.
China Southern Business Class — onboard
China Southern flies modern widebody aircraft on the journey to London. The Business Class cabin is laid out in a 1–2–1 configuration, so every seat has direct aisle access and converts to a full lie-flat bed.
China Southern Business Class, in a 1–2–1 layout
After Fine Travel Consultant Sunita flew with China Southern, she described the service as:
Good and felt genuine, leaving me with the overall impression that nothing was too much trouble (and I'm often asked by first-time China Southern Business Class clients “how does the service compare to ‘tier 1’ airlines like Air New Zealand, Qantas and Emirates?”).
A Fine Travel client who flew China Southern in September 2024 shared:
CS was great by the way! Very good with Mum and the wheelchair etc. Good from check in right the way there and back. The airport in China was spotless and the lounge was really clean (the loos too!). Lounges (here it's the Strata Lounge) not as good as Qatar or Emirates (but Emirates nowhere near as good business class as CS) but who cares when it's a few grand less.
The entertainment systems include English-language movies, with the content refreshed regularly.
China Southern Business Class meals
China Southern has shared a recent Business Class menu (click here to view). Menus change through the year, so do ask your Fine Travel Consultant for the current offering on your route.
China Southern's routes and free stopovers
From New Zealand, China Southern flies from Auckland, with seasonal flights from Christchurch. Domestic add-ons with Air New Zealand can be included so your whole journey is on the one ticket, and from Auckland guests have complimentary access to the Strata Lounge.
Guangzhou is China Southern's hub, and the best-value Business Class options generally involve an extended stopover there. When the transit requirements are met, China Southern provides a complimentary room in a 4- or 5-star hotel — turning the connection into a welcome break in the journey.
Visa-free entry to China. New Zealand passport holders can currently enter China visa-free for up to 30 days, for tourism, business, family visits or transit — with no visa application required. This arrangement is confirmed in place until 31 December 2026; please confirm the current rules with your Fine Travel Consultant before booking.
The flight times. Auckland to Guangzhou takes approximately 12 hours, and Guangzhou to London (Heathrow) a further 13 — with the option to break the journey in Guangzhou.
The aircraft. The Auckland–Guangzhou leg is operated by Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners (with larger 777-300ERs on some peak departures), and the Guangzhou–London leg by 787 or, in peak season, Airbus A350-900 aircraft — all with the lie-flat 1–2–1 Business Class cabin.
All Fine Travel Consultants are experienced in selling China Southern Business Class, and can talk you through the routing, stopover options and current fares.
Business Class with Fine Travel
China Southern fares to the UK & Europe
See our current China Southern Business Class fares to the UK and Europe, and let us tailor the routing and stopover to suit your trip.
View China Southern airfares
