Airlines adding Singapore – Haikou flights, for visa-free China trips

China has been taking rapid steps to reopen to the world since pivoting from its self-imposed three years of COVID-19 isolation, scrapping quarantine for arriving travellers in January 2023, but with more recent developments too.

This has included the removal of pre-departure PCR testing for arrivals from many countries and the resumption of visa issuance for foreigners, including for tourism purposes.

One policy that unfortunately hasn’t yet made a return is the 15-day visa exemption for Singaporeans travelling to China, meaning a burdensome visa application process, costing S$86 for a single-entry trip and involving preparation of documents and a physical appointment at the visa centre itself.

APEC Business Travel cardholders with ‘CHN’ on their card are except from obtaining a visa, but for everybody else it’s an unappealing process to say the least, especially when you consider that normal visa-free and restriction-free entry for Singaporeans has now resumed for practically all other countries.

Hainan is visa-free

One good piece of news is that 30-day visa-free visits to Hainan Island were restored on 15th March 2023, allowing Singapore citizens and those with 58 other nationalities to visit as a tourist without the need to apply for a visa in advance.

Often referred to as the “Hawaii of China” because of its tropical climate, Hainan boasts beaches, five-star hotels and had a vibrant tourist industry before the pandemic. There’s also a mountainous interior to explore for more adventurous travellers.

Here’s the full list of eligible nationalities for visa-free travel:

• Asia & Pacific: Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, United Arab Emirates
• Americas: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, USA
• Schengen Area: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
• Other Europe: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Macedonia, Monaco, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Serbia, UK, Ukraine

That makes Hainan one of the only parts of China most of our readers can currently travel to with minimal hassle, and you can stay in the whole Hainan province (an island the size of Belgium) for up to 30 days.

Do note that under this scheme you will still be required to:

• Arrive on international flights from outside China (or from Hong Kong) at Haikou Meilan International Airport or Sanya Phoenix International Airport
• Register your passport information, round trip tickets, hotel bookings, and Hainan travel itinerary with a local travel agency in advance, at least 48 hours prior to departure
• The agency will then be able to apply for your visa-free entry from the local Exit-Entry Administration of Hainan at least 24 hours before your arrival

You cannot travel from Hainan province to mainland China under this scheme, unless you have a relevant visa – you must depart back to Singapore, Hong Kong or another country.

Full details are available here.

Singapore – Hainan flights are back

After a three-year hiatus, travellers can now fly non-stop from Singapore to Hainan Island once again with one of three airlines now operating (or imminently restarting) regular services to capital city Haikou.

Hainan Airlines resumed its non-stop Singapore – Haikou flights on 15th March 2023, operating three times per week using its two-class 154-seat Boeing 737-800s on this service, and is the only carrier offering Business Class on the route.

Hainan Singapore – Haikou Schedule
(Now – 28th October 2023)

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	HU748 737-800
SIN 12:05		HAK 15:45
	HU747 737-800
HAK 07:25		SIN 11:00

This schedule restores Hainan’s pre-pandemic capacity on the Singapore – Haikou route.

Jetstar has announced that it will return to China with four times weekly Singapore – Haikou flights from 29th April 2023, as shown in the following schedule.

Jetstar Singapore – Haikou Schedule
(29th April – 28th October 2023)

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	3K817 A320
SIN 07:25		HAK 11:05
	3K818 A320
HAK 12:00		SIN 15:30

Jetstar was operating five Haikou flights per week prior to COVID-19 (back then, a Monday flight was also offered), so the airline has restored 80% of its pre-pandemic schedules on this route as of 29th April 2023.

Until October 2019, Jetstar also operated twice weekly non-stop flights from Singapore to Sanya on Hainan Island’s south coast, but these services have not resumed and there is currently no direct link to this destination from the Lion City.

Scoot resumed three-times weekly flights from Singapore to Haikou on 2nd April 2023 using Airbus A320 aircraft, and will increase this frequency to four times weekly from July 2023, and even further to five times weekly from September 2023, as shown below.

Scoot Singapore – Haikou Schedule
(Now – 28th October 2023)

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	TR118 A320
SIN 07:15		HAK 10:45
	TR119 A320
HAK 11:45		SIN 15:25

Additional flight from July 2023

Additional flight from September 2023

Once five weekly flights are in operation, this will restore the airline’s schedule and capacity to pre-pandemic levels on this route.

Pre-departure testing is still required

Back in early March, China scrapped mandatory pre-departure PCR testing for arrivals from Singapore and a range of other countries.

Instead only a negative ART test is required, which can be administered at home using a self test kit, within 48 hours of departure.

ART test kits in Singapore are widely available for around S$5 each.

Once you have obtained your negative ART result, you will need to complete a health declaration form:

• via the China Customs mobile application, or
• online at htdecl.chinaport.gov.cn, or
• via a specific WeChat program for China Customs.

While tourist trips to China have been back on the agenda since mid-March, the process remains a hassle for most Singapore citizens due to the ongoing suspension of the pre-COVID 15-day visa waiver, requiring a costly and time-consuming “regular” visa application process.

That’s not the case for travel to Hainan province, an island known for its year-round tropical climate, luxury beach resorts and forested, mountainous interior to explore.

Three airlines are now offering 10 direct flights a week from Singapore to Haikou under the relatively straightforward visa-free process, which also extends to nationals of many other countries including the UK, the USA and Australia.

(Cover Photo: Shutterstock)